| Overall Grade: |
A- |
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| Story: |
B |
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|
| Acting: |
B- |
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|
| Direction: |
A+ |
|
|
| Visuals: |
A+ |
|
|
Final Fantasy VII-Advent Children
by Yahoo! Movies User (movies profile)
May 13, 2006
2
of
2 people found this review helpful
Many people will immediately dissmiss Advent Children because it's an action movie that isn't actually done in live action. Others will immediately dissmiss it because it's based on a videogame. Any one who can dissmiss this for either reason is, in my humble opinion, a jaded bastard. Final Fantasy VII-Advent Children is in many ways an absolute cinema masterpiece. Although in the case of the newly released english dubbed version I have heard better voice acting in my lifetime, the end result is truly a remarkable example of what movies based on games can really accomplish.
The most notable quality of FF7AC the absolutely breathtaking visual effects. Never in my life have I ever seen anything that comes remotely close to the near perfection that FF7AC displays in the visual department. While the movie in no way looks realistic it does not aspire to either. The art style of the film is sure to thrill Otoku fanboys while finally gaining some much needed respect for the Japanese anime genre from the general public. The charactor animations are flawless in every imaginable way. I have yet to find a single flaw in the textures, lighting effects, particle effects, or physics that affect each characters clothing and hair. The level of detail applied to each character is nearly indescribeble. At point the individual threads of one of the characters dresses is easily visible. Aside from the stunning graphic display the action sequences are mind blowing. The laws of physics are cast laughingly aside in the wake of some sequences that are absolutely too cool for words. Most of the final fight scene is completely airborne. You start to wonder if they really can jump that high or are they just flying? And then you remember that it isn't real! The nature of animated films gave director Tetsuya Nomura a wide list of available techniques that simply put would be nearly impossible in a live action film. It seems as though these were specifically sought out as director Nomura pushed the bar in presentation far beyond anything experienced in a CGI film before.
Because the movie is entirely CGI the acting quality is broken into two parts-facial animations and voice acting. Instead of opting for highly detailed facial animations. The animators opted for a more subtle overtone to the charactors emotions. This in no way fails to deliver the intended message as eah characters face is masterfully crafted and each individuals emotions are portrayed all the better in this fashion. The Japanese voice acting sounds exactly as it should. Even people like myself who don't actually know Japanese can feel the emotions in each characters voice. Unfortunately for us in the US. The English voice acting is one of the major drawbacks in the English dubbed version. I've heard better. In a couple instances I've heard A LOT better.
Fortunately, in the sound department the voice acting is overshadowed (sometimes to the point of being GRACIOUSLY unheard) By the soundtrack. Make no mistake. This is the best music you have heard in an action movie. Period. Discussion ends there. Forever. From the riveting "Tatakua Monotachi" (don't try to pronounce it-just don't) To the Legendary "One Winged Angel" remix, Nobuo Uematsu's music is perfect in every single context of the performance. Every single sound effect is perfect. Every roar of a motorcycle and every clash of a sword sounds like it's happening right in front of you. Not once does a single thing sound out of place or even as though it could be improved.
Despite all of this this movie will probably never achieve greatness in the film industry. It DOES cater to a very specific audience like all other video-game based film productions. Never theless Final Fantasy fans will drooling theirselves to sleep over this one. Anyone who enjoys action movies should be at the very least highly entertained by the best visuals in the history of CGI. Despite this many people will dissmiss the movie on the basis that it IS animated. And that it is based on a video game. Well, it's thier loss I say. Enough said. I'm gonna quit yammerin about the movie and watch it. |
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