9

(Movie Review)

Because I was in Japan, this was one of those films that had flown under my radar. I never even knew I hadn't heard of it, until I saw a blurb in a magazine saying that it was a must see for all sci-fi fans. Then the same day I found it at my local video store, so I decided I should check it out.

Going into this film completely cold, I wasn't sure what to expect. The beginning of the film starts off as a complete mystery. You don't know what in the world is going on, but you're intrigued by the concept, so you stick around hoping the film will provide some answers.

Instead, the film throws one action sequence after another at you.

Being an unsophisticated viewer, and being at heart a 12 year old boy who never grew up, I love an action packed movie. Ordinarily the more action the better. But for once, I actually wanted more story and less action.
I think that's partly because the film starts out with literally nothing: you don't know who these characters are, you don't know where they are or when they are, you don't know what is happening or why, and you want to find some reason to care about them so that you can get into the story. But the movie gives you so little.

That, and I also found a lot of the action sequences mildly confusing. I mean, generally I could follow what was going on, but a lot of the quick cuts and fast movements would often leave me confused as to who hit who, or how a character got from point A to point B.

The end of the movie is very unsatisfying also. There are a whole ton of questions that are left unanswered.

The movie flirts with genius, no doubt about it. The concept of a bunch of living rag dolls running around during a post-apocalyptic battle between man and machine is a concept so bizarre it's intriguing. But ultimately the movie doesn't do enough with it.

Link of the Day
Noam Chomsky: The ACLU Is a Conservative Organization

9: Movie Review (Scripted)

Video version of an old post (as I explained about HERE)