Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was a flop – but 25 years later, it is an exquisite digital relic
Though it feels as if it has little to do with the games series it is based on, this groundbreaking film endures as a milestone
Though it feels as if it has little to do with the games series it is based on, this groundbreaking film endures as a milestone for CGI animation, with a stellar voice cast In 1987, after working on several games that were only moderate successes, Japanese game designer Hironobu Sakaguchi proposed a game that would be his last attempt to make a hit.
Aptly titled Final Fantasy, Sakaguchi’s game achieved critical acclaim and commercial success, launching a franchise that has spanned 40 years and 16 core titles – as well as countless spin-offs, remakes and film adaptations. Sakaguchi himself directed one of the latter: the 2001 photorealist animation Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.
Despite the fantasy its title and source material imply, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is really a military science-fiction film. Later cited as a major influence on the Mass Effect games, The Spirits Within may appeal more to fans of that franchise than to those of Final Fantasy.
At times, it feels like a YouTube compilation of cutscenes from a game you can’t afford. Continue reading...
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