Final Fantasy: Advent Children

[ManicMatt]

Anyone seen it? What was your view? Here is mine!

I decided as my dad liked the final fantasy film "the spirits within" I'd get him to watch this new one with me. My only concern was that he's never played the game, so he's missing out on a whole back story. Whilst they tried to give you the brief story, it was difficult for us to hear the fragile narrator's voice over the music! Well I heard most of it, and they couldn't, actually. (Didn't seem to be a problem later on though)

The film was sometimes confusing. And I've played the game! I can't imagine how confusing it was for my dad!

Okay, the reason why I personally was disapointed, was that other than Cloud and Tifa, the rest of the gang were barely in it until later on in the film. To be quite frank, Cloud was one of my least fave characters in the game. ("WHAT?!!" - The majority of final fantasy fans)

The graphics though, were brilliant! And the battles were breathtaking. And when the gang finally showed up, I got a thrill out of seeing them! The music was cool, but a bit too loud for the film on a TV. (Our surround's bust)

The references to the game like the mobile phone's ringtone, and the teddy bear moogle were neat.

[Ubel]

I was also quite dissapointed by the fact that almost nobody else except Cloud was really shown very well in the movie. Hell, I was quite dissapointed by the whole storyline. In my opinion Advent Children is a pretty good movie, but a pretty bad Final Fantasy 7 sequel. It didn't really have a proper story, it was all about the action and fighting and motorbikes etc.

It was fun to see all the familiar characters in the movie again though. I would have loved to see some characters, Barret for example, in some more action scenes, though. For he was always one of my favourite characters.

TERRIBLE HORRIBLE BAD BAD SPOILER!! DON'T READ!!

Spoiler

I was also very very dissapointed by these few facts:

1. Sephiroth came back. Yes yes, he IS my favourite character of the whole game, but still, he did die. It just felt so wrong when he returned in the movie.

2. Cloud beat Sephiroth... I mean, come on! Sephiroth is so much tougher a guy than Cloud is! Although Cloud did beat him in the game too, it still feels wrong! Sephiroth should have kicked ass! : (

[close]

I didn't have much trouble in understanding what was going on in the movie, at least not after I had watched it a couple of times. But I certainly understand that somebody who hasn't played the game would have troubles with it.

I agree that the graphics and music were great. I especially liked the new version of the JENOVA theme. Nobuo Uematsu's compositions are always great!

If you're FF7 fan, or at least liked the game quite much, you really should see the movie. But don't expect too much (as I did).

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I don't think the majority of FF 7 fans liked Cloud anyway.  He had all the personality of a stone, much like most ff characters (and especially main characters).

[Squinky]

I watched a japanese fan-sub a few months ago, but I thought it rocked. I too, wanted to see more characters, but could understand it would be hard to shove them all in the movie.

I loved Rude and that other guy (can't recall his name, oddly). Mostly, I was pretty impressed by it, although that may be because I compared it to that "other" final fantasy movie....

And I always thought cloud and Squall were left void of personality so it would be easier for the player to assume their roles mentally...

[ManicMatt]

Not so with Squall. As I recall, it was part of the storyline that he was so damn quiet.

I was annoyed that Reno and Rude got so much story when say, Barrett was nowhere to be seen for ages! And those two were bumbling idiots, and I don't think the humour gelled well at all with the rest of the film. Although I did laugh when his glasses broke and.. y'know.

And Red XII having ONE line! Pah! (I don't think he was having another vow of silence either, as Cait Sith (Well half of him anyway) kept shutting him up. Not as though I ever got a good look at Cait Sith. I'll have to pause the movie to see him!

[Squinky]

Reno and Rude were awesome, you need more Barret? Go watch some old A-team episodes with Mr. T....Heh...

And I know they tried to make him (sqaull) all moody and devoid of personality as a storytelling effect, but I think they started with the idea, and tailored the story around that idea...