Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: July 11, 2001

6.2	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 151 Ratings

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SophieBSep 22, 2007

This movie is definitely not as bad as I previously had heard. Amazing, stunning state-of-the art animation and a definitely enjoyable film, but there are too many character and plot cliches and some of the voice acting is subpar. A decent This movie is definitely not as bad as I previously had heard. Amazing, stunning state-of-the art animation and a definitely enjoyable film, but there are too many character and plot cliches and some of the voice acting is subpar. A decent film, and one I'd recommend to watch just to see how REALLY good the graphics are, but not groundbreaking in plot or character development.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

AdanedhelFeb 2, 2012

Ok, I know most every new FF game is done in a universe different than the previous release.
but hey! only a FF fan could catch that glimpse.
The only "Final Fantasy" stuff that this movie has is its name... nothing else.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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RirenFeb 3, 2007

You can't knock its beautiful computer graphics. Shrek, Incredibles and Monster House have nothing on this movie's realistic designs and textures. Unfortunately all that computer power went into a generic science fiction plot. Fans You can't knock its beautiful computer graphics. Shrek, Incredibles and Monster House have nothing on this movie's realistic designs and textures. Unfortunately all that computer power went into a generic science fiction plot. Fans of the videogame series will be disappointed to see this film has very little in common with any plot from the games, nor does its world fit with the Final Fantasy cosmos. The voice acting is fine, if hammy, though there isn't much in the script for them to work off of.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MichaelC.Sep 14, 2001

I was unsure of this film since I had never played the game on Playstation. However, when viewing The Spirits Within, it doesn?t matter whether you?ve played the game or never heard of it, the film is a big heap of mumbo-jumbo and it has I was unsure of this film since I had never played the game on Playstation. However, when viewing The Spirits Within, it doesn?t matter whether you?ve played the game or never heard of it, the film is a big heap of mumbo-jumbo and it has nothing to do with the game. I never thought I would have to say this about a movie, but the plot is in desperate need of being simpler. Sure, I like a good complex plot that makes you think after viewing. With Final Fantasy the plot is just so hard to understand that you?ll need to force a scientist to come with you. It doesn?t leave you thinking after viewing, and if it did, your head would probably burst thinking about all the options the plot had. I didn?t care about the characters, the romance was cheese on a huge stick and I was frankly bored through most of the movie. Okay, I?ll admit like everyone else that I thought the computer generated people and sets were pretty amazing, most of the action scenes were entertaining (except the final reel ? sheesh, what when on there?) and the character Aki was very believable, determined and voiced well by Ming-Na. This movie just didn?t please me in the rest of the areas in filmmaking unfortunately. In this review, I?ll go out on saying a similar thing to what I said at the start. The Spirits Within is a big disappointment not only for people who?ve never played the game, but also for people who have. When I came out of the cinema, I heard loud and clear ?That movie was ****ing horrible. The game was so much better.? There goes proof: fans and non-fans of the game are most likely to be upset by the films utter silliness. … Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Kai82Feb 21, 2021

Technically it was a masterpiece back then and there were even some people that thought that it could lead to actors becoming obsolete. Sadly it lacks in the story and character parts. Lets start at the beginning. The Final Fantasy franchiseTechnically it was a masterpiece back then and there were even some people that thought that it could lead to actors becoming obsolete. Sadly it lacks in the story and character parts. Lets start at the beginning. The Final Fantasy franchise is a long running series of role playing games by Square (later Square Enix). It is one of the most recognized and successful franchises in the industry with a loyal fanbase. So many people including me were hyped when a Final Fantasy movie was produced. The trailers and animation looked amazing. It was the first time that we got realistic animated human characters. It blow away the minds of many and the attention reached even people that never played videogames or have heard of Final Fantasy. It was a new milestone in animations and creating realistic characters. What we did not know back then was that this made the movie really expensive and it was a ton of work. We noted that the trailers did not look like it was related to any Final Fantasy game which was not strange as the games are no sequels of each other in this regard. They are set in different worlds with new characters and sometimes really different mechanics and ideas (There are of cause some staples and reoccurring themes). Then we watched the movie and it was a bit divisive. It is neither a masterpiece nor garbage. As fans we would say it is not Final Fantasy or to be more generous not Final Fantasy enough by far. It uses a few recognizable themes but is more like a post apocalyptic science fiction movie. Recently I read that they wanted to make something that is for everyone and does not rely on knowledge of the games. This is the kind of decision that seems good on paper but annoys the viewers. For fans of the games it is unrelateable and for others it is just a standard movie with some good or unique ideas. A perfect example for the middleground being the worst case. The story is set in the year 2065. Earth has been overrun by alien live forms that came to us via a meteorite. Humanity is nearly wiped out and hides in cities with shields as no human can survive on the outside. This is caused because the alien live forms called Phantoms have ghost like characteristics. They are invisible to the naked eye and physical matter is not effecting them like us or how it should. What makes them even more dangerous its that they can kill by touch and seek out lifeforms. However there are some strange or unfitting things like the Phantoms not using their advantages in a tactical way or seem not cooperating (They could have won and ended humanity long ago with ease even if slightly competent). The protagonist Aki Ross is on a mission that could change the status quo but has to be secretive about as there is more to it then it seems. I stop here with this basic set up. The story is actually good and has its moments. I think it is a fresh approach and a bit unique. I must also admit that it sounds better on paper and is not in the realm of the better stories in the genre. It uses themes from the Gaia theory that can be a bit confusing if you are unfamiliar with. Like already said technically this was a masterpiece of the era. Everything looked amazing and the movie itself set the new standards. It comes with a slight weakness in facial animations as the emotions are sometimes not transferred well enough. For the voice actors we got a dreamteam. For Aki Ross we have the great Ming-Na Wen who is now far more famous thanks to Agents of Shield and the Mandalorian. Then we have James Wood as general Hein who can be described as antagonist but I refuse to call him evil as I clearly see his motives and care for humanity. Alec Baldwin as Gray Edwards and Donald Sutherland as Dr. Sid are an amazing addition to the cast. I think they have chosen a great team. I don't remember much of the soundtrack so I wont rate it. For me the negatives are that it is not Final Fantasy enough, the character development is just decent and the story itself misses the last push or pushes to awesomeness. The ending while fitting is also a bit unsatisfying. For itself the reception was average except for the animations which were amazing. From box office standpoint it was a bomb and hurt Square Enix financially. Overall I would have rated this movie a bit higher but after a few years I came to the conclusion that being a fan of the franchise made me less critical. Still worth watching as it has it moments and set new technical standards. Far away from videogame movie adaptation garbage.… Expand