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| Forget the real world. Live in your own world. This mantra, like the most special of adolescent-minded things, can make eyes gleam with reverence and the thought of possibility. And that gleam, such a unique bit of light and magic, beams again when watching the unique and wonderful world created in “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.” Escapism isn’t anything new. Pioneers probably had it easiest, without the need to pretend they lived in a whole new world. But in later times, humans turned to role playing for pleasure and release. Dungeons and Dragons turned into Zelda, which turned into Magic: The Gathering. Maybe it’s apropos that the Final Fantasy video games are considered one of the pinnacles for a new electronic existence. The games (spanning Nintendo, Super Nintendo and Playstation) use the building blocks of storytelling to form intricate tales of intrigue, spiritualism and questions of good versus evil. That’s pretty heavy stuff from an interface that demands you also know what the X button does. The cinematic extension was released earlier this year to some technological fanfare but mostly furrowed brows. These tales aim high and aren’t tasty when served for mass consumption. But the DVD release, which fills two disks to the brim with extras and insight, someday will serve as a document to one of the most important steps in cinematic special effects ... and for a somewhat special movie, to boot. The tale unfolds like a scrapped video game narrative, one that had too much development and not enough opportunities to build up your hit points or magic spells. Aki Ross (voiced by Ming-Na) serves as the whirlwind protagonist, drawing attention to all the confusing and crazy activity circling her. And for much of the time, we feel as calmly confused as she does. She walks the broken ground of an Earth ravaged by warfare, and floats in space where things aren’t much safer. A chunk of alien planet pummeled the Earth years ago, bringing with it a race of rampaging phantoms – phantoms whose touch means imminent death. Dr. Ross finds herself infected, but saved by a protective membrane gathered from the spirits of the Earth (and this is when things start getting a little tricky). Although the theory remains comical to the authorities in the story, the good doctor believes if eight spirits are gathered it will result in the unlocking of the Earth’s spirit and humanity’s last hope. The role characters offer the story more layers and intricacies that both complicate Ross’ journey and add perspective to this future world. Gray Edwards (Alec Baldwin) provides the tense romantic sparks as Ross’ former acquaintance who lost touch with his love after choosing the wrong figurative path in life. And Dr. Sid (Donald Sutherland) gives Ross’ journey more scientific viability, adding a conscience to the movie when he must choose between living and meeting a Galileo-like fate – one of truth but ultimately persecution. And while the story sometimes falters and steps in digital puddles full of cliched dialogue, there’s an overused word that makes all that writing seem secondary. Wow. Wow, Ross’ hair wafts in the breeze like a flag. Wow, the advanced technology in this future world blends seamlessly with the nightmarish phantoms. Wow, for a second there Alec Baldwin looked to really morph into that character. Wow, I can’t even fathom how they blew away digitally animated moviemaking’s highest level. That’s where the DVD comes in. On the second disc, a making-of documentary offers a true look inside. No, this isn’t the so-fluffy-it’ll-fly-away “HBO First Look” type of feature. We meet all the ridiculously talented animators, the visionary director Motonori Sakakibara and venture inside their imaginary world of insight. Two audio commentaries, multiple character and vehicle “workshops,” a subtitled factoids option and the chance to re-edit a scene in one of the movies. “Final Fantasy” takes advantage of a medium it was created to dominate. But after wading through hours and hours of extras, the movie still retains its mystery and a unique allure. Science fiction has offered us different and better choices, but a stare at the lifelike Ross and the gleam in her eyes almost makes the real world seem like an illusion. |
| Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within |
| two stars (out of four) |
| Featuring the voices of Ming-Na, Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames and Steve Buscemi. Directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi and Moto Sakakibara. Reviewed Nov. 11, 2001. DVD special features include |