Final Fantasy

A Film Review by Paul Perkins

Cast: Ming-na Wen, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi      
Director: Hironobu Sakaguchi
Producers: Jun Aida, Chris Lee, Akio Sakai
Screenplay: Hironobu Sakaguchi, Al Reinert and Jeff Vintar      Rated: PG-13                   Running Time: 105 Mins   Studio: Sony  Seen at: Ritz Five, Philadelphia 7-9-01                 More Film info:  Click Here  Official Website: Click Here     Pictures:  Click Here           Sound Formats:

Visual Outstanding.

Video games are a big industry there are a lot of different types of games out there for all the games of the world. One of the most poplar games is the Final Fantasy franchise; I remember playing the game when I was younger I use to love it. Over the years the game has gotten more hi-tech which use video, CGI and other things to tell the story of the best selling game out there.

Of course Hollywood want to  capitalized on the success of video games, as there been many games made into movie like Super Mario Bros, Mortal Kombat and recently the most disappointing game of the year Tomb Raider. Next up at bat is Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is the new breakthrough in motion pictures technology, that use a visual feast of concept, motion, design and imagination with all new hyper real characters. Basically it fuses the technical wizards of interactive games with sensational visual effects.

The story centers on alien when they touch you they take your soul. Humans must find a way to survive the invasion and reclaim the earth. The two humans are Aki Ross (Ming-Na) and her mentor DR. Sid) Donald Sutherland) are determined to save there race. They are developing an organic solution to counter act the alien force. They must find eight organic specimens to help them in the quest to win the earth back. 

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was a very visual experiences it looks outstanding. But the story is the downside to the look of the film. Let me tell you why. 

Good

1. The use of computer graphics was outstanding. The way the characters look were outstanding it is a breakthrough in CGI movies. The details of movement like Aki Ross hair that look so real you would thing she is a real person not a computer image.
2. The voice casts were very good. They picked a good cast there is a lot of big stars in the film like. Donald Sutherland, Steve Buscemi, Alex Baldwin, Ving Rhames and James Woods. The two who stole the show was Ming-Na and Steve Buscemi.
3. The film had some funny scenes in it. Mostly from Steve Buscemi character.
4. The look of the alien was cool. They look like dragons mixed with a snake and the way they killed the people were very good idea. They take their soul like the main villain in Mortal Kombat movie.
5. The score was very good.

Bad

1. The story was kind of slow.
2. The story was kind of lame and was noting that we have not seen already. They could have developed the story better.

© 2001 Paul Perkins

The King's Room