A ragdoll named 9 wakes up in the middle of a post-apocalyptic wasteland to find a group of numerically-named ragdolls like him. They live in fear for the mechanical monsters that destroyed humanity but 9 has the key to save them all.

The animation is indeed exciting. The character designs are wicked. The environment looks beautifully bleak. It’s a dark CG movie that is more suited for a mature audience that can understand the theme.

The plot probably wanted to focus more on the “fight or flight?” conflict: Live in fear of the soul-stealing monsters or find a way to stop them. The small cast of characters had different personalities, roles and opinions that affect their sense of teamwork.

However, with all the remnants of civilization scattered around, I’d want to feel sorry for the fate of the humans. By the middle of the movie, I was wondering what was left in that world that made it worth saving. The ending didn’t leave a satisfying resolution but that’s subjective. From what I watched, the movie just prolonged the 11-minute Academy Award-nominated film (also titled “9”) the story is based upon.

“9”’s story could have been better but the character development, visuals and settings make it worth a watch.