Jon Broeke reviews two of the latest releases available on DVD: 9, an animated movie directed by Shane Acker featuring the voice of Elijah Wood, and The Tournament, an action thriller directed by Scott Mann.
9

Starring the voices of Elijah Wood, Christopher Plummer, Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly
Directed by Shane Acker

9 (Wood), a part mechanical, part material doll awakens into a world of complete chaos. Not understanding where, or indeed what, he is he ventures outside only to be set upon by one of the many beasts that rule this world. He is rescued by 2 (Martin Landau) - another doll, 9’s brother if you will - but in rescuing him, 2 is captured by the very beast that he was saving 9 from. 9 has to go to his rescue. Aided by 5 (Reilly), a one eyed sibling of 9 and 2, and 7 (Connelly), the only female in the group, they set off to rescue their brother, only to awaken an even deadlier foe - The Machine.

This is a very entertaining and interesting animated film with a good cast of voices and a good story. The characters are well developed through the story and the action is well orchestrated, though at times maybe a little scary for the little ones. This is good family fare for families with children, or adults who are young at heart.

The Tournament

Starring: Ving Rhames, Robert Carlyle, Kelly Hu
Directed by Scott Mann

Every seven years the greatest assassins in the world all congregate on one unsuspecting town to compete in the ultimate survival game, the Tournament - the last man standing wins ten million dollars. This year the game is in Middlesbourough, UK and Father MacAvoy (Carlyle), a priest down on his luck and his faith, stumbles into the middle of it. He’s aided by Lai Lai Zhen (Hu) an assassin holding a secret and pursued by Joshua Harlow (Rhames), an assassin looking for revenge. It’s a thrill-a-second ride as they and the twenty-eight other assassins participating in the game come to a head and all hell breaks loose.

This film is strictly for adrenalin junkies. The action sequences are bloody and gruesome, but also awe inspiring. The performances are strong, which you expect from actors of Rhames’ and Carlyle’s stature, and not just for a film of this kind either. It is very graphic though and not for children. Adults, however, will enjoy it, if you like this kind of movie. If you preferred The Piano, give this one a miss.

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