Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Theatrical Release Date: 2001 07 11 (USA)

UPC: 043396119154

Studio: Columbia TriStar

MPAA Rating: PG13   Contains:[Violence]

Summary: The first feature-length motion picture to use computer-generated imagery to create not only effects, props, and environments but also the human cast members themselves, this lavish science-fiction adventure follows closely on the heels of another video game-based film, Tomb Raider (2001). Ming-Na provides the voice of Dr. Aki Ross, a female scientist in the year 2065, a time when Earth has been overrun by extraterrestrial phantoms borne of a crashed meteor. Humans have been pushed back to cities protected by barriers that keep the marauding space monsters away, but time is running out. Fatally infected by one of the ghostly beasts, Ross seeks information about their purpose and physiology, assisted by her mentor Dr. Sid (voice of Donald Sutherland) and the Deep Eyes military squad of courageous Captain Gray Edwards (voice of Alec Baldwin). Tension develops between Aki's quest to stop the alien onslaught through study and the more extreme solution favored by the vengeful, saber-rattling General Hein (voice of James Woods), who would destroy both the aliens and the Earth itself. Aki ultimately comes to realize that the key to unlocking the mystery of the invaders lies within her own dreams. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Category: Science Fiction

Features: Full-length movie
Widescreen presentation
DVD picture quality

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Format: Universal Media Disc

Release Date: 07/26/2005

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Runtime: 106 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French

Subtitles: English,Portuguese,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Derek Armstrong

This thrilling and visionary fantasy -- with a high budget that included the cost of creating its new motion-capture technology -- was D.O.A. at the box office, proving once again that mainstream America is not ready for what it deems to be video game geekery. But this is hardly a film of limited appeal. While it does recall its more obscure anime roots in some of its spiritual themes, it has the grandiosity of the great sci-fi epics (comparisons have been made as high up the ladder as Star Wars), and the mind-blowing visuals alone are worth the price of admission. Not only are the photo-realistic humans a sight to behold, but the other details of this post-apocalyptic Earth are rendered with a fine-tipped brush, both natural and invitingly dreamy at the same time. The story has its share of underexplained moments, and it requires viewers to accept hokey concepts like "gaia" (the Earth's vital spiritual entity). But to extend the parallel with Star Wars, the Force was never too hard to swallow, and it gave that film the requisite mysticism to rise to the level of classic. Furthermore, Aki Ross is a heroine ten times more intelligent and worthy of worship than Lara Croft, the other prominent video game transplant from the summer of 2001. Ming-Na brings her compassionately to life, and the character's deadly affliction adds an extra gravitas to their earnest mission. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is a romantic adventure that doesn't cheapen either of those categories; in spite of its box-office failure, it can teach a lesson to the star-driven flops that studios churn out with none of the passion of this wondrous ghost story. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Elliot Goldenthal  Composer (Music Score) 
Jun Aida  Producer 
Akio Sakai  Producer 
Jeff Vintar  Screenwriter 
Al Reinert  Screenwriter 
Hironobu Sakaguchi  Director 
Hironobu Sakaguchi  Producer 
Motonori Sakakibara  Director 
Chris Lee  Producer 
Ming-Na Wen  Actor 
Alec Baldwin  Actor 
Ving Rhames  Actor 
Steve Buscemi  Actor 
Peri Gilpin  Actor 
Donald Sutherland  Actor 
James Woods  Actor 
Keith David  Actor 
Jean Simmons  Actor 
Matt McKenzie  Actor 

Country: USA