Review of Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa (2005) by Lynsey M — 25 Jul 2007

This movie was such a disappointment. D: So many of the characters aren't given the screen time they deserve, such as Roy and Winry, characters who are so major in the series, yet tossed aside rather cruelly in this movie. Al isn't even given the screen time he deserves, and his character is turned into this sniveling child. Ed is given all the attention and the scenes in the non-alchemic world are boring. The new characters are hardly given any development (Alfons Heidrich gets like...what? 5 scenes?) and you don't find out really much about them until right before their deaths or the end of the movie. (oh, am I the only one bothered by the fact that 7 characters died within 10 minutes? O-o) FMA was a great series because of its deep characterization and development as well as fantastic plot. Plus the cool alchemy (it's cool, let's all admit it). This movie lacked characterization, alchemy and a wow-worthy plot. The characters we all loved from the series we hardly get to see enough of. Plus the ending isn't conclusive in the least; we don't even get to see how the gate was destroyed, or what everyone's reaction was to Ed and Al leaving. Mind you, this movie isn't horribly awful. But it's not omg amazing like some fans are making it out to be. it's like fanfiction. That fanficiton that's sorta there, but good, but not badfic. So I don't even consider this a real ending. The series ending was much better.

Really, the only thing I absolutely adore about this movie is Nazi!Hugehs. Seriously. He is hands down the CUTEST Nazi EVER. He makes paying the money for this DVD worth it. <3.