Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (Limited Edition Collector's Set) (2006)

 

 

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Hey Eveyone, I think there is a typo in the title's listing, I think this is infact the DVD release of Advent Children and not the UMD, but who knows.
This is an amazing movie, I've seen the Japanese version already. The computer graphics are breath-taking and surpass those of The Spirits Within. If you like Final Fantasy VII at all, then you must have this DVD. You won't regret it!

Square's FINAL FANTASY series has been the reigning king of RPG videogames for the past 20 or so years. Each installment in the game is a completely separate storyline with absolutely no relation to any other, making the play experience fresh and new each time. However, no other chapter in the series managed to capture the hearts of millions of gamers around the world than the popular 7th installment in the series, released back in 1997. The tone of the game was exciting, and the characters were three dimensional beings who were woven into an intricate storyline. The game is best known for a tragic scene where one of the characters is killed, bringing a depth of emotion never before seen at that time which brought some players to tears.

Square decided to release a sequel to Final Fantasy VII, but instead of opting for the game treatment, they began work on a 100% CGI animated movie using the same technology as Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. It was released in 2004 to critical fan acclaim, and then to DVD shortly thereafter. So how does the Blu-Ray release stack up?

First of all, this is the most complete and glorious version of Advent Children that you're ever going to get. It's on Blu-Ray, and the format is nothing but kind to animated movies, especially those done in CGI. FF comes alive with pristine, crystal-clear visual quality with over 20 minutes of added scenes to boot. Indeed, this "Complete" edition is the version that future releases will be stacked against.

The audio track doesn't seem any different from the one included on the standard-def DVD release. I bought the Japanese import way back when, and I noticed a significantly more powerful soundtrack, especially in music and thundering sound effects. I was slightly disappointed to see that the Blu-Ray version didn't match that brilliant track, but then again, I was watching the English dub. The Japanese dub has a bit more punch to it. With some tweaking to my equalizer and surround channels, I managed to satisfy my audio demands.

If there's a downside to the film, it lies in the story. If you haven't played the original Final Fantasy VII from beginning to end, you're going to be friggin' lost. I myself had played the game straight through from start to finish, and even stopped to find every single secret in the game. But, that was a while ago. Even I had a few "WTF" moments during the course of the film. Nevertheless, having played the game means everything. Characters like Barrett, Sephiroth, Tifa and Marlene aren't going to matter if you don't know their backstories. Of course, this movie is primarily about Cloud Strife, the main character, and his pangs of guilt at having been unable to save the life of Aerith, his companion from the game. To a first-time viewer who is completely new to the story, Aerith's very presence will be a head-scratching conundrum.

But, that's beside the point. This movie was created by Square, exclusively for the diehard fans of the game. It really is a labor of love on Square's part, and a testament to their connection with the game. They're giving the fans what they want, even if it means that a large chunk of the human population won't have any idea what this film is about. There's passion in the creation of the film, and the action sequences are flat out breathtaking (if not totally unrealistic). It gets the adrenaline pumping, especially during the final act which is straight action for almost a half-hour, non-stop.

Advent Children is a masterpiece. It's animation is flat-out incredible, and rivals anything seen by Pixar to this day, and it has the advantage (and disadvantage?) of being tied to such a beautiful and standard-changing backstory. I loved it.

To those who aren't FF7 veterans.....download it onto your PS3 or PSP from the PlayStation store and play it straight through from beginning to end before evening THINKING about picking this film up. It's worth it, trust me.

Are good plots your do all and end all? Can you sacrifice graphics and filming for some well developed characters, and a well thought out incredibly deep storyline? If so, then boycott this like the plague.

The movie was fantastic if you're a fan. If you watch it and think of it like a video, the entire movie plays out like a cinematic and is beautiful. The graphics are to die for and the characters all fit their roles well enough from the classic FF7 title. That said, it's all action no plot. Expect to see delicious fight scenes - including a gem for the fans in which a battle takes place with the classic FF7 fight music, complete with the 'victorious' jingle when a cell phone rings.

But of course, you're going to get some faults:

- The lipsynching is good but never bang on.

- The script definitely leaves something to be desired. The characters tend to use a lot of one liners and the language is that an elementary student would use comfortably.

- The plot is basically nonexistant. If you think of the movie as virtually one long fight scene, or a long video game cinematic you might not care as much but if you're looking for a deep continuation of FF7 story you'll be left disappointed.

If you're a fan none of that will matter and simply seeing them fit a bike chase, or a scene with Bahamut, into the movie will be completely worth the money spent. This movie succeeded overall as a treat for the fans even if it won't be winning any academy awards.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Much better than the original release
Compared to the original release of Advent Children, this one has some altered scenes, as well additional content featuring denzel and zack(from the crisis core game) giving it a... Read more

Published 7 months ago by grauster

4.0 out of 5 stars Great movie for fans of FF7!
I think the main draw here is nostalgia from having played Final Fantasy 7 so many years ago. It is a nice continuation of the story, with multiple references to the original... Read more

Published 12 months ago by Q. T. Vo

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast shipping time very happy
I received this sooner then I expected. This movie made me cry, I'll admit it! Thank you for the great price on a blu ray!

Published 20 months ago by Lazyberto

5.0 out of 5 stars Advent Children finally have Blu-ray to play with...
To be honest, at first I was hesitant about buying this movie. I already have the original on DVD, but even then as good as I thought the animation and such was, I was left... Read more

Published on Dec 29 2009 by Jace Wagner

4.0 out of 5 stars Awsome
Bought this movie on DVD and had to buy it on Blu ray. Awesome movie. Why are there not more like this?

Published on Oct 22 2009 by B. Noel

5.0 out of 5 stars À avoir absolument
Le film est excellent, plus d'une heure et demi de supplémentaire (l'histoire de Denzel + l'histoire de Final Fantasy 7), sans compter le remake du combat mythique entre... Read more

Published on Oct 6 2009 by v1rus

5.0 out of 5 stars Awasome!
This is a great movie. I've only passed the game once (1). That is when I saw how great the game is making the movie just as good. Read more

Published on Sep 14 2009 by Michael G. Mandeville

5.0 out of 5 stars A must buy!
If you saw the original movie and liked it, you're going to ADORE this version!!! An amazing version!

Published on July 14 2009 by Stéphane Cantin

5.0 out of 5 stars Are sins ever forgiven?
"Final Fantasy VII" is one of the most groundbreaking, most popular video games of all time -- the adventures of flawed hero Cloud Strife and his companions, struggling to save a... Read more

Published on Jun 5 2009 by E. A Solinas

4.0 out of 5 stars Are sins ever forgiven?
"Final Fantasy VII" is one of the most groundbreaking, most popular video games of all time -- the adventures of flawed hero Cloud Strife and his companions, struggling to save a... Read more

Published on Jun 5 2009 by E. A Solinas

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