FINAL FANTASY- THE SPIRITS WITHIN– Spiritual and Visual Crack!

Crack yes that is what I think most people, that have priory reviewed this movie, are on. The only thing good about this movie being the visuals, confusing and nonsensical plot, lousy voices, are you kidding me? Ok now I’ll be the first to admit that this was a visually awe-inspiring movie, but it was not the visuals that moved me so deeply, it was the story. The story expresses the theme that every living thing has a life, a spirit, even the Earth has it’s own spiritual energy called Gaia, and it is where we all return after our bodies decompose, along with all our learned knowledge and experience. Basically it was saying that existence is just one big sphere of spiritual energy, and everything in existence is connected to each other. Now people may find this strange however it isn’t, let me explain.

The story took place in 2065; 35 years after the Earth had been attacked by a giant meteor housing a powerful alien race known as Phanthoms. The Phanthoms attacked in such a way that as they touched a human being they would take with them the humans spirit, therefore destroying the human’s physical form. It was then that the human spirit would live side by side with the Phanthoms spirit, they would intertwine.

Now it was the idea of many, mainly James Woods’s character, that if a cannon, called the Zeus, was fired at the meteor in which the aliens came from then the aliens would be destroyed. However it was the belief of Aki Ross and Donald Sutherlands character that that would destroy the Earths spirit, Gaia. The council and Wood’s character found the thought of the Earths spirit laughable, however Sutherland’s character had proof that his alternative was safer and would work as well. His alternative was that 8 spirits be gathered from around the world, 6 had already been found, and their energy would be powerful enough to cancel out the wave patterns of the Phanthoms. His proof that his method may work was in the form of Dr Aki Ross, who had been infected by a Phanthom yet remained alive because a membrane had been placed around her infection. The council thought that this was valid enough and let both of them attempt their alternative, to the dislike of James Woods’s character.

Now since her infection, Aki Ross had been experiencing dreams that showed a species being destroyed. She however did not understand her dream, and could not interpret it’s meaning being it never officially finished. The story then continues and Aki begins to build a relationship with Alec Baldwin’s character. You find out that they had a past together and she left him after her infection, she didn’t want to hurt him. He now kind spiritually vowed to help her even though he did not share her beliefs. He begins defying the council, or mainly James Woods’s character, who was the general, and continues to help the girl despite orders to arrest her if the Phanthom began effecting her. He loved her but he had a kind of touch guy persona, so he kept it to himself, save the love scene part and the ending.

It eventually brings you to the point where it reveals the full dream and the Phanthoms true purpose. It does this as Aki is dying and Baldwin’s character is spiritually connected to her for spiritual support as Sutherland’s character implants the seventh spirit into her to save her. It is here you realize, and are told, that the Phanthoms aren’t invaders but ghosts. Their home planet, and they, were destroyed, and the meteor was a chunk of their planet. They were now roaming the earth, soul searching, and at the world for what happened, wanting to die, but living on, confused. The Phanthom spirit inside her was basically communicating with her through her spirit, asking for help, asking to be released, to return to Gaia.

It was very moving, the story that is, and that is just half at it, be ready to be amazed at the ending, even though people say it was too long for some odd reason. The voices were very well done, beautiful animation, and an overwhelming story, of life, death, love, and trust. If you were a fan of the 7th and 8th installments of the Final Fantasy games then you may enjoy the movie due to it’s similar involvement in spirits and science fiction, even though it doesn’t have much more of a relationship than that. If you didn’t like those installments, or are just a die hard Final Fantasy fan you may be disappointed due to lack of tradition. However if you’ve never played the games don’t expect to be lost because there’s nothing in the games that would explain this story to any extent, it’s totally unique, and there’s no reason why insightful people would not like it