Just finished watching this. Holy shit, I'm amazed.

Not only is it actually a GOOD Final Fantasy movie, it's so unbelievably beautiful to look at. I spent most of my time admiring the visuals.

The plot is actually fairly strong, and continues where the game left off (2 years later). All the characters we know and love are represented in the movie, in addition to some new ones. It's not dialogue heavy, but the conversations that are there are the traditional quirky Japanese anime-like "I'm not alone!" revalations.

I really don't want to give anything away, but it's very hard not to because there were so many great parts. I'll just say that there was a scene with a certain character's cell phone ring tone that made me pause the movie because I was lauging so hard.

The fight sequences are jaw-dropping. I've never seen such intense sword fighting in a movie before. It was all done with the traditional Final Fantasy over-the-top style (limit breaks, summons and characters flying throught the air for minutes on end) as well as a materia-equipping scene that made me giggle with delight.

Unfortunately not everyone will enjoy it. Square is targeting a very specific audience with this movie, which of course is the relatively small group of people who played and finished FF7. Anyone else would either not care, not get a lot of the characters (many of which are never named because they really don't need to be) or have to have a lot of it explained to them before and during the film.

Overall: Amazing. Intense battles and a joy to look at. If you enjoyed Final Fantasy 7, your penis will become erect with delight watching this. Just be sure to see a doctor if your JRPG boner lasts longer than 4 hours.

I believe Cross got the ripped version with english subtitles that's been going around the interweb, since I'm not sure it's out in the states yet.

Yes, I neglected to mention I watched the sub. It was a fansub too, and was very well done. The problem with the sub is that there is so much to see that you miss while reading.

As with every japanese movie/anime ever dubbed, I'm expecting it to be ruined.

I'm totally getting that cell phone. You know, the one with the victory theme ringtone that homosexual dude was carrying.

I've been looking forward to it for a while, but haven't seen it yet.  I haven't fully decided whether to look for a subtitled version or wait for the dubbed one.

In my somewhat limited experience with anime, I'd guess the subtitled would be the better route, but we'll see.  I'm intensely jealous of all of you that'v seen it, by the way.  Bastards.

So wait, it's not out in America?

More like Internet . . . Lying Database.

I haven't played FF7, or any of the other games and I thought AC sucked. Fair enough, I didn't really "get" the full depth of the story but at least the film was visually fucking amazing.

Wow, from all these comments I'm just about convinced to actually watch this before it's released. Downloading tonight.

Spoilers:

Zack and Aeris are the two people whose deaths Cloud can't forgive himself for - Aeris died right in front of Cloud, and he thinks it's his fault she was killed and that he should/could have done more to save her. Zack was killed trying to save Cloud from the Shin-Ra soldiers just before they could get into Midgar. Cloud's been trying to live two lives ever since - his own, and Zack's. Their appearance at the end is part of him being able to get over that guilt and pretense -- they're saying their final goodbyes to him, in a way, so that he can move on from out of the burden he put on himself for their sake.

Spoilers ahead.








No, clone plot never even mentioned.

Yes.

Yes.

Cid doesn't have enough lines to know.

No. Leave that for Dirge of Cerberus.

In its defense, 3) serves an important purpose and 2) is done in such a way that I didn't mind after it had happened that it had, despite reservations. It basically ends as fast as it starts.