Rating: 
Summary: Here's hoping for a sequel...
Review: I've been looking forward to seeing this movie ever since I heard rumors that it was in production. I went to see it on opening night and, actually, it was everything I expected it to be.... well, almost. The visuals and sound are absolutely amazing so I won't spend a lot of time talking about them. Suffice is to say that you've never seen anything quite like this. Ever! The animation is so intricate and detailed that at times I had the feeling that I was watching real actors instead of digital ones. The mere fact that a comparison between real actors and Final Fantasy's "digital actors" can even be made is the movie's peak achievement and a tribute to the sheer artistry involved in creating it. That said, the acting itself leaves a lot to be desired: the voice actors (with the notable exception of Mr. Sutherland) largely fail to match the emotions portrayed on the screen and this flaw is particularly noticeable with the main character, Dr. Aki Ross voiced by Ming Na (well... she was great as Mulan... oh well). To add insult to injury, the dialog itself is rather corny and all too often crosses the line to B-Movie Land. A particular scene at the end of the movie is especially ridiculous and sounds more like a contest of how many times the word "spirit" can appear in a single sentence than coherent dialog. Also, if I'm not mistaken, the last words uttered in this movie are "it's warm!". I'm not sure whether this was supposed to be a clever joke or a really corny piece of text, but the result was that the entire theater roared with laughter. Not all is bad though. Some of the one liner wisecracks are genuinely funny, especially those said in response to automated PA announcements (two of which are particularly hysterical). The plot is interesting and relatively well thought out but it's not overly exciting or surprising for that matter. There are a few loose ends and weird twists that could leave some viewers lost, but overall the plot measures up well to other sci-fi B Movies. The bottom line is that not even the corniest dialog, half-spirited acting and "geez people you gotta be nicer to the planet" type of plot could ruin this one. This is the best animated movie of the year so far (sorry Shrek, I still like you... but... damn!) and one that you should go and see. Here's hoping for a mind blowing sequel!
Rating: 
Summary: Final Fantasy .. as long as it's not the last
Review: The first time I fired up FF7 on my playstation console 5 years ago, I marveled at the opening cinematics. At that point, I thought it would be the coolest thing if someone made a movie just like it. On July 11 at 4:30pm I witnessed that dream come true.I could say it was all I was expecting and more, but that wouldn't be entirely accurate. The games took 40-50+ hours to complete with a story that had numerous twists to the plot and character developement that went far beyond some bestselling novels. While I think it would be great to see a 6 hour Final Fantasy movie that had such an intricate plot, I realize that would be unrealistic for a feature film. All things considered, I think Square did an outstanding job compressing the story into the time allotted. The script could have been written a little bit better, but I think it was written the way it was so the average movie-goer would keep up with the plot. I know I didn't have any trouble following Dr. Sid's theories about Gaia and what the Phantom's really were. But that could've been from playing the games.. I saw sort of the concept in FF7, with everyone and everything having a spirit. The cg was astounding and tte physics were.. well, close. Although I think in 65 years, we may be able to bend the laws of physics a bit more, so this could possibly end up mimicing real life in 2065. I've read some film critics comment about the lack of consistency with the Phantoms, how they can move through walls and suck the life out of someone, yet can be harmed by conventional weapons. Those guns didn't look conventional to me... energy weapons would have the effect they did. Opinion: those film critics who commented about that didn't know what they were talking about. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and I intend to see it a few more times before it leaves theatres. This quite possibly gets my vote for the Best Movie of All time.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible!
Review: I'm not familiar with the video game series, but I love animation in all its myriad forms. I've been excited about this movie since I saw the first trailer. I saw Final Fantasy today, and it blew me away. The renders are unbelievable, and the story is great. The only thing that bothers me is the lack of visible tears when Aki cries; and the lip sync does need some work. With those two exceptions, it's a realistic and believable film. It is certainly a milestone in the world of CG animation. I hope this is just the beginning of films from Square Productions. They definitely have some great talent within their company.
Rating: 
Summary: Eye Candy Was Sweet But Cavity Left Over
Review: I walked in with a clean mind, aware that it was not like the other "Final Fantasy" universes. I wanted to hold my judgment to the end, until the very last credit. The graphics were splendid. At times, you almost forgot you were looking at a computer-generated movie. The attention to detail and imagination that went into creating this film was simply stunning. However, looks are only skin deep and this was a harsh truth for this film. The plot lacked (including character development) and unnecessary dialog is found everywhere; to the point where it is almost painful. The original creators of the Final Fantasy stories needed to have been involved here. Instead some American guys who probably have never even played a Final Fantasy game came in and crippled what could have been something more. The same could be said for the music; generic at best although the sound effects were quite sharp. In closing, all I can hope for is this: That Square Studios does not give up; that it continues on and makes a second movie (preferably with a fantasy theme!) Think of this as a rough draft for something grander that is to come....or else this may truly be the 'Final Fantasy.'
Rating:
Summary: This is no game: it's an Achievement.
Review: Just returned from the premiere and this is what happened: some people laughed, some even cried a little, some fell asleep, but as soon as the end credits began rolling, everyone started talking about it. I've been in many premieres and screenings, and I've never seen it happen like this. This movie caused quite a stir tonight and for good reason. It could be regarded as the new standard for 100% computer-animated movies because it is the first ever to feature computer-generated characters and settings with such depth and realism, so detailed that for an instant you may even forget it's CG. But here are some warnings (especially for Hollywood fans): If you're not used to the japanese Final Fantasy style of storytelling, don't expect the easiest-to-grasp plot in the world. FF gamers should know what I mean. Even though, most people seemed to get very involved with the story throughout the whole movie. Directing and "acting" are good enough, given that this is the first time that virtual characters are portrayed with such detail in movement and interaction with the environment. Voices are well performed. Sound effects are impressive but not innovative. Music is good, but may not be as emotional as Nobuo Uematsu's work. The only vocal song in the soundtrack may dissapoint you. Overall it's a good movie, but from a visual perspective it is truly phenomenal. A note for FF7/FF8 fans: remember Meteor, Weapon, Shinra, the Lifestream, the voices in Cloud's dreams, the cannon at Junon, Squall & Rinoa's love story...?
Rating:
Summary: Amazing CGI
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie today. At first I was a little confused as to the storyline but it became clear as the movie went on. (I wasn't into the Final Fantasy game series nor did I visit any behind the scenes sites.) It was thrilling to see how far cgi has come. Kudos to the designers, artists, and programmers. The movie is worth seeing just for the visuals (stunning). The storyline is a bit predictable but it was enjoyable nonetheless. If you love science fiction and technology, I highly recommend this movie. If you demand movies that have a deeply engaging storyline, then go see something else. Go out and enjoy the movie!
Rating:
Summary: Astonishing Sense of Wonder!!!!
Review: "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" is a wonderful, brilliant, beautiful movie. The visionary plot has some nice new-age elements, and I'll take that any day over the more conventional and ordinary shoot 'em ups. I will not go into the details, just keep your mind open because everything is possible, and with this movie this is entirely the case. It's nice to see something different, even when it dares to be deep or mildly philosophical. (Your regular -90 I.Q.- Joe will be scratching his head ready to dismiss the whole show as mumbo jumbo- but for these folks there is always "The Animal" and "Scary Movie 2" so knock yourselves out people.) This film leaves other CGI movies such as Toy Story or Shrek coughing dust. Compared to "Final Fantasy", those previous efforts seem like crude Atari 2600 graphics. I am amazed. I am in awe. From the scope of the film to the dystopian and fantastic worlds to the art direction and design, "Final Fantasy" has surpassed anything I have ever seen before. Whether it's "Star Wars" or "Blade Runner", or even "2001: A Space Odyssey", I am convinced that the bar for all future science fiction films has been considerably raised. "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" is a tough act to follow. Square Pictures has become the Lucasfilm of the early 21st century.
Rating:
Summary: Synthespians Are Coming
Review: I just saw this movie on Wednesday evening July 11th and the show was sold out. I also had no knowledge of the video game relationship prior to seeing the film, so I brought no pre-conceived ideas with me to the theatre. And finally I did see the film in a new stadium style seating with digital sound, which makes the most of what can be brought to theatergoers. One of the previews was of the next Pixar film, and it made for an interesting comparison. There are moments in past Pixar efforts when scenes approach realism that is hard to differentiate from the movie's image and the real world. However Pixar remains in more of a cartoon like genre with their colors, characters, etc. The goal of this film was clearly to see just how far they could push technology to make you question what is real and what is not. The effort is remarkable with details of pores on skin, 60,000 rendered hairs on the main character's head, and space vehicles that are nearly indistinguishable from models recorded by computer controlled cameras. Motion Capture was used to strive to make the movement of the, "People" as real to the true human eye as possible. Motion Capture is not new but neither are computers. This is as good a replication of human movement that I have viewed in a full-length film. Again it was not perfect but it was far ahead of anything I have seen on the screen before. Imagine the Pixar short film of the man playing chess, which is itself, remarkable, and then take it up several notches. The centerpiece of the film's technological achievement for the human element is the heroine. There are moments when there are close ups of her eyes and face that at first glance will fool you. The story is not new, and the movie can be nit-picked to death. However I enjoyed it, I was entertained by the voices of the likes of Ving Raimes and Steve Buscemi, and finally I was dazzled by the technology. If you enjoy the sight of amazing technology even with a familiar storyline, this is a good time in the theater. I am sure that the technology in use today surpasses what was used when making this film, however the professionals watch their equipment become obsolete almost as fast as we see our desktops become antiques. The Turing test for a computer successfully imitating a person will likely come after the Turing Version of faking out an audience visually. Please enjoy the film for what it is, for it is people and technology designers that continue to push to create a more amazing entertainment experience.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: This film is incredible!The graphics are dazzling.Anyone who enjoys Sci-fi action-adventure will love it.I have never played the video game but I heard it's great.I highly reccomend this to anyone.Later.
Rating:
Summary: Final Fantasy Came True
Review: Well I just saw the movie today, and it was the best move of the year! And the graphics were the best. I've plaed the games and they're Ok, but I like seeing totaly computer made. Sure the games have little CGs but this was an entire movie.
| 
