Phinal Phantasy Phun (Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (DVD))

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Product:	Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (DVD)
Date:	25/10/02 (215 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: read above

Disadvantages: read above

Sorry about the pun in the title, but where to start on the most advanced computer animated film ever??? Well, lets begin with the plot, that seems easy enough.

Surrounded on a strange planet, Aki looks around. All she can see is the barren wastelands, and wonders why she is there, and how she got there. All she knows is that the sun is somewhat high in the sky as she steps on that dry twig. "Dream Recorded" Aki sits up from her chair, thankful of the computer voice that confirms her worse nightmares. The same dream has plagued her for the past few months - every night - and the only way to be sure is by recording these dreams. Back at her ships console, she starts her search for the sixth spirit. At least its in Old New York - but outside New New York its a dry desolate place, inhabited by the phantoms that roam the earth ever since the asteroid hit 36 years ago (can you guess the overall intention of the film yet? But I wont tell you about the ending!!!!). Every human that has come in contact with these phantoms has either died or worse - the others either fight with high pulse bio-etheric rifles or live in cities protected by a bio-etheric field, both created by Dr Sid, Aki's mentor. Aki sets down her ship, locating that sixth spirit. All she knows is the direction and how far away. After walking less than fifty metres the Blue Eyes Squadron jump out of nowhere and fire their bio-etheric enegy rifles all around - Aki was in so much danger she never even new. 'You're coming with me - its not safe here'. 'I must find the sixth spirit!' Aki checks her armband computer - 'Its over here quick!'. *Its going to be one of those days*. Without hesitation, Aki gathers the sixth spirit, but without warning the Squad it flanked by those phantoms who look 'soulthirsty'. 'Quick up here! Transport pick us up, NOW!' Under a mist of fire from the rifles and high-intensiy backwash from the Transpo
rts engines, the squad make it into the transport. 'Did you even care what was happening dwn there! You could've got yourself and us killed! You think we'd have a choice to save you?' 'You're men are expendable captain - this mission is very important.' The captain takes his helmet off to reveal himself as Grey Edwards, whom Aki immediately recognises. Aki bows her head, ands waits while the transport takes them back to New New York. Meanwhile, Dr Sid is finding a way to get rid of the phantoms. So far he has figured out that eight spirits are needed to combine a waveform to nullify the phantoms, and he only has five of the spirits - he hopes Aki brings back a sixth. At this time, General Hein, the military type, is trying to convince the high council to fire the Zeus Cannon, a space weapon with unbelieveable power, but to results concerning the firing on the phantom's asteroid from which they came are inconclusive. Dr Sid has opposed this as it might destroy the world with the asteroid, but with time running out due to Aki's deteriorating health problem (I wont tell you what it is otherwise it might spoil the film), the council are being convinced by Hein that the Zeus Cannon is the only way to go. Oh dear...

The main characters are Aki, Grey, Sid and Hein who all all trying to save the world, but in different ways. Believe me when I say that the characters look like real people - move over Tom Hanks! Using that intrepid fountain of knowledge that Square are combined with the best Computer Graphics equipment on the PLANET and you have a mindblowing, special effect bomb thats waiting to explode! Even the water looks like water! And they spent $6million dollars on Aki's hair alone! They don't do six months of reasearch into how humans look and act before they click a mouse for nothing...

Followers of the well known Final Fantasy series will love this! I certainly did, and now I can play the D
VD on my brand new PS2 (*big grin*) as well as Final Fantasy X. As an integreal part of an fans collection, and a must 'at least look at' for everyone else, the film does brilliantly.

Ming-Na, that person from Ally McBeal (thats now ended boohoo *sobs*), is the voice of Aki, and does it quite well to. Thats another thing about this movie - ambient sounds and the general background noise building to a final showdown - its what we expect in a movie - no wait we DEMAND it in a movie! And Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within delivers, despite the flop.

The DVD version offers a bundle of extras - 'Commentaries by the Co-Director, Crew, Animation Director, Editor and Staging Director; Isolated Score with commentry by Compser Elliot Goldenthal; Stroyboard excerpts with option Filmmaker commentary; Subtitled Factoids; Ineractive Animated Menus featuring CGI intors created by Square Pictures'; Scene Selections with Motion Images; Theatrical Trailers; Prduction Notes; Original Interatice Documentary on The Making of Final Fantasy, 17 information pods including the Final Fantasy Thriller Music Video, Mini-Movie - Aki's Dream; Character Morphs, Matte Art xplorations and compositing builds; Multiple workshops including seven indepth character files, three vehiclescale comparisons, trailer explorations and the sets & props; An Alternate Opening Sequence adn the Final Fantasy Shuffler: Become the filmmaker by re-editing a pivotal scene from the film' - and even a few PC extras like screensavers and all-important weblinks.

Well, no dissapointments from my side because everything looks and sound brilliant. A beautiful effort that deserves nothing but raptuous applause.

Advanatges:

Another Final Fantasy Installment
The best computer animated film ever (yes its even better than Tron)
Brilliant in surround sound
Ties up any loose ends at the end (which is good because some films dont)
Lots of extras <
br>Empire - 'A constistant treat for the eyeballs and an early glimpse of the future of animation'

Disadvantages:

Doesnt seem that spontanous
Nearly perfect, but not quite yet

IanJC

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