When James Cameron introduced ‘The Terminator’ in 1984, it wasn’t immediately apparent how the vision of a dark and gloomy futuristic world would be so popular for filmmakers. With scenarios involving man-made machinery growing stronger than the human race, films like ‘The Matrix,’ ‘i-Robot,’ and even Pixar’s ‘WALL-E’ carry themes of super intelligence in computers trying to rid the world of pesky humans. Now, another animated film simply titled ‘9’ reignites that theme with ‘9’ characters being referred to as the stitchpunks.

While the story of ‘9’ might not be unique, it is told through the eyes of characters that are wonderfully intricate. At least in their construction, the nine stitchpunks are made primarily from burlap sacks and odd trinkets. With each one sporting a different number between one and nine on his back, the secrets are as much a mystery to them as it is to us. Therefore, when the one wearing the number nine awakens for the first time in a deserted and destroyed world, many questions immediately start to rise.

Unlike John Connor in the ‘Terminator’ series, ‘9’ didn’t have a warning about the dangerous machines that lurk among the outside world. As ‘9’ wanders out into the lifeless world before him, he luckily discovers a group just like him who are hiding from the machine beast that seeks to destroy them. As they fight to defend their strange but precious lives, the group must learn to work together and discover the answers to their past in hopes that it will lead them to their freedom.

Part of the success of ‘9’ is due to the stunning animated visuals, unique characteristics and talented voice work being injected into the clever characters. Writer/director Shane Acker brilliantly allows his dark, visionary world and compelling characters to draw audiences into the film with paralleled curiosity. For as questioning as the stitchpunks are, audiences will be equally involved in their perilous quest. Once that curiosity subsides, however, there’s little setting the story apart from others like it.

For as visionary as producers Timur Bekmambetov and Tim Burton are, their apparent lack of unique storytelling ideas did nothing to assist with Acker’s unique vision. Had it stayed away from such conventional themes, ‘9’ could have finished with the same gripping originality that brought it to our attention in the first place. Since the only updated element is the presentation, many viewers could find themselves in that coldly familiar post-apocalyptic world with a predictable and familiar inconclusiveness.

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