For Children?

While the merits of allowing children to watch Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas or The Corpse Bride may be questionable at best, 9 seems to push far beyond the macabre and dark humor of these films. We should have known when the MPAA chose to rate 9 PG-13 while Nightmare and Corpse had both received only PG ratings.

The entire premise of 9 is dark – a post-apocalyptic world in which humanity has been utterly destroyed and only stitchpunk dolls imbued with a soul survive. The stitchpunk dolls stumbling over the dead bodies of humans – soldiers, women, and children – is disturbing enough but the real scares are reserved for the horrifying mechanical monstrosities the stitchpunk dolls must face.

But Is It Good?

In spite of Tim Burton’s strangeness many thoroughly enjoy his films – and his repeated pairing with Johnny Depp – but this film is so different from Burton films that one has to consider it on its own merits. It should not be considered a Burton film (and it is not, though he participated Acker is the main brains).

The film is beautifully rendered (even the dark and morbid aspects are done with artistic finesse). One is drawn into the world and with a little imagination the film world takes on a reality all its own. That said, after twenty minutes I was fidgeting and wishing, “When will this film end?” The storyline consists almost entirely of stitchpunks fighting monsters – defeating or semi-defeating monsters – and then repeating the cycle. The fight scenes are amazingly rendered, the explosions and conflicts engrossing – but while the enemies vary it feels somewhat like an old-fashioned nintendo video game in which the levels repeat over and over with little variation.

Further, the film is painful to watch – not because of the elimination of humanity but because of the constant and growing suffering of the stitchpunks. While one never gets extremely attached to the stitchpunks the minute rendering of the terror of the suffering and the mourning of those left behind is agonizing. At times I wondered, “Will this film end with defeat?” For most of the film its defeat piled upon defeat. Hope is smashed repeatedly and the world draws ever closer to oblivion. Each chance at victory is spoiled and with it another character is heart wrenchingly destroyed.

But Does It Teach Us?

A film can be painful and boring and yet still have a deeply powerful message. Unfortunately, while 9 had great potential to engage us on important cultural and spiritual topics – it falls flat. It tackles a number of interesting ideas but with such brevity and amidst so many distractions that the opportunity for discussion is nearly lost. Here are a few implications I drew from the film (I am not indicating agreement with this ideas – personally I hold a Protestant Christian worldview):

• The stitchpunks creation/existence correlates with human creation. In this sense, we are god and god ceased to exist as a separate entity in order to create us.
• god was/is not a greater intelligence but rather another intelligence. The act of creation was an act of survival rather than an act of infinite wisdom and grace.
• 1 represents institutional religion/political order. These are safe but prevent us from experiencing progress.
• 9 is a post-modern revolutionary who attempts to move humanity forward. 9′s attempts result in great suffering for mankind. While revolutionary and de-construction may result in gradual advancement, the costs are extremely high.
• A dystopian view of technological/scientific advancement. Our advancements will one day destroy us.
• At the same time, an endorsement of radical innovation and rebellion (as 9 epitomizes), yet seemingly with less of a focus on technological/scientific advancement.
• The death of stitchpunks and the release of their souls is the food to renew the world, to start the evolutionary process again from the beginning.

Concluding Remarks:

9 is well-done artistically and may be viewed on these merits with enjoyment. Those looking for deep, thought provoking storylines and a enjoyable viewing will be disappointed. The worldview presented by the movie – or the extrapolations which one may carry from it – will be disconcerting to many audiences. The film should be watched with a contemplative eye that understands the worldview presented and adequately responds to the truths and untruths presented. The film is certainly not for children. It is not unnecessarily gory, but it is continually suspenseful, frightening in its tension, and dark in its portrayal of death and life.

Caveat: I am recommending not only books that I believe are right on but also books which I believe are so thought provoking that the challenges to our thinking are worth the risks. The reader of the book must take it upon himself to wrestle with the fallible interpretations of like offered by each author.

• Metamorpha: Jesus as a Way of Life – Wow. A supremely readable, yet deeply intelligent primer on the Christian faith. Written by a young voice (Kyle Strobel) it manages to embrace the best of real Christian spirituality while challenging the separatism currently occurring in churches between the young and old.
• Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist – I am a voracious reader and yet it took me well over a year to read this book. John Piper, without a doubt, is one of the most profound voices within modern Christianity. Every page of this book is packed with wisdom, Scripture, and the voices of our past. This book is readable – but expect to take it a few pages at a time – there is just too much to process on every single page. Piper’s essential argument is that man was designed for pleasure – but that that pleasure is to be found in God.
• Inside Out – Larry Crabb is a controversial figure within Christianity. As a psychologist he finds many Christian doors closed. His background and admiration for Freud doesn’t help anything. That said, he has made a sincere effort to understand how the science of the mind fits into the Scriptures. Most won’t agree with everything he suggests in this book, but everyone will be challenged by the heavy emphasis he places on the reality of our brokenness as human beings and the need for a supernatural healing.
• The Purpose Driven® Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? – Rick Warren and Saddleback Church have become extremely influential in American Evangelical Christianity. His Purpose Driven Church book has formed the basic plans for many churches around the nation – and his youth pastor Doug Field’s book Purpose Driven Youth Ministry has done the same for youth ministries. Now Warren has released what may be considered his basic philosophy of life. Written in a forty day devotional format the book offers Warren’s understanding of the biblical worldview and how it affects our lives.
• Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth – Richard Foster comes from a Quaker background and is a continuous student of the historical methods of connecting with God spiritually. He helps us understand the way that spirituality integrates into our lives – more than just over prayers before meals. He divides the practices we can use to connect to God into three sections – inward (meditation, prayer…), outward (simplicity, solitude…), and corporate (confession, worship…). A great starting point for experiential Christianity.
• A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished CHRISTIAN – Yeah, the book has a really long title, and it is a bit dry at times with lots of footnotes. But Brian D. McLaren is one of the leading thinkers in the emerging church movement and is important to understand whether you agree with his theology or not – and he makes an awful lot of good points, even if you don’t buy the whole load.
• How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth – I’m sure glad I’m not the only one who struggles with understanding Scripture. This extremely readable and informative little volume by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart is a must-read for new and experienced students of the Bible alike.
• The Story of Christianity – I must admit that Justo Gonzalez is one of my heroes. This book – originally two separate volumes – is a monumental achievement in itself. Numbering around a thousand pages it was an extremely readable and balanced history of the Christian faith from start to present. I would suggest that having at least a rudimentary understanding of Christian history can profoundly affect (in a positive way) our understanding of the gospel and interaction with fellow believers as well as the world at large.
• American Evangelical Story, The: A History of the Movement – Douglas A. Sweeney offers a readable and fairly comprehensive history of American Evangelicalism. A must read for evangelicals.
• The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict Fully Updated To Answer The Questions Challenging Christians Today – Josh McDowell’s extensive research into the Christian faith in an attempt to establish an apologetic defense. Essentially, an encyclopedia on the historical/scientific/evidentiary reasons for belief. Covers topics such as the biblical text, the historical Jesus, and biblical criticism.
• Life Application Study Bible NLT – Whether one gets a Life Application Study Bible is not so much my concern – though there are a number of useful maps, charts, study notes, and etc. in the Life Application Study Bible…But I do think a New Living Translation (NLT) Bible is an excellent addition to any library. I am assuming one already has a word-for-word literal translation such as the NASB, NIV, or NKJV. These Bibles are excellent for understanding the minutaie of the text, but I find the NLT provides a more readable translation for devotional reading. Sure, when one hits a controversial passage pull out your NASB and lexicon and dive into the words and commentaries…But for the larger context/story flow I personally enjoy the NLT.

Kyle Strobel writes with clarity, honesty, and wisdom I have seldom encountered except amongst the masters. I can rank him without hyperbolization alongside John Piper (Desiring God, Future Grace), C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity, Chronicles of Narnia), and George MacDonald (Diary of an Old Soul, Unspoken Sermons). The quality of his writing is superb, the content is clear and concise, the depth of his knowledge is amazing.

Strobel is young. Very young. But his work desires the attention not only of this current generation but also of the elder generations. With the wisdom of Solomon he carefully examines the faults of the elder and younger generations. Unlike so many contemporary writers who are blinded by the faults of the other generation Strobel is careful to pull the plank each generation’s eye as he seeks to unfold a clearer vision of following Christ.

If you are looking for visionary insight into the following of Jesus. If you desire to deepen your walk with God…Or even to understand who this God is and why you should care. If you find yourself in conflict with those of other generations – or are simply looking for deep, heart-wrenching, intellectual, theological stimulation – get ready to take a wild ride.