Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

"An advent movie where I don't mind getting my mind paralyzed again..."

9 years ago, there was a game called "Final Fantasy VII". A computer role-playing game released by Square Co., Ltd. in 1997. Of course, the seventh installment of the main Final Fantasy series marks as one of the greatest and the most popular Final Fantasy game of all time. While some people might beg to differ. In my case, Final Fantasy VII will forever be my most favourite game of all time, with a reason of course. Mainly because of the well written story and memorable characters.

9 years later, my wait for 2+ years can finally be put to rest, as it has finally arrived. The direct sequel of the game, Final Fantasy VII : Advent Children, finally hits to the stores. I'm relieved that it was actually not a game, but a theatrical movie itself, meaning it's only a 100 minute long movie. It is a success, but definitely not a "perfect" movie. Some loved it, some hated it. So it totally depends on whether you are the targeted audience, or not.

While this is not the game itself, I'll try to get straight into the point, and this review itself is spoiler-free.

Story
This movie takes place 2 years after the first game. the planet begins healing itself from the devastating attack from Meteor. But then, while people thought to have their peace at last, a strange disease known as "Geostigma" (Seikon Shoukougun) has arisen and most people have been infected, and some people were dead because of the disease itself.

Cloud Strife, our main hero of the first game, is also infected with the Geostigma disease, and began to seclude himself from his friends, travelling around the world alone, and he himself is also haunted by demons in his past that he couldn't get himself over with.

And then, from far above the mountains somewhere, there are 3 mysterious figures, starring at Cloud...

(Summary would be different from what I've said above depending on which source you've read)

Overview : As much as this setup is pretty much a common case for most sequel series (old threat dies new threat comes), I found this setup to be quite interesting. It feels like a fresh start for me, and it doesn't revolve too much on the old story to develop. We have old characters, but new setup, but old and new are related. As far as this is a good start, it still ends up too straightforward, and imbalance. Straightforward being the standard "Badguy wants to repeat the whole process that has been done way back at the first game, and this time we need our hero to save the world again" story. As for imbalance... Have been watching this back and fourth for like 4-5 times for now. The action seems to be heavier than the story itself. Plot wise, there seems to be minor. 70% fights 30% story. If you are an action fan of this movie, as well as a fan of the first game, this will be worth your watch. But if not, it will end up a low taste quality of a movie.

Overall I found this to be too normal and common for the story, almost as if everything is a flat piece of paper plot. No ups, no downs, static. Thankfully the choreography makes up for this movie, and at least the plot, in the core itself, was actually interesting enough to keep me in place to watch the movie.

Story overview : 6/10

Choreography

Wonderful, Absolutely wonderful. I'll go into details.

Action : Why this makes me scream? Because it's AWESOME. Especially the fighting action. The whole setup and the details as you can see from the fights itself actually feels "fake" (fantasy would be a more suitable term) but convincing. Amazing movements and fights. That's all there is to it. To be honest, the whole action in this movie is actually what makes FFVII AC an enjoyable movie. If you love unrealistic but done right fights, this is definitely your deal. Hell, I don't think you can find anything that you can nitpick, unless you hate those type of fights.

Camera Angle and Directing, Cinematography : Great, but it irritates me for having to see some of the scenes switches around during the fights. But then nothing I can complain of, some may find it dizzy though. What I like about the whole setup of the movie is that they did use slow motion panning at the right time. And that, it creates a suitable suspend for some of the scenes. The whole movie usage of it's cinematography is actually well done. Nice close-up, nice medium shot, long-shot and everything.

Scenario Arrangement : As been stated above (See story overview), While I don't feel anything special about the scenario arrangement for the story. But the arrangement for the fights are very well done. It leaves you wanting for more. And some scene arrangement feels very nostalgic, and some humor and comical relief can also be found in this movie. That makes you feel that "Hey, that's not really all about action, there are some funny moments too!"

As for dramatic moment, there is one, and that caught me unexpected personally...

While not everything is not necessarily can be labelled as "Art of making movies", it gets the whole thing across, and it successfully convey out the whole point to the audiences. Commercially, this is a success.

Action overview : 9/10

Animation and Design

Ah, An animation made by Square-Enix, how can we miss this?

Now, I almost have to kneel down and worship Square-Enix for being god for making this animation, almost to the realistic level, that you cannot distinguish whether it's made in animation, or this is made by hiring human actors to act on it. Every movement, not counting the fights, look very realistic and absolutely convincing. The details of the animation is really splendid, especially after taking note of the details they have done to the costume (very very minor), I can't help myself but to tell myself that, Square is God. Seriously, how did they manage to put in even such details to make it look absolutely realistic?

Designs for the character have been shown that Tetsuya Nomura took one step higher in refining the characters. Each design was perfectly well done and constructed. Whether it's eye-candy or whether it's suitable for viewers taste or not is up to the audience interpretation. But overall I found it to be a major improvement of what Tetsuya have done 9 years ago. Some characters looked prettier and cooler than their previous appearance. Especially in Cloud's case, his costume design and the character designation / refinement perfectly suits his image, characteristics, and his role for this movie.

What really catches my eye is the weapon design. Cloud's weapon looks absolutely cool, And perfectly seductive as a gimmick. The weapon designation for Cloud was especially practical as well. That's how it suppose to be when you are given with weapons and you use it for the full effect, but how he uses his weapons? Check it out for yourself.

Mechanical designs are also cool. Some old machines came back to make an appearance for the movie. But some parts that I have to complain, personally was the way the machines are used in this movie. Which I won't spoil who or how. The unique designation of every machinery adds a lot of colors and details in the technology that was used in the world of Final Fantasy VII. While it also brings back a lot of nostalgia to the fans as well.

Animation and Design Overview : 9.7/10

Music and Voice Acting

The music is awesome. Nobuo Uematsu is back again. And this time there isn't much of originality for the songs but mostly those songs are remixes from the old, original songs. But then, those remixes are like...superb, Especially some of the songs are made to especially fit the scene, and it successfully fits in, and blends in the movie very well. As well as being catchy and upbeat. Of course, most of it are rock songs. While some of the songs are taken from Final Fantasy VII : Piano Collections. One of the most notable music would be the victory theme. It's a definite nostalgic for most of the FF fans, and it wouldn't be FF without the theme!

Of course there are few orchestration musics, and I have no complain about it, good songs great times as always.

As for voice acting, It's perfect. Some of the notable voice actors were Takahiro Sakurai, who voiced as Cloud in both this movie and Kingdom Hearts; and also voiced Kira Izuru from Bleach. Tifa is voiced by Ayumi Ito. Aerith is voiced by my most favourite voice actress of all time, Maaya Sakamoto, which her role is especially famous for Lunamaria Hawke from Gundam SEED Destiny. Zack is voiced by Kenichi Suzumura; Which his other role includes for being Shinn Asuka in Gundam SEED Destiny, and Shin Kudo in Macross Zero. And possibly more famous voice actors acted for respective roles. Each actors are doing a well done job in acting. Which possibly is the reason that makes this movie much lively than ever.

Loved it, this is probably where I would love to buy a copy of the soundtrack, if possible.

Music and Voice Acting Overview : 10/10

Conclusion

In the end, it's a movie where, I won't mind spending hundred bucks just to buy a copy of it. And what's minor, this movie can serve as an extra reference to any existing animators out there.

This movie, while it's considered a success attempt after their failure of the first movie (The Spirits Within), still can be much better in execution. Especially the imbalance pointed out earlier. While it can't be a perfect movie, it's still a kick ass movie where, People who doesn't know the first story, will enjoy the action sequences (especially for casual movie watchers); while people who did know, and enjoyed the first story, will love this movie more than ever.

I don't mind screaming one more time just for this movie, but then I have to get ready 3 bottles of water and a big packet of popcorn, Adrenaline Rush!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 09/14/05