An animated sort of Terminator-meets-Wall-E for kids -- only, you know, not overly loud, long, dull and repetitive like this summer's Salvation -- 9 is a post-apocalyptic nightmare of a movie, about as far from the cuddly cartoons of yesteryear as one can get. Produced by Tim Burton and Wanted director Timur Bekmambetov, the film isn't particularly original, but its dark mood, end-of-times landscape and unique characters will seem fresher to the young audience for which it's aiming than to jaded sci-fi veterans.

A feature-length version of director Shane Acker's Oscar-nominated short film from 2005, 9 begins with our world's end, our demise hastened by (stop me if you've heard this) our mad obsession with technology. Just like Skynet in the original Terminator, 9's machines grew bloodthirsty and wiped out humankind. All that's left is a small group of diminutive, vaguely doll-like creatures numbered 1 through 9 -- the film's website calls them ``stitchpunk creations'' -- left to carry on the business of life, such as it is. They're thwarted, however, by a murderous mechanical beast and an even more disturbing creation called the Great Machine, which are still bent on destruction.

Our intrepid heroes have been led by 1 (voiced by the terrific Christopher Plummer, so effective earlier this summer as the bad guy in Up), whose survival strategy has been to hide. But with the arrival of plucky 9 (Elijah Wood), things change. Other important numbers to remember: elderly inventor 2 (Martin Landau); fearless warrior 7 (Jennifer Connelly); friendly, uncertain 5 (John C. Reilly), and out-of-his mind 6 (Crispin Glover).

The visuals are great and mostly distinct enough to make an old story feel somewhat fresh, and the film's swift pacing ensures a lack of squirming. Acker's strange little critters turn out to be oddly endearing, even if you get the feeling this battle has been fought before.

Voices: Elijah Wood, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover, Fred Tatasciore.

Director: Shane Acker.

Screenwriters: Shane Acker, Pamela Pettler.

Producers: Timur Bekmambetov, Tim Burton, Dana Ginsburg, Jinko Gotoh, Jim Lemley.

A Focus Features release. Running time: 79 minutes. Violence, scary images. Playing at: area theaters.

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