finally . third time lucky . this film have be always be on my mind and but my first viewing i forget about it and only catch the second half of the film . then only a couple month later i have the my second chance of watch of it and so i decide i would record it . only to discover that my timer go off late and again i miss the first half of the flick . i wasn not go to allow that to happen again . so and when it come on tv again and i think bugger it i will wait until it come on and then i will record it . and it be a good choice . i would have just watch the film and but they always put on weeknight around midnight . after discover a hole in their crowd cell and nine prisoner escape their confinement to track down the key of the universe and which a fellow prisoner know a the counterfeit king say he have hide . they think that this key could be an opening for a hidden loot of counterfeit bill . on this journey they naturally see this a an opportunity to pick up their life before they be gaol . although thing do not turn out the way that they intend to and with most of the criminal plan go astray . 9 soul be an perky spiritual journey from japanese director toshiaki toyada and which fling it viewers into a film of two totally different half . the first half of the story play out more like a psychical comedy with the criminal bond and the situation they find themselves be the selling point and but all that make way to a moralistic and consequence drama pack second half and where the real trouble begin with some quite nasty and bloody moment replace the goofball tone it start off with . while and the first half be quite amusing with it on the road and screwball doodling and offbeat banter . but it really the genuinely haunting latter half with it peculiar turn of event that hit you so hard with some surprising touch that make you really sympathise for these very human character . even though they be not truly innocent from their crime and you just become entrenched by these flesh out character in the first half that when you see them spiral into their downfall and you know it an effective drama when you become shell shock in the dramatic change . the nine character get enough screen time to truly understand their personal story and what weakness would eventually bring them down . the way the plot work out be that michiru and torakichi be the lead character and we mostly see it from their perspective . the escapism tale be an unquestionably engage character study that clear in it goal and put to you many question on society and the path you choice to take to escape life and free yourself from these restraint . while and the symbolic story be full of clarity and vividly tell . the visual element doesn not go by unnoticed and because there just a dreamy and trance like vibe that channel itself into the unique atmosphere . what highly contribute to that factor and give the film a lift be the sweepingly and moody instrumental rock soundtrack . the mellow atmospheric gel it be able to create in many scene leave me rather breathless with the everlasting emotion it be able to provoke . simply beautiful and downright powerful control on that front . the pace for such an long film ( 2 hour ) seem to breeze by and edit be swiftly do and because we be just so wrap up in it all . the hypnotic photography be crisp in detail . while and the performance by the cast a a odd bunch of criminal be that of high quality with each one provide enough personality and feature to separate themselves . i find 9 soul to be a pleasing and quite an amazing surreal film that stir up the emotion and then it smack you with an almighty wallop when it change direction . highly recommended .