Product Description

The time is the too-near future. Powered and enabled by the invention known as the Great Machine, the world's machines have turned on mankind and sparked social unrest, decimating the human population before being largely shut down. But as our world fell to pieces, a mission began to salvage the legacy of civilization; a group of small creations was given the spark of life by a scientist in the final days of humanity, and they continue to exist post-apocalypse. With their group so few, these "stitchpunk" creations must summon individual strengths well beyond their own proportions in order to outwit and fight against still-functioning machines, one of which is a marauding mechanized beast.



9 is an absolute joy to watch in high definition. Blessed with a magnificent 1080p/VC-1 transfer, its every frame exudes the kind of color and clarity videophiles long for. Otherworldly greens, blazing-hearth oranges, earthy burlap browns, ferocious reds, and inkblot blacks bring the dolls and their world to vibrant life, rendering every hue, stitch, hair, flame, and shadow with the utmost care. Minted directly from its digital source, the presentation is nearly flawless. Only a hint of faint banding (occasionally visible in the night skies) and some minor, I stress minor aliasing (watch the metal surrounding the machine god's eye) hold the image back from perfection. Otherwise, detail is impeccable, edges are sharp and clean, textures are immaculate, and Acker's vision is intact. From a technical standpoint, the results are just as impressive. Artifacting, noise, crush, edge enhancement, and other pesky unmentionables are nowhere to be found. The picture is stable and strong throughout and never succumbs to any debilitating anomalies that might undermine Acker's visual achievements. I can't imagine anyone will be disappointed with Universal's efforts. If anything, most viewers will be more forgiving of its mild banding and aliasing (if they notice either issue at all) and award the transfer the top marks it arguably deserves.

Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is equally powerful save one small problem: dialogue prioritization. Voices are a bit low at times, particularly whenever the dolls are attacked by their screeching oppressors, and a few inconsequential lines are lost in the chaos of battle. That being said, I suspect each instance is a product of intention; Acker's desire to make 9 and his comrades seem even smaller and more frail in the face of insurmountable odds. Luckily, everything else is flawless. Rear speaker activity is aggressive and enveloping, LFE output is forceful and resonant, and the soundfield is eerily realistic and undeniably immersive. There wasn't a moment I felt yanked out of 9's world; not a moment I felt disconnected from the billowing factories or empty expanses that dot his journey. Sound leaps from channel to channel as gracefully as 7 fells a towering beast, pans are swift and smooth, and directionality is precise and convincing. Steely nerved children will clasp their hands to their ears and audiophiles will nod in enthusiastic approval. Suffice to say, 9 sounds fantastic.

Blu-ray Movie DVD Disc - 9 Features

Video
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1 (less)

Subtitles

English SDH, Spanish, French, mandarin

Package Content

Blu-ray Movie DVD Disc (25GB)- 9 x 1