Tim Burton’s “9” is a creative depiction of a post-apocalyptic world, where the only surviving “life forms” are nine rag dolls that resemble walking burlap sacks.

The film shows the destruction of life on earth as war wages between machines and humans. Neither side really wins, which may be an accurate portrayal of Earth a couple decades in the future.

A scientist, voiced by Alan Oppenheimer, masterminds the technology for many of the machines and robots. After giving up hope on the corrupted machines, the scientist creates nine rag dolls. These dolls, referred to as stitchpunks, are the scientist’s last attempt to capture human rationality before the complete destruction of the species.

Even though the dolls all have similar aesthetic features, Burton amplifies specific personality traits in each one to individualize their characters. Each stitchpunk is named by the order in which the scientist made them. From One, the stubborn and cowardly ruler, to Eight, the air-headed bodyguard, all the way to Nine, the good-hearted protagonist.

Although the film is animated, it is far from the typical children’s cartoon. Loaded with violence and scary images, it is easy to see why this movie is rated PG-13.

On a more technical basis, the animation quality of the film is outstanding. The stitchpunks move, gesture, and speak similarly to humans. Even their facial expressions are on key.

Like Burton’s other films, “9” is dark and unusual. The few scenes that could be considered comedic, such as when Eight makes use of a mutilated human hand as a seat, are best appreciated by those with a dark sense of humor.

The most optimistic note in the film is the camaraderie among the stitchpunks. It’s nice to know that when humans run themselves into the ground, rag dolls will prevail.

Burton’s creation of a pseudo-earth in which rag dolls reside is entertaining, but also incomplete. The mission of the stitchpunks is unclear in the beginning and never clarifies toward the end. The ending of the film makes little to no sense due to large gaps in the plot.

Overall, “9” is a good movie. The creativity outweighs the confusion. The film forces you to think, but that can always be considered a worthwhile watch.

Katrina Tupper can be reached at [email protected]