‘9’ is a dark, unique animated adventure

At least when it comes to the quality and originality of its CGI animation, the movie “9” is a singular sensation. If only the good-versus-evil, sci-fi action story line wasn’t so by-the-numbers.

Creatively dark filmmakers Tim Burton (the prolific master) and Timur Bekmambetov (“Wanted”) produce director Shane Acker’s feature-length adaptation of his 2005 Oscar-nominated short film of the same name. They’ve fashioned a semiretro post-apocalyptic realm, now humanless, that splices together the gray/beige appointments of a burned-out World War II battlefield with the futuristic killer machine concept of the “Terminator” franchise.

In Pamela Pettler’s screenplay, Acker’s odd burlap heroes fight what’s left of a victorious robot regime. Alas, once the plot kicks in, there’s nothing but sequences of brave little underdogs trying to outsmart ruthless metal giants in fantasy chases and exchanges of firepower as beams of light pierce the dank fields of rubble.

But before these inevitable proceedings, while the mystery of who’s who and what’s what still exists in the first act, the wide-eyed, homemade-looking, anthropormorphic doll characters have a chance to charm and engage us.

They turn out to be the evolving prototypes of a scientist’s vision. Number 9, the protagonist voiced by Elijah Wood, is the last version and, apparently, the most physically advanced. After the world of man ends, “9” meets his fellow survivors, including fearless allies in the war against the machines, Number 5 (John C. Reilly) and Number 7 (Jennifer Connelly); wily old mentor Number 2 (Martin Landau); crazed clairvoyant Number 6 (Crispin Glover); and fear-filled leader Number 1 (Christopher Plummer).

There’s a secret “source” behind their different personalities. And they can be viewed as metaphors or archetypes applicable to our world today. The main thing is: They are uniquely and cleverly conceived.

So though it lacks appeal for a wide audience, you can count on “9” as an admirably cool art project.