FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN (2001)

MORGAN'S GRADE

Set on Earth in the year 2065, destruction and confusion surround us. Cities are deserted, the population is decimated and the precious few humans who remain must find a way to survive. In this world, we face death as we part with our loved ones. We begin to question what "life" and "love" is, and what is the philosophical definition of the "heart". After all in this world, science has analyzed life and death, expressing life as a form of energy. Beyond the riveting battle scenes, Final Fantasy will take you on a journey of personal discovery into both the real and fantasy worlds, drawing you deep into its characterizations and themes: love, friendship, dreams, adventure, life and death.

VOICES: Ming-Na (Doctor Aki Ross), Alec Baldwin (Capt. Gray Edwards), Ving Rhames (Ryan), Steve Buscemi (Neil), Peri Gilpin (Jane Proudfoot), Donald Sutherland (Dr. Sid), James Woods (General Hein), Keith David (Council Member), Jean Simmons (Council Member), Matt McKenzie (Major Elliot), Annie Wu (Little girl voice, uncredited).

OPEN YOUR MIND. UNLOCK THE SECRET. EXPERIENCE THE FANTASY. TRUTH IN EVERY DREAM.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTORS: Hironobu Sakaguchi and Motoonori Sakakibara. WRITERS: Al Reinert, Hironobu Sakaguchi, Jeff Vintar and Jack Fletcher (additional dialogue). PRODUCERS: Jun Aida, Chris Lee and Akio Sakai. ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Daniel S. Kletzky and Katsuhiko Toyota. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Hironobu Sakaguchi. LINE PRODUCER: Deirdre Morrison. SUPERVISING PRODUCER: Michael Hack. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Elliot Goldenthal. DISTRIBUTOR: Columbia Pictures

QUOTES

Jane: What's with her? Ryan: What's with her and the captain? Neil: What's with her and that stupid planet?

Aki: This mission was well worth the lives of you and your men. Jane: "Men"? Ryan: She thinks you're a man. Jane: I think she's an idiot. Neil: I know you're not a man. Jane: I think you're an idiot too.

Hein: Report any aberrant behavior in Dr. Ross to the Major immediately. Grey: "Aberrant behavior," sir? Hein: The woman carries an alien infection. It may be clouding her judgement. They may be manipulating her for their very own purposes. Grey: Is the General suggesting Dr. Ross is a spy? Hein: The General is wondering why he's explaining himself to the Captain.

FACTS

RELEASE DATE: July 11th, 2001 (USA) DVD RELEASE DATE: November 27th, 2001 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $11.4 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $32.1 million (USA) BUDGET: $137 million (USA) PRODUCTION DATES: 1997 -- 2001 - The name of the character Dr. Sid is a reference to the Final Fantasy game series. Most incarnations of the game include a character in some fashion named Cid. In each game, Cid is an older, wiser character and has been represented in professions such as a caring research scientist (Final Fantasy VI), an airship mechanic (Final Fantasy IV) and head of a mercenary academy (Final Fantasy VIII).

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"A movie that doesn't quite know what it wants to be." -- Mike Antonucci, San Jose Mercury News

"Like Dr. Ross and her companions, the movie artfully mimics life without ever truly living." -- Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune

"Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within raises the bar for computer-generated imagery, then leaps over it." -- Jay Carr, Boston Globe

"A technical milestone." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

"Predictable, nonsensical plot, laughably lame dialogue and a surfeit of cloying environmentalist piety." -- Jonathan Freeman, New York Post

"At first its fun to watch the characters...but then you notice a coldness in the eyes, a mechanical quality in the movements." -- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

"Sooner or later, viewers have to ask themselves: If they were to do this film with live actors, would it be worth seeing?" -- Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle

"The sight of these characters getting romantic is about as involving as watching two expensive mannequins kissing in a Macy's window." -- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

"At first its fun to watch the characters...but then you notice a coldness in the eyes, a mechanical quality in the movements." -- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

"Truly robotic storytelling and laughably artificial dialogue." -- Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter