FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN
reviewed by: ReelReviewz@aol.com

MOVIE BIASES: Interesting concept, an all CGI action movie with "photorealistic" characters, but will it lack, well, CHARACTER?
MAJOR PLAYERS: Ming-Na (TV's "ER"), Alec Baldwin (Pearl Harbor), Ving Rhames (Entrapment), Steve Buscemi (Armageddon), and James Woods (Any Given Sunday).

In a largely derivative, sequel driven summer movie season thus far, finally a fresh idea has come forth. While an animated feature is about as original as another Disney summer tentpole movie, the direction "Final Fantasy" goes actually is. Here we have an action-driven, PG-13, highly detailed CGI animation movie that, despite some wooden moments from its "actors," breezes in with fresh air, thanks to an all-star vocal cast.

In a bleak 2065 where phantomlike aliens roam the earth, humans hole up in energy barrier protected cities while a war wages on for control of the dying planet. Scientist Dr. Aki Ross (Ming-Na), backed by her mentor Dr. Sid (Donald Sutherland) and haunted by strange, alien dreams, goes out in search of the last three spirits needed for a collection of eight that just might save the struggling life spirit (Gaia) of the planet and expel the alien invaders. Standing in Aki's way is the arrogant General Hein (Woods), who wants to use a giant laser called the Zeus Cannon in a flawed attempt to kill the alien life forms and a deadly secret of her own that brings her closer to an old flame, Capt. Gray Edwards (Baldwin). The race is on for Aki to find the final spirits before Hein gets approval to fire his Zeus Cannon and, possibly, destroy the planet.

For the most part, the vocal performances are there. Ming-Na, the voice of "Mulan," capably leads the cast as the surefooted, goodhearted, and impossibly determined Dr. Ross. Baldwin, Rhames, and Gilpin also voice their characters without incident. Woods' comic evil and Buscemi's minor comic relief are also fine. The problem is that despite fine vocal performances rich with intention and emotion, their onscreen counterparts, as sophisticated CGI actors as we've seen to date, sometimes have a hard time keeping up. A few moments of excitement can't overshadow the fact that computer generated images are bad actors. I mean, Aki's much ballyhooed blunt cut hairstyle (with thousands of hours spent on individualizing the 60,000 strands on her head) moves with more emotion than her face does. Her hair also moves more often, too - in every scene it's tossing around side to side, back and forth; it gets pretty distracting. But that still doesn't diminish the thrill of the movie.

I can see why they went CGI with this movie, because the special effects, at times, borders on quietly awesome. The phantasmagoric alien spirits have a creepy-cool thing going on with how they literally steal the spirits of humans. The action sequences range from pedestrian to visually exciting. The script is complex, a bit dense, but makes you care for the lead and the plight of Mother Earth. It's not perfect, though, leaden with action movie clichés like "There is no time!" and "Save yourself!" Also disturbing is the fact that, apparently, there ARE product placements in the future, even in an animated feature. But the whole movie, directed by Japanese director Hironobu Sakaguchi, boasts a cool spookiness that plays like an animated Tim Burton movie. This movie is like Starship Troopers with a plot and Aliens without Sigourney Weaver. Derivative? Maybe. But with its weird, open ending, its "Final Fantasy" is obvious. Bring on the sequel.

@@@ REELS (THREE REELS)
It's pretty hot - go give it a shot.
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BIASES: mid 20s black male; frustrated screenwriter who favors action, comedy, and glossy, big budget movies over indie flicks, kiddie flicks, and weepy Merchant Ivory fare
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