Rating: 
Summary: Great movie, but poor supplimental
Review: The movie was amazing. The realism in the textures, and movements of the photo-real characters were amazing. You could not, however, always figure out Aki's facial expressions. I also had a hard time separating the voices of the real actors from the characters at times. Overall, the story and action sequences are worth watching.The supplimental material was also interesting, finding out how the movie was made, creation of characters, etc. However, I found the menues difficult to use. The supplimental DVD has supplimental material within the documentary. You can view this material at any time, and it's suppose to take you right back to where you left off. But it didn't always work. It might have been a problem with my DVD player, but I doubt it since I didn't experience similar problems using other supplimental DVD's. It's simply a programming issue. Otherwise, worth buying.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best sci-fi movies ever made
Review: In what is surely to go down in history as the pinnacle of computer animation, "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" has a deep storyline and characters you end up caring about, just like in the Final Fantasy video games. But the similarities between the movie and the video games end there, the story of "The Spirits Within" revolves around a race of alien spirits called the Phantoms who have crashed on Earth and have the ability to take a person's spirit, causing the planet to become a wasteland and sending humanity on the brink of extinction. The voice acting is excellent, as is the real star of the film, the animation, with Ming-Na, Alec Baldwin, Donald Sutherland, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, Peri Gilpen, and Keith David (who was the voice of Spawn in the animated HBO Spawn series) lending their voices to some unforgetable characters. James Woods is exceptional as General Hein, a hell-bent for revenge soldier willing to go to any cost to destroy the Phantoms. The animation is undescribable, Aki (voiced by Ming-Na), and Dr. Sid (voiced by Donald Sutherland), look so real they could almost pass for real actors. The second disc features hours of extras like the Final Fantasy Thriller video that will leave you laughing your head off, and profiles on the characters and the actors who voice them. Truly a movie that should not be missed, I recommend this movie to any sci-fi or animation fan, or a fan of the video game series. This well may be the best movie of 2001.
Rating: 
Summary: AWFUL!
Review: i hated this movie! it was dull, and confusing. the graphics were exceptional, but it didn't make up for a poor plot line. IT looked really good in the beginning, but it turned out to be junk.
Rating:
Summary: Fantasy becomes Reality!
Review: The year is 2065 and Earth is under siege. A meteor has crashed onto the planet, unleashing millions of alien creatures which roam the Earth. Decimating field and city alike, these predators are threatening to extinguish all life on the planet. The survivors of the initial onslaught have retreated to barrier cities built to protect the inhabitants of Earth from the marauding invaders. But the few cities around the globe are in decline and time is running out. Yet, the sprit of humankind is resilient and embodied in the brilliant and beautiful Dr. Aki Ross. Determined and capable, Aki strives as EarthÅfs last hope against extinction. With the guidance of her scientific mentor, Dr. Sid, and the aid of the Deep Eyes military squadron led by the courageous Captain Gray Edwards, Aki races to save both the Earth and herself. Terminally infected by an alien, Aki holds the key to discovering the secret to defeating the alien predators. But her quest is jeopardized by the militant opposition of General Hein, who plots to unleash a massive space cannon that will annihilate the aliens and possibly the Earth. As the clock ticks down, Aki searches within her dreams to find an answer to the alien mystery, while scouring the Earth to collect the eight spirit waves she believes will save the planet. Fighting both the enemy within and the scheming General Hein, who would destroy the Earth in order to save it, Aki valiantly pursues her Final Fantasy. (...)
Rating: 
Summary: Mediocre
Review: I first saw the movie in theaters on the day of its release. But it quite didn't live up to expectations. The movie started out good, but the last twenty minutes totally ruined it for me. The ending was a total letdown... even though the earth was saved, Aki's lover dies and for really no reason (although it had to do with the "gaia needed another life" or something like that). It's worth a viewing (especially for its awesome, lifelike CGI graphics), but I don't know if it's a keeper.
Rating:
Summary: If you 're a fan of the video games you WILL be disappointed
Review: I must say to it's credit that the computer animation of this film will blow you away! I couldn't believe my eyes on how real it looked. The story line was kinda confusing to me, but nontheless very entertaining. I just couldn't help feeling that this film should have been named something else. I mean, being a big final fantasy game fan, this film has nothing to do with the general idea of final fantasy. If the film was titled something else I believe it woud have done better than it did, but naming it final fantasy gave fans and movie goers a preset idea of what to expect or hope for out of this movie and we were robbed! This movie is a slap in the face to the final fantasy franchise, but if you want to see a really pretty, computer generated movie with lots of eye candy , despite this fact (and you know nothing about the final fantasy games), I would recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: The best in Sci-Fi since "The Matrix"
Review: Year 2065, planet Earth faces what almost everyone believes to be an alien invasion, one that consists of phantoms that suck a person's soul upon touching him/her. In the face of things, the military are pushing for a violent solution: shooting the Zeus cannon upon the meteor crater left behind after the arrival of the phantoms. Meanwhile, scientists Dr. Sid (modelled after Donald Sutherland, and also voiced by him) and Aki are running out of time in their efforts to find "all the spirits" needed to come up with an antidote to neutralize the effect of the evil phantoms, with a major handicap: they face incredible oposition from the Earth's ruling Council and the military because they have no proof but their faith and their hard work backing their redemption theory. This animated flick will have you on the edge far more than most 2001 human-acted movies. The animation work put behind it is simply amazing: this movie raised the standard by which computer-animated movies are to be judged technically. The best sample of this is, in my opinion, Sid, the scientist character whose realism with his white hair and his wrinkles leaves you doubting whether he is indeed an artificial character. Beside the animation, the script was also a brilliant on, falling within the ranks of fantasy movies. Since "The Matrix" I hadn't seen such an excellent movie of this kind. Rent it or buyt it, and enjoy it!
Rating:
Summary: moonbean54 review
Review: hi, i have not had the oppurtunity to review this dvd.but i would love to
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful animation
Review: The best thing about this movie is the animation. It is one of the best around. There were times I couldn't tell if the "professor" was a real actor, or animated (I thought he was well done). The story is good but not great or inspiring; it might be 5 stars if instead of "ghosts" and "spirits" they dealt with "living" space aliens. The ghosts belong to aliens (and their carnivorous beasts) who died when their planet blew up. These kill by "taking out" and digesting the souls or spirits (or whatever) of the living. The humans "kill" the ghosts (already dead and non-corporeal) by blowing them to bits with ray guns! (sigh) A sense of darkness and melancholy fills most of the show as the heros grapple with what appears to be an increasingly hopless situation. And there is a mad general who nearly destroys the planet with an orbital laser weapon aimed at the awful invaders. The ending is, however, a little brighter. Unfortunately, not very suitable for younger children because of the violence.
Rating:
Summary: Eternal reverence to Sakaguchi-san!
Review: The movie was good but the DVD is outstanding! It is PACKED with so many extras. After watching this movie on the big screen, I was left with a burning question: "How did they do THAT???" Now my questions are answered. They show you how it's all done, and there is even a running commentary on how things were built and how they were developed, all along the whole movie. And FF gamers will be able to appreciate the trivia that pops up here and there. Seeing how they developed it from scratch into the jaw-dropping graphics of the final version inspired in me total awe and reverence for the techno wizards who brought these pixels to life. I appreciate it even more now, knowing how difficult and painstakingly and lovingly the artists crafted all the characters, props, and sceneries and brought them to life. There is an incredible wealth of information on the DVD. I've spent five hours watching it and am still not done yet! And the outtakes - they are not to be missed!! The "history" chapter (on the first incarnation of FF and the Gray Project) will satisfy even the most die-hard of fans. All in all, this is one movie where the DVD far outshines the movie itself. I highly recommend it. By the way, if you didn't understand the ending (like everyone else!), you will find the answer in the DVD. A must-see.
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