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Hironobu Sakaguchi's film is taken from the popular Final Fantasy video game franchise, which is particularly well suited to film adaptation with its series of original stories, but the movie features entirely new characters and settings. And like Toy Story and Shrek, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is completely computer generated. Unlike those cartoon comedies, though, The Spirits Within is a serious science fiction drama with astonishingly human digital actors. Aki, the female lead, appeared in a full-page spread in Maxim magazine's Hot 100 list--and was indistinguishable from the real-life models. The setting and conflict make for incredible action, but it's the larger issues, character interaction, and human elements that really make the movie shine. The Spirits Within is not simply a science fiction movie, in the same way that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is not simply a kung fu flick. The result is a fantastic summer movie with better action and more emotion than Pearl Harbor, and actors more lifelike than those in that other video game movie, Tomb Raider. --Mike Fehlauer
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2008-09-01
2008-08-08
2008-07-132008-05-292008-04-082008-04-07 Hironobu Sakaguchi's film is taken from the popular Final Fantasy video game franchise, which is particularly well suited to film adaptation with its series of original stories, but the movie features entirely new characters and settings. And like Toy Story and Shrek, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is completely computer generated. Unlike those cartoon comedies, though, The Spirits Within is a serious science fiction drama with astonishingly human digital actors. Aki, the female lead, appeared in a full-page spread in Maxim magazine's Hot 100 list--and was indistinguishable from the real-life models. The setting and conflict make for incredible action, but it's the larger issues, character interaction, and human elements that really make the movie shine. The Spirits Within is not simply a science fiction movie, in the same way that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is not simply a kung fu flick. The result is a fantastic summer movie with better action and more emotion than Pearl Harbor, and actors more lifelike than those in that other video game movie, Tomb Raider. --Mike Fehlauer
Agreeably underrated... 2008-03-29
I played the final fantasy games when I was younger and to be honest... that really didn't matter.
Yes the name is misleading for fans of the games but this was still good stuff on its own.
The story was fine. I'm not sure why people said it sucked?
The spirits of a dead alien race are looking for peace and the planet people live on has the means to create it... how is that not a compellingly original story?
The story telling was good. You could easily see the value in the bonds that were created between the characters.
There was a love story element...
This was good stuff...
Unfortunately the voice acting was not so hot. But it wasn't horrible.
All and all this is a Visually Spectacular film with more than an average story.
The music is solid, the "Aliens Movie" style space marine types were "tough guy" awesome!
This is good stuff don't let the game fanboys steer you from it. It is worth seeing.
That's not a plant, it's a weed! 2008-03-25
Ive had this film in my possession for some time, now, and each subsequent viewing is as entertaining as the last! This film was the first I had seen, where it is entirely CGI!! For some, it has become dated, because the computer field is constantly evolving, and with it, CGI special effects.
I am not so critical of this film, because it IS entertaining. Yes, the story is weak, by some, but it does keep you interested, until the very end, when it becomes a bit quasi-religious. The idea of "Ghosts" is interesting, as is the idea of fighting them. The introduction of "new" technology is likewise interesting, as that is what science fiction is all about! Casting for the voice overs was well done!! Each is easily indentifiable, and they lend to the believability of it all.
Since I am not a videogame player, the film stands on it's own merit, and for me, at least, the film works as an exceptional "escapist reality"!!
There are a mountain of special features on the second disc, that deal with the whole process of bringing "Final Fantasy" to the big screen (or the little screen, for that matter). For me, these were as engaging as the film, itself! It reveals the amount of work involved in bringing a completely CGI film to completion. All in all, a very good work!
Highly Under-Appreciated 2008-02-13
The Story: A female scientist known as Aki Ross engages in a race against time to gather together spirit entities which would help her defeat invading Alien spirits threatening Human existence. Along the way she is joined by the prestigious Deep Eyes squadron who's Captain is an old friend of Dr. Ross. Dr. Cid is in a struggle to convince a critical government that these spirits or Phantoms can easily be defeated by collecting these entities rather than using firepower which Cid knows is making the spirit situation worse.
The Review: Since first seeing this film in 2001 I have always been a big supporter and defender of this film. The storytelling is simply superb as it introduces us one by one to each character and makes us feel sympathetic towards these characters and their fight to solve the problem that is plaguing the Earth.
The animation even when compared to todays standards is truly spectacular and was evidently ahead of its time. The animation of this film is comparable to many of the cut scenes from this generation of video gaming, showing us that the level of realism achieved in this film is easily doable now and it makes me think the animators should make a new film to show us what they can achieve with todays technology.
The suspense and drama of some scenes is something that I don't feel can be matched by a lot of todays films. For example the scene when the spirits invade a human habitat which originally protected them, the chase scenes and the general emotion is placed within you through your belief in the characters.
The primary criticism that people have of this film is the slow pacing. Many American or UK movie goers wouldn't be familiar with this style as it's a very Japanese style of storytelling, traditionally known for its slow pace to allow for better character development. Over the years many Asian movies have become cult favourites amongst American and UK audiences. Movies such as Lady Vengeance and Oldboy are prime examples of how the Western audiences have begun to embrace this style of storytelling, which I believe if Final Fantasy were to be released in the Cinemas today it would gain a much better reception than it did when it was first released.
The voice casting is spectacular with a truly stellar cast of names such as Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi to name but a few and they genuinely do not disappoint.
A very, very good movie and a must for all those Sci-Fi, Drama and animation fans.
Fantastic animation for the time, terrible story 
2008-02-13
All the tricks in the world can't save a poorly conceived and told story. Dialogue is stilted, and the story truly stumbles all over itself. And of course, with time, even the animation is looking weak these days. It rightfully drove the division that created it out of business.
