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For better or for worse, Square has always been at the forefront of graphical technologies. Time and time again, Square has proven that they’re not afraid to pour every last ounce of effort and finances into making their games as aesthetically pleasing as possible. The company's graphical mastery has become best known in the area of 3D CG, with both their in-game graphics and Full Motion Video far exceeding the level of detail and realism of most competitors' attempts. Now, after years of planning, Square is poised to take their graphical expertise to the next level of multimedia entertainment with Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.
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Square and Columbia Pictures have remained tight-lipped on story details. All we have at this point is a brief plot synopsis and a list of character names to go with the confirmed voice talent and trailer. The official Final Fantasy movie page provides the following synopsis:
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Set on Earth in the year 2065, destruction and confusion surround us. Cities are deserted, the population is decimated, and the precious few humans who remain must find a way to survive. In this world, we face death as we part with our loved ones. We begin to question what "life" and "love" is, and what is the philosophical definition of the "heart." After all in this world, science has analyzed life and death, expressing life as a form of energy. Beyond the riveting battle scenes, Final Fantasy will take you on a journey of personal discovery into both the real and fantasy worlds, drawing you deep into its characterizations and themes: love, friendship, dreams, adventure, life and death.
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This inherently science-fiction premise bothers some fundamentalist Final Fantasy fans. The movie does indeed look to be even more science-fiction oriented than Final Fantasy VII or VIII, but that doesn’t mean the spirit of the games won’t stay intact. However, the story so far shows a strong resemblance to the style of the games' stories. A great evil has nearly destroyed the planet, a small band of rebels fights to ensure life's survival, and people question their very existence and the role they play in the universe -- all of these are themes commonly seen throughout the game series. Still, with two hundred million dollars on the line, Square and Columbia need a breakthrough hit, not a cult favorite
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While the cause of the planet's destruction has yet to be revealed, aliens are confirmed as present in the film, leading to speculation that the destruction of Earth was caused by an alien encounter. The synopsis promises characters will question the meaning of life and their individuality, as science has classified and studied them to what would apparently be their deepest core being.
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Confirmed characters are Ming Na as "Aki," Alec Baldwin as "Grey," Steve Buscemi as "Nick," Peri Gilpin as "Jane," Ving Rhames as "Ryan," Donald Sutherland as "Dr. Sid" [sic], and James Woods as "General Hein." Aki is the female whose eye we know so well; Ryan is the imposing, armored soldier; and Dr. Sid is likely "Charles," the old man who was the movie's first revealed character.
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The current screenplay clocks in at just over a hundred pages and has had three major screenwriters attached to it. Square’s own Hironobu Sakaguchi is heading the project as writer and director. Sakaguchi provided the basic story from which all subsequent modifcations were made. Americans may be more familiar with Al Reinert (of Apollo 13 fame), who worked with Sakaguchi on the early drafts. More recently, writer Jeff Vintar has done a complete rewrite of the script to rave industry reviews.
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Financially speaking, Square isn't pulling any punches. With the budget reportedly surpassing the $200,000,000 mark, Square seems to have put themselves in a risky position if the movie fails to be an international blockbuster. Ironically, while the movie is almost guaranteed to draw crowds in Japan, it has yet to receive a Japanese release date. The fate of the Final Fantasy Movie seems to currently be riding in the theaters of America, where the movie will make its debut during the summer of 2001.
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So just where exactly is all this money going? First and foremost, Square has become the leading purchaser of SGI workstations, outbuying even traditional industry stalwarts like Industrial Light and Magic. Of course, there's the cost of hiring animators to man these machines and produce the animation. The number of CG artists working on the project has also increased constantly, and is now said to include the entire CG FMV teams from Parasite Eve II and Final Fantasy IX. While a smaller fraction of the budget, famous names such as Ming Na, Alec Baldwin, and Donald Sutherland don't come cheap.
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Perhaps the greatest obstacle left for Square is their attempt to achieve great success in an area that has been prone to disaster. No full-length feature outside of the Toy Story series has come anywhere near the success that Square is hoping for. Square Honolulu has shown that they’re capable of cranking out amazing graphics, but the question still remains: can Square and Columbia Pictures successfully market an adult, fully CG movie to the level of blockbuster status? Square fans everywhere should hope so, as failure to turn a profit would pose serious issues for Square. But Square has gambled and won before--before Final Fantasy VII's release, Square's lavish spending and graphical focus seemed uncertain, perhaps even foolish. Now the company has even more on the line; but the eventual payout has yet to be seen.
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SOURCE: thegia.com
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