Directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi (who also created the best-selling series of video games that inspired the film), the groundbreaking FINAL FANTASY, which stars a startlingly lifelike cast of animated characters, is the first photo-realistic computer-generated feature film ever made. In the year 2065, Earth has been taken over by a race of alien phantoms and transformed into a barren wasteland sprinkled with dome-enclosed barrier cities--the last remaining bastions of human civilization. Dr. Aki Ross (voiced by actress Ming-Na) has teamed up with Captain Gray Edwards (Alec Baldwin) to search for the "eighth spirit," a powerful entity dwelling in an unknown life form somewhere on the planet. It holds the key to perfecting a system of energy waves that will neutralize the phantoms. Ross's opponent is the reckless General Hein (James Woods), who is determined to put a stop to the alien invasion by firing a satellite cannon directly into a nest of phantoms located deep within the Earth, even though this could mean obliterating the planet itself and all life upon it.
Theatrical Release: JULY 11, 2001
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
2-Disc Set
Disc One:
Widescreen- 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1- English
Dolby Digital 2.0- French
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary- 1. Motonori Sakakibara- Co-Director, Hiroyuki Hayashida- Sequence Supervisor, Tatsuro Maruyama- sets and props lead artist, Takao Noguchi- Phantom Supervisor
2. Andy Jones- Animation director, Chris S. Capp- Editor, Tani
Kunitake- Staging Director
Trailers
Isolated Score with commentary by composer Elliot Goldenthal
Storyboard/Playblast selects of the film with optional filmmaker commentary or subtitled factoids
Interactive Features:
Interactive Animated Menus
Scene Selection with motion images
Text/Photo Galleries:
Production Notes
Disc 2:
Widescreen- 1:85
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1- English
Dolby Digital 2.0- French
Additional Release Material:
THE MAKING OF FINAL FANTASY- Original Interactive Documentary featuring
Music Video, Alternate Opening Sequence, AKI'S DREAM Mini-Movie
Face Wraps
Character Morphs
FINAL FANTASY Shuffler Film Editor
Interactive Features
Interactive Menus
Text/Photo Galleries:
Compositing Builds
Vehicle Scale Comparisons
Character Files
Matte Art Exploration
Sets and Props
DVD-Rom Features:
Complete Screenplay
Vitual Tour of Square Pictures
Screensaver
Weblinks
Co-Director
Sakakibara Motonori: CoDirector, FINAL FANTASY (2001)
Animation Director
Andy Jones: Animation Director, FINAL FANTASY (2001)
Review 1:
"...The visual effects are wondrous..."
Source: New York Times
p.E1 07/11/2001
Review 2:
"...A visual marvel....The emotional kick wouldn't be much stronger were it populated with people..."
Source: USA Today
p.7D 07/11/2001
Review 3:
"...Visually impressive....[The] voicing is solid down the line....[The film] evinces a craftsmanlike fastidiousness throughout all levels of production..."
Source: Variety
p.20 07/09/2001
Review 4:
"...A mesmerizing technical achievement....These computer-created characters represent a cinematic art of the future....It's a great wow..."
Source: Entertainment Weekly
p.42 07/20/2001
Review 5:
"...The film exerts a hold..."
Source: Rolling Stone
p.70 08/02/2001
Review 6:
"...Those being inducted to FINAL FANTASY through THE SPIRITS WITHIN will marvel at the technical expertise of game-producer-turned-director Hironobu Sakaguchi..."
Source: Sight and Sound
p.42-3 09/01/2001
Review 7:
"...Sci-fi fans and programmers will find it hard to contain their glee as battleships explode in vibrant shades of orange and red....The alien phantoms, luminous and ethereal, are both beautiful and terrifying..."
Source: Total Film
p.88-9 09/01/2001
Review 8:
4 stars out of 5 -- "This was a groundbreaking movie that triumphantly unveiled realistic virtual humans..."
Source: Ultimate DVD
p.64 04/01/2008
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