And if you're a fan of the Final Fantasy video games, you certainly will be expecting too much. I, like many, have been really excited about this movie for four or five years now, drooling at every little pic or clip we were given by the film's web site. The finished product is, unfortunately, little more than a popcorn movie. Still, as far as popcorn movies are concerned, it is a very good one. Ealier this summer, I had a lot of fun at The Mummy Returns. Final Fantasy was more fun and, by the end, it was somewhat emotionally involving.
SPOILERS (also for the games Final Fantasy 6 & 7)
Story: the script is probably the film's weakest point. It's not bad, but it is disappointing. The reason for this comes mainly from the comparison between the film and the video games, specifically Final Fantasy VI and VII, easily the two best role playing games ever made. Those who haven't played the video game might scoff, but both of those games were enormously powerful in their emotions. The characters of both of those games were as complex as any in a good sci-fi/fantasy novel. I know plenty of people who cried their eyes out when Aeris was killed. Ditto when Shadow dies in FFVI. I have always thought that those two games could make awesome television series. They're too long for feature films.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within should not have been written by American writers. The film is too imbued with action/sci-fi cliches, and it borrows heavily from Aliens. The antagonist is particularly weak. They give him a reason for his actions, but I never felt it. That explanation felt more like an excuse that the writers gave him. The main character, Aki, is decently well developed, as well as Dr. Sid and Grey. I wish they all had a little more background, but what they have gives them some dramatic weight. Of the three supporting soldiers, only Neil, voiced by Steve Buscemi, has a character (which has a lot to do with who is voicing him!). The other two, Jane and Ryan, are far too much like cognate characters in Aliens to be worth much. The Phantoms are an interesting invention. Their motives are pretty original. It's not cliche, anyways.
Animation: well, it takes the cake as far as computer animation goes. It exposes Shrek's animation for the mediocrity it is and should be recognized as. The humans look a lot like humans. You can even see the veins on the back of Aki's hand. Unfortunately, the human characters' expressions are nil. They almost don't exist. Only one character ever smiles, and the animators' inability to make the character do this convincingly provides the screenwriters a good excuse to make all the characters dire and depressed. These computer animated characters just cannot express emotion in their faces. I am not sure that they ever will. Anyhow, that has to be the next big step in computer animation. Gestures also have a penchant for being choppy and stiff and, much like the realistic video game computer animation that has been produced in the last couple of years, heads bob unnaturally while speaking.
Still, go see the film, especially if you have a great theater showing it. It's exciting and fun. Just buy a big bucket of popcorn and enjoy the show. 7/10
SPOILERS (also for the games Final Fantasy 6 & 7)
Story: the script is probably the film's weakest point. It's not bad, but it is disappointing. The reason for this comes mainly from the comparison between the film and the video games, specifically Final Fantasy VI and VII, easily the two best role playing games ever made. Those who haven't played the video game might scoff, but both of those games were enormously powerful in their emotions. The characters of both of those games were as complex as any in a good sci-fi/fantasy novel. I know plenty of people who cried their eyes out when Aeris was killed. Ditto when Shadow dies in FFVI. I have always thought that those two games could make awesome television series. They're too long for feature films.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within should not have been written by American writers. The film is too imbued with action/sci-fi cliches, and it borrows heavily from Aliens. The antagonist is particularly weak. They give him a reason for his actions, but I never felt it. That explanation felt more like an excuse that the writers gave him. The main character, Aki, is decently well developed, as well as Dr. Sid and Grey. I wish they all had a little more background, but what they have gives them some dramatic weight. Of the three supporting soldiers, only Neil, voiced by Steve Buscemi, has a character (which has a lot to do with who is voicing him!). The other two, Jane and Ryan, are far too much like cognate characters in Aliens to be worth much. The Phantoms are an interesting invention. Their motives are pretty original. It's not cliche, anyways.
Animation: well, it takes the cake as far as computer animation goes. It exposes Shrek's animation for the mediocrity it is and should be recognized as. The humans look a lot like humans. You can even see the veins on the back of Aki's hand. Unfortunately, the human characters' expressions are nil. They almost don't exist. Only one character ever smiles, and the animators' inability to make the character do this convincingly provides the screenwriters a good excuse to make all the characters dire and depressed. These computer animated characters just cannot express emotion in their faces. I am not sure that they ever will. Anyhow, that has to be the next big step in computer animation. Gestures also have a penchant for being choppy and stiff and, much like the realistic video game computer animation that has been produced in the last couple of years, heads bob unnaturally while speaking.
Still, go see the film, especially if you have a great theater showing it. It's exciting and fun. Just buy a big bucket of popcorn and enjoy the show. 7/10