Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is a 2001 American computer-animated science fiction film directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy series of role-playing video games. The film features star-studded voice performances from talents including Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, and Ming-Na Wen. Breaking barriers at its time of release, the film stands as a significant moment in cinematic history by being the first full-length photo-realistic animated film.

The narrative sets the stage in the year 2065 where earth is a post-apocalyptic ghost of its former self, devastated by a collision with a meteor, which brought to earth an army of alien predators known as Phantoms. These spectral monsters decimate everything in their path and neither weapon, barrier, nor military might can stop them.

Within this desperate backdrop, we are introduced to the brilliant and fearless scientist Dr. Aki Ross, voiced by Ming-Na Wen, who is humanity's last hope for survival. Dr. Ross is on a mission to collect a series of six spirits that she believes will, when combined, have enough power to destroy the Phantoms without causing further harm to the planet.

Providing protection for Aki Ross on her expedition into the wastelands of Earth is Captain Gray Edwards and his small band of soldiers, the Deep Eyes squad. Captain Edwards is voiced by Alec Baldwin, conveying an air of authority, driven resolve and underlying warmth. The deep bond between Ross and Edwards forms the emotional backbone of the narrative, seamlessly blending immersive action sequences with a moving human story.

Steve Buscemi lends the right amount of comic relief and sarcasm as Neil Fleming, another member of the Deep Eyes Squad. His banter with his cohorts lightens the otherwise grim setting and helps make the film emotionally resonant. Other members of the squad are voiced by Ving Rhames and Peri Gilpin, who deliver credible performances as soldiers navigating in dangerous terrains strewn with threatening Phantoms.

The internal politics and military tactics are handled by the dealings of General Hein, voiced by James Woods. He provides an ambitious antagonist to Ross and Captain Edward's more peaceful and ecological solution to earth's predicament. He favors a more aggressive approach using a massive space cannon, the Zeus, to obliterate the alien menace at potentially catastrophic cost to the planet. This opposing approach shapes much of the conflict in the film.

Beyond the driving narrative, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is a technical marvel. The remarkable lucidity of the animation, particularly the attention to minutia, was far ahead of its time. The level of detail, ranging from strands of hair and blemishes on the skin to complex atmospheric and lighting effects, was unprecedented for an animated film of this scale. Multiple earth environments, urban cities, lush forests, arid desert wastelands, to the eerie spectral Phantoms, are meticulously illustrated.

The film also features a gripping orchestral score by Elliot Goldenthal, whose music enhances the excitement, heightens the fear, and underscores the poignant moments with graceful subtlety.

While Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within mainly caters to the fans of the video game series, it's a spectacle for any fan of beautifully-rendered science fiction. It dials down the fantasy elements in the movies and opts for a more realistic, science fiction-based narrative, grounded in human emotion and struggle. It examines themes of environmental destruction, the balance of nature, life, death, and the human spirit against a visually rich and meticulously detailed dystopian backdrop.

In conclusion, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, is beautifully rendered, underpinned by thought-provoking themes and driven by committed performances. While it may keep its roots in video game lore, the film has successfully cultivated a personality of its own and serves as an ambitious leap into a new realm of storytelling. No small feat for any film, even more so for an animated one.