I joined the forums of adventchildren.net on nearly the last day of December
of 2003. I actually wasn’t even home come to think of it. I was on my cousin’s computer
half a country from my home. I followed Summoner Yuna’s little add for the site
on a place called Final Fantasy Extreme. Since then ACF as it came to be known has
become one of my favorite stomping grounds on the web. Since before I finished it
the first time Final Fantasy VII has been unchallenged as my favorite video game
I suppose there are few out there who you can say have been waiting for this movie
longer than me.
Needless to say I was giddy as a school girl when it finally showed up. ACF has
long ceased to be simply about Advent Children for me, my choice actually. I did
not want to know what I would see before it actually came out. It was a long wait,
but I do not regret my decision. That last month though I was a little impatient
though. So what about the final product? Putting aside the community, the waiting,
the original, and all that has resulted in my life in the advent of this movie,
what is it that comes out of that box in the mail. Is it any good?
Yes.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is one beautiful piece of work. If the original
game had a one weakness with me, it would be the graphics. While the cut scenes
were excellent for their day most of the real action happened with blocky under-detailed
constructs. Advent Children takes that problem, runs a giant Japanese sword through
it, and leaves it to rot. Every moment is a masterwork of CGI animation. The detailing
is glorious, from the aerial battles and swordplay to the little moments where can
appreciate the life-like detail simply in a characters eyes. If I could find a theater
showing the movie I would. My little TV is not enough to contain it.
The sound is rich and if you don’t hear every little sound, it is because the music
is stirring in the background. I watched the movie in both dubbed and subbed, and
as a long time anime fan I have to say that Advent Children accomplishes something
near impossible. Too be just as good in either language. Maybe one day it will be
done, but I can’t imagine a better piece of work. Every voice I felt hit the mark
perfectly. The score is thrilling and stirring, and everything a movie score should
sound like. And when One Winged Angel burst into your ears, well I will leave that
favorite moment of mine to you.
My review is not entirely glowing however. Advent Children suffers from the same
problem most movies of its sort do. While technically a masterwork, the story itself
does not stand on its own. Advent Children might almost be the coda to FFVII’s grand
symphony. While there is some review at the beginning the movie lacks those little
exposition moments that explain what something is and how it fits into the world
as a whole. If you have played the game and remember it well you will have no problems,
but someone who hasn’t would not be able to appreciate the movie. In many ways this
goes for the villains as well. Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo still have an untold story
out there.
Further more certain parts of the movie, most notably the fight against Bahamut
Sin, are pure fan-service. Advent Children isn’t long enough to support all the
characters fans know and love, and many do nothing aside from showing up to say
they’re still alive. Now maybe you like fan-service, but I’m simply saying there
are better ways to go about it. And I cannot help but feel some will feel shafted
that their character didn’t get more face time.
Ultimately though Advent Children does what it promised to from the very beginning.
Tell what has happened to Cloud since the end of FFVII, and provide us with a battle
that all fans will want to watch again in again. Looking back on that first trailer
it is interesting to see how things have progressed. Many shots that I had long
expected to see were no longer there (though for most just dive into the special
features) while others were more impressive than I could have hoped for. There is
a seminal moment where One Winged Angel blast out and I remember just what I bought
this movie for. I knew it was coming from the very first, but oh the glory when
it did.
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