Review of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) by Michaelc. — 13 Sep 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 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.