We've had a lot of the "man-machine battle in the future", and "the importance of human emotions". The movie beautifully presents a new angle to it, though probably not new enough to write home about.
Clichés abound throughout the movie--the music, and even the voice of 9 (Elijah Wood) sound trite (the latter possibly due to watching LotR movies dozens of times). The action, although enthralling, depends a lot on lucky close-shaves and a bit of the 'deus-ex-machina'. For most of the movie, I expected something powerfully epiphanous to occur, but the anticipation went unfulfilled.
The Animation and Special Effects are beautiful. The objects, settings and the 'image' (particularly the use of Low depth-of-focus) are reminiscent of the works of Brothers Quay, though this doesn't have any of that macabre quality.
Viewed thoughtfully in hindsight, the plot does have some substance. In this microcosm, the puppet-characters seem to be symbolic of individual human traits--covering a spectrum of black gray and white, which, in a complex way, comprise our 'soul'. There are many symbols and allegorical elements. An act of thoughtless curiosity (the activation of the machine) leads a people to disaster. Troubled folk seek sanctuary in an abandoned church, led by an orthodox, power-hungry figure. In the face of a full-fledged assault, the sanctuary burns down, and man is left to use his own wits to ensure his survival.
Because of being an isolated essence, each of these puppets seems to be a stereotype--this fact, if not appreciated, encourages the perception of the movie as being full of 'clichés'. Once it dawns, this realization vindicates the movie, albeit not completely.
While the movie leaves somewhat dissatisfied the mature and expectant viewer, it offers a fairly enjoyable experience to both the young and the old.
Clichés abound throughout the movie--the music, and even the voice of 9 (Elijah Wood) sound trite (the latter possibly due to watching LotR movies dozens of times). The action, although enthralling, depends a lot on lucky close-shaves and a bit of the 'deus-ex-machina'. For most of the movie, I expected something powerfully epiphanous to occur, but the anticipation went unfulfilled.
The Animation and Special Effects are beautiful. The objects, settings and the 'image' (particularly the use of Low depth-of-focus) are reminiscent of the works of Brothers Quay, though this doesn't have any of that macabre quality.
Viewed thoughtfully in hindsight, the plot does have some substance. In this microcosm, the puppet-characters seem to be symbolic of individual human traits--covering a spectrum of black gray and white, which, in a complex way, comprise our 'soul'. There are many symbols and allegorical elements. An act of thoughtless curiosity (the activation of the machine) leads a people to disaster. Troubled folk seek sanctuary in an abandoned church, led by an orthodox, power-hungry figure. In the face of a full-fledged assault, the sanctuary burns down, and man is left to use his own wits to ensure his survival.
Because of being an isolated essence, each of these puppets seems to be a stereotype--this fact, if not appreciated, encourages the perception of the movie as being full of 'clichés'. Once it dawns, this realization vindicates the movie, albeit not completely.
While the movie leaves somewhat dissatisfied the mature and expectant viewer, it offers a fairly enjoyable experience to both the young and the old.