The day after tomorrow is a motif in literature and films. From the Bible in Genesis 8, where a dove returns to Noah with an olive branch following the Great Flood, to Will Smith’s last man on Earth in “I am Legend,” numerous examples exist in the post-apocalyptic genre. The newest addition is “9,” directed by up-and-coming animator Shane Acker.”9″ dwells on the adventures of an eponymous hero, a rag doll endowed with a soul, who awakens in a laboratory and discovers the Earth had been transformed into an arid wasteland. He then joins forces with other dolls, themselves engaged in a war with a dreaded mechanical beast — a contraption which resembles what a dinosaur would look like if designed by General Motors.When 9 revivifies a terrifying villain, endangering his fellow dolls, he will have to decide between following the dictates of his conscience or the mandates of the close-knit community.It bears repeating that Acker’s concept is unoriginal. The film satisfies the sensory and tactile desires, which makes it worth watching; however, the film suffers from a clash of visions and leaves several themes unexplored. It is a smorgasbord of influences that don’t cohere.Though directed by Acker, “9” unmistakably bears the imprint of producers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. Whereas Bekmambetov is interested in incendiary action with superficial literary allusions, as seen in “Daywatch” and “Wanted,” Burton dwells more on the dark, macabre world of “Corpse Bride” and “Edward Scissorhands.” This fertilization has resulted in a Janus-faced creation — the film is in part a fable on the unintended consequences of technology and part Bayesque indulgence on explosions, à la “Transformers.””9” is painted in a sepia-toned palette with impressively-drawn characters and scenery. At one point, one of the dolls passes beside a milk bottle and an image gets refracted behind the transparent glass. Acker’s attention to the little things is also noticed in the sound effects: from the rusty gears creaking to the burlap swishing. It’s all in the details.The film dips into the philosophical by asking questions like “Why are we (the dolls) here?” and “Why are we fighting the machines,” but it does not pause to reflect on the battle between the pursuit of knowledge and the conservation of order. Indeed, when “9” moves to ‘minor’ issues such as characterization it founders.Its characters are human-like, but lack humanity. There doesn’t appear to be much investment in endowing either the rag dolls or the machines with sentiments which would resonate with the audience. And without an empathic transaction between the viewer and character, the animation remains unanimated. “The world was destroyed, so what?” we end up asking. Consider this: Would anyone have enjoyed “Wall-E” if we didn’t all see ourselves in the little robot gunning for the pretty girl?A consequence is a sense of terror is lacking. In Michael Haneke’s “Time of the Wolf,” we see a family on the run after an environmental disaster befalls the earth. There is no clear sense of what had occurred; everyone is left to fend for themselves or gain strength by joining a community. We are transported into a terrifying state of nature described by Thomas Hobbes as one of “continual fear and danger of violent death, and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”In its original form, “9” was a 10-minute short film (easily available on Youtube) which was more cogent, concise and captivating — without a back-story, it was necessary to take the images on their own terms. With the theatrical version, we once again discover for films, more is usually less. Though visually stunning, the stitched plot is threadbare.Freke Ette is a political theory graduate student from Uyo, Nigeria. Follow him on Twitter    @TDR_fette.
 
 
 
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