At the Movies: capsule reviews of ‘9′ and other films this week

Capsule reviews: ‘9′ and others

Capsule reviews of films opening this week:

“9” — Despite their roughhewn appearance, the resourceful rag dolls in “9” obviously were crafted with great love and care, both by the scientist who made them in the film and the mastermind behind them in real life, director Shane Acker. If only as much complex thought had gone into the script. The animation is so breathtaking in its originality, so weird and wondrous in its detail, you wish there were more meat to the screenplay from Pamela Pettler, who previously wrote “Monster House.” Based on Acker’s 2004 animated short of the same name, which was nominated for an Oscar, “9” follows a group of creatures who represent the last vestige of humanity in a post-apocalyptic world. It’s set in the future after a war between mankind and machines but eerily resembles Europe after World War II, with its sepia tones blanketing the decimated surroundings in danger and fear. (Parents, don’t be fooled: It may look like a cute and clever cartoon, but “9” is genuinely frightening.) 9 (voiced by Elijah Wood) awakens to find no people are left, but there are a few others like him: tiny, fabric dolls stitched together coarsely but sturdily, with lenses for eyes. (As in “WALL-E,” the eyes convey a lot more emotion than you might imagine.) Each has a number on his or her back signifying who they are and the order in which they were created. They include 1 (Christopher Plummer), the priestly, rigid leader; 2 (Martin Landau), an aging but feisty inventor; 5 (John C. Reilly), who’s loyal but afraid of everything; and 7 (Jennifer Connelly), a brave and butt-kicking warrior. PG-13 for violence and scary images. 79 min. Three stars out of four.

— Christy Lemire, AP Movie Critic

“Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” — Beyond its generic, forgettable title, this feels like some throwaway 1980s TV movie, with its implausible premise, dizzying twists and melodramatic score. Actually, its origins go back even further — it’s a remake of a 1956 thriller, one of the last movies Fritz Lang directed — but in modernizing the story, writer-director Peter Hyams (”End of Days”) merely makes it feel rushed and insignificant. Hyams gets very little right here: not journalism, not romance, not even fundamental things like pacing and suspense, which are so crucial to making this genre work. He even manages to squander Michael Douglas in a juicy role as a slimy district attorney eyeing the Louisiana governorship. Douglas appears so infrequently, his villainy seems far less menacing than it should be. Instead, “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” feels like a vehicle for hunky Jesse Metcalfe, who stars as ambitious TV news reporter C.J. Nichols. He suspects prosecutor Mark Hunter has been tampering with DNA evidence to secure convictions because his record is just too perfect, so he sets himself up as the suspect in a prostitute’s murder. His producer and sidekick (Joel David Moore) documents the process of gathering circumstantial evidence — a mask, a knife — to prove C.J.’s innocence later. As if that weren’t ridiculous enough, C.J. also happens to fall for assistant district attorney Ella Crystal (Amber Tamblyn), even as he’s trying to expose her boss. PG-13 for a sex scene, violence and brief strong language. 105 min. One and a half stars out of four.

— Christy Lemire, AP Movie Critic

“Whiteout” — It’s Kate Beckinsale on Ice. In this new cold-blooded suspense flick, the actress plays Carrie Stetko, a U.S. Marshall posted at a remote base in Antarctica. Yes, the movies have returned to our southernmost continent: “Whiteout” follows in the webbed footsteps of “March of the Penguins” and Werner Herzog, who traveled there for last year’s “Encounters at the End of the World.” This time, there’s nary a penguin in sight (though even amid all that cold, the movie still finds a way to squeeze in a steamy, gratuitous shower scene). Soon enough, Antarctica (or Canada standing in for Antarctica) has — as one character proclaims — its first murder, setting off some jurisdictional confusion. Somehow, the United Nations gets involved, immediately dispatching an investigator (Gabriel Macht). The root of the murders has to do with loot from a newly discovered Soviet plane that crashed in 1957 in the middle of the Cold War. (Presumably, the plane’s pilots had taken that term literally.) There’s much that’s unbelievable about “Whiteout,” but nothing more so than the idea that someone can fight in minus-65 degree cold without anything to cover the face. But despite such flaws, “Whiteout” succeeds as a half-brained but intriguing whodunit. It’s not a fraction of “Fargo,” but its solid-enough performances and cool mood give it a noirish pulse in a novel, frozen land. R for violence, grisly images, brief strong language and some nudity. 101 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

— Jake Coyle, AP Entertainment Writer