Product Details

• Actors: Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Ming-Na, Ving Rhames, Peri Gilpin
• Directors: Hironobu Sakaguchi, Motonori Sakakibara
• Writers: Hironobu Sakaguchi, Al Reinert, Jack Fletcher, Jeff Vintar, Ramin Mebdy
• Producers: Akio Sakai
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: French
• Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
  PLEASE NOTE: Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click here.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: October 23, 2001
• Run Time: 106 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (493 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00003CY5D
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,482 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Final Fantasy - The Spirits Within (Special Edition)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

THE YEAR IS 2065. A METEOR HAS CRASHED ONTO EARTH UNLEASHINGMILLIONS OF ALIEN CREATURES WHO ROAM THE EARTH, DECIMATINGFIELD AND CITY ALIKE, THREATENING TO EXTINGUISH LIFE ITSELF.PREPARE TO BE SPELLBOUND BY AN AMAZING WOMAN, THE BRAVE INDIVIDUALS AT HER SIDE AND AN ASTONISHING MISSION TO SAVE EARTH

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Simple Values - Spectacular Production, August 10, 2002

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Final Fantasy - The Spirits Within (Special Edition) (DVD)

'Final Fantasy' is a computer game that has gone through countless versions and editions. Taken as a whole, this mythos is probably one of the best know games in its genre. It is clear from the beginning of this film that Sony and Hironbu Sakaguchi (producer, director, and writer) were intent on topping an already brilliant history of graphic accomplishments. In a sense, 'The Spirits Within' represents a piece of history in the making. It is the first film that presents a startling approximation of life using only automation.

The plot is simple. An asteroid falling to earth carries within it a host of phantom creatures that seem hell bent on destroying earthly life. Civilization has been reduced to living in shielded enclaves, and it is only a matter of time before the planet becomes a haunted wasteland. Aki Ross and her mentor, Dr. Sid, are working on the creation of a neutralizing 'wave' based on the eight basic phantom life forms. General Hein does not trust Dr. Sid's theories about a Gaia, or planetary spirit, and wants to use a huge orbital laser cannon to destroy the original meteor, possible destroying the earth in the process. The conflict between these points of view and their shattering effects on the planet are the meat of the film.

Captain Gray Edwards, once Aki's lover, crystallizes this struggle between the material world of violent reaction and the spiritual world of growth and synthesis. The film plays a bit like an evolved 'Starship Troopers.' In many ways, it presents the same visual image, and deals with the same issues. The problem for the director and the viewer is to get past the magnificent graphic work to experience the abiding spiritual faith that is its meaning. Ironically, the film itself is a metaphor for the issues it expresses.

It is almost futile to discuss the film's animation and design. They are so far above what we are used to that the required superlatives sound trite. In essence, the animation staff set out to create something that is even more real than life, and to a great extent, they have succeeded. This hyperrealism, combined with an almost ballet like feeling of choreography create a sense of moment that makes this seem far more than an action film. The overall animation is carefully balanced so as to keep the focus on the characters. Even so, this film has such a sensory effect that the viewer is tempted to forget the plot and simply observe the screen.

The primary DVD provides the film and a whole set of commentaries (directing crew, animation and staging, composer, and production staff), plus the usual trailers, etc. In the special edition, a second disk adds an extensive 'Making of...' segment, the entire screenplay and some analysis of character, vehicle, and prop design. Technically, this is an important film, despite its simplistic plot and characters. For the first time, the definition of what is acting and what is animation is being challenged in a thought provoking fashion.

33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars So much potential, but wasted..., October 10, 2001

By 

Jason Anticevich (Schaumburg, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Final Fantasy - The Spirits Within (Special Edition) (DVD)

There have been many reviews about this movie that have ranged from excellent to shoddy, but mine will fall in the middle for a couple of reasons I will get to. I'll tell you what I found cool and what I found to be lacking. First off, I saw this movie in a digital projection theater. The colors were mind-blowing to say the least. I was constantly losing track of the story because I couldn't take my focus off the spectacular animation. The animation is so rich and textured...let's just say that you have never seen anything like it-real or fabricated. It truly is amazing. The voice casting is perfect. No slackers anywhere. The idea for the story is very innovative, not just some traditional sci-fi retread. But (and there always is a but), the actual dialogue and character development are lacking. Baldwin sometimes seems like a romantic distraction for Ming Na. Is Woods' character supposed to be a sympathetic bad guy because he talks about his family before he commits his bad deeds? Come on, I know 13-year-olds who don't fall for that. The question I was left with was: "Why invest all this money in voice talent, if you give them nothing to work with?" It's a testament to the actors that they were able to pull so much out of the dialogue considering what they had to work with. I don't want to give too much of the plot away, so I won't say anything else about it. ...I enjoyed all the characters for the most part, but I wish there was more to enjoy. I know sometimes that character development is lost because the studios want to get to the next big action event, but when people don't have anything invested in the characters, it just becomes a lot noise. It's too bad because, like I said, there was plenty of sources to draw upon.

Bottom line: The best animation to date, but sorely lacking character and plot development.

34 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An under-appreciated, and totally underrated movie, August 1, 2004

By 

Kali "bengaligirl" (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Final Fantasy - The Spirits Within (Special Edition) (DVD)

One of the best computer generated films I have ever seen. Final Fantasy - the Spirits Within was a joy to watch.

It was exciting, funny, poignant, exciting, romantic, joyful, future hopeful and totally mesmerising from start to finish.

With great actors voicing the animated heroes, we are treated to a state of the art adventure in which earth has been decimated by alien phantoms and the only hope for the survival of the human race are eight earth bound energy-spirits that can stop what only be described as Armageddon.

The exquisite Dr Aki Ross along with cynical but mostly good hearted Captain Edwards and his band of disparate marines set out to find these spirits before the megalomaniac General Hein can ruin any chance Earth has for survival.

The graphics are absolutely stunning, the animated characters look so life like you find yourself doing a double take all the time. Aki Ross is especially life like and Captain Edwards positively smoulders on screen but then his character is voiced over by the sexy Alec Baldwin who can still make any red blood female go weak at the knees!

The ending is superb as well as being heart breaking; no one can forget the scene when Captain Edwards lays down his life for the woman he loves and not just to save the world. Romance at its best in my opinion, animated or not!

I also just love the combining of philosophy, nature, science and technology together and the musical score gets a ten out of ten too.

I wish I could have seen this film on the big screen but I only got to see it when it came out on DVD.

A much underrated, under appreciated film that is yet again far too intelligent for your average moronic movie goer.