# 9

> This beautifully-detailed animation would have been wonderful on the big screen. But the story — another about a displaced soul — still works pretty well on DVD.

By Stephen Webb · 20 April 2010 · Reviews / Gaming

Canonical: https://insights1.uca.org.au/articles/9/

## (M) Madman DVD/BD

This beautifully-detailed animation would have been wonderful on the big screen. But the story — another about a displaced soul — still works pretty well on DVD.
 Imagine if you can … a world with so much potential but where our pursuit of technology has only led us to our doom. The world is ending but life must go on.
 *9* draws on art, history and apocalyptic and dystopian myths from H. G. Wells to George Orwell and *Star Wars* to tell its tale of fabricated life battling machines to preserve some hope for humanity in a devastated city.

The character 9 is cobbled together from hessian, wood and metal to perform a function only revealed after mysterious symbols are deciphered, others of his kind learn to work together and a common enemy is understood and overcome. Fear and self-preservation must be balanced with courage and selflessness. Cowardice with heroism. Power and destructive purpose with ingenuity and improvisation.

The future looks bleak but while there is still a chance …

Fans of the popular computer game will recognise how *Myst*-ic 9 is — the way it is drawn. How problems are solved. It is also very metaphysical and mystical. And is spoiled by a hocus-pocus ending.

**Stephen Webb**