Wow. I have zero idea why this movie was rated PG-13. Violent no blood.
9
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Visually stunning but scary fantasy for older tweens and up.
Themes in this movie include: loss, revenge
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 12 and Up
The good stuff
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Role models:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of 9 was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
Parents need to know that this dark, futuristic Tim Burton-produced fantasy may be animated, but it's not meant for younger kids. Violence and scary scenes are prevalent throughout the film, with the main characters frequently battling killer robotic machines -- which are merciless as they pursue (and, in several cases, kill) their ragdoll-like prey in frightening ways. The robots also make alarming noises and often pop up out of the blue. Dead human bodies are shown briefly, but there's no gore. On the up side, despite the movie's ominous tone and frequent peril and violence, there's no language, drinking, consumerism, or sexual content.
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More on 9
What’s the Story?
Based on writer-director Shane Acker's 2005 Oscar-nominated short, 9 is set in a post-apocalyptic world where all that's left of humanity is a band of ragdoll-like beings created by an unnamed elderly scientist. When the final ragdoll, 9 (voiced by Elijah Wood), awakens, he sets off to explore his world. He stumbles upon another creature like him, 2 (Martin Landau), but they're quickly attacked by a mechanical beast, and 2 is taken. 9 joins up with the remaining ragdolls, who are split between those who want to confront the murderous machine to save 2 and those who want to hide from it. After 9 inadevertently powers up an even bigger machine, the group has no choice but to attempt to destroy the killer robot.
Is It Any Good?
Acker is a gifted filmmaker. The movie's visuals are breathtakingly crafted, and everything in a scene -- from the buttons and zippers on the ragdoll creatures' bodies to the stained-glass window in a deserted cathedral -- is amazingly detailed. The pacing is also just right. At only 79 minutes, the suspense is crisply edited, with a couple of moments earning audible gasps from the audience. Based on style alone, this is a brilliant, five-star film.
But story-wise, Acker falls a bit short. The plot is minimalist, and all of the characters -- aged and jaded leader 1 (Christopher Plummer), fiercely brave 7 (Jennifer Connelly), sweet but scared 5 (John C. Reilly), introverted artist 6 (Crispin Glover), and mute librarian twins 3 and 4 -- deserve more depth. We see 9 from his "birth," but the rest of the gang isn't nearly as strongly sewn together. Still, plot shortcomings aside, 9 is a must-see for its impressive, inventive animation.
Movie Details
Studio: Focus Features, Director: Shane Acker
Run time: 79 minutes
Theatrical release: 9/9/2009, DVD release: 12/29/2009
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and scary images
Run time: 79 minutes
Theatrical release: 9/9/2009, DVD release: 12/29/2009
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and scary images
Our Members Say
See 75 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Clean, no sex, high violence
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Clean, no sex, high violence
Wow. I have zero idea why this movie was rated PG-13. Violent no blood.
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Good.
Very violent. But I'm surprised they rated it PG-13.
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I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Really awesome :)
Awesome plot, awesome characters, though it could have been a little longer. But it's still great. I wouldn't take younger kids to see it, though. It's not too scary, but scary enough to give them a bit of a fright. Overall: One of my favorite movies.
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My highlights are:
good family movie
9 should not be p-g 13. it should be p-g. it is a great story. the violence is NOT scary. 9 is a MUST SEE.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 75% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 50% | of parents say there are good role models |
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