Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
Rated: PG-13 After tracking this film for over two years, from preliminary designs to voice actors to buying a Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within cup, after finally seeing the film the only feeling I’m capable of is extreme disappointment, a disappointment I knew would come after I discovered that the script would be handled by some second-rate writer. No one will deny that Final Fantasy is a major step forward for computer animation, and although you won’t find yourself wondering what’s real and what’s computer-generated, one can take a step back and appreciate the amount of time, effort, and detail that went into creation the main characters of the film. In addition, the environments and technological effects are well done. But as with video games themselves, graphics aren’t everything. 
The characters, while physically three-dimensional, are extremely flat when it comes to personality. They’re cookie-cutter and it’s hard to feel any emotion from them. Additionally, they’re bodies don’t exactly copy human movement. While the characters don’t scurry up walls, there’s something very listless about their performances. And as with most celebrity voices, they’re talking because they’re celebrities, not because they’re talented voice actors. Some of the voices do make the grade, like Donald Sutherland’s Dr. Sid and Steve Buscemi’s Neil, but Ming-Na fails to put life into the female heroine of Dr. Aki Ross. Additionally, the story is weak and predictable, holding none of the flare the videogame series creates with its detailed plotlines. It’s almost unfair that the film carries the Final Fantasy name, as fans will be sorely disappointed. Although the film is directed and produced by Square and Hironobu Sakaguchi, the company and the mind behind the series, anything a fan would appreciate, whether it be a character cameo, mention of the game, or even the bird-like chocobo is strangely absent from the film. While some studios can live with a flop and move on, the imminent failure of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within could drive Square into bankruptcy as the film has cost over $137 million to make (more than Pearl Harbor). This means that the successful company could turn to dust due to only one flop. I believe that while the film’s story fails, kudos and applause should be given to Square for having the cojones to take animation further at the risk of losing their company. If only they had put the same effort in having one of their people write the script. Note From Future Matt: As you may or may not know, this flop destroyed Square Pictures, but not Square the company. Squaresoft became Square-EA which then became Square-Enix. They’re currently milking Final Fantasy VII for all it's worth. Words by |