Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children - Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is a 3D computer-animated science fiction drama film inspired by the popular Final Fantasy role-playing video game series. The film, which released in 2005, features many characters from Final Fantasy VII, who will soon return in the much anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake. The film received mixed reviews, with some praising its spectacular CGI graphics, while others complained that its plot was sub-par. Approximately a year after its initial release, a director’s cut of the film was announced, but wasn’t released until April 2009. This version of the film was titled Advent Children Complete and contains nearly thirty minutes of extra footage, revised scenes, and updated visuals.

Plot and Setting

Advent Children takes place two years after the events of the 1997 role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. The few remaining survivors of Midgar, a city which was almost entirely destroyed by Sephiroth’s Meteor spell, founded a new city called Edge, where Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart run a courier service and take care of orphans Denzel and Marlene. Cloud can not forget about the death of Aerith Gainsborough, and, along with Denzel, is infected with a disease called “Geostigma”, which has no known cure. At the outset of the film, Cloud has isolated himself from the rest of his companions.

Through Tifa Lockhart, Cloud is contacted and summoned to a meeting with Shinra Corporations former president, Rufus Shinra, who was originally believed to be dead. Rufus implores Cloud to help him stop Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, the three physical manifestations of Sephiroth's spirit who hope to resurrect him with the remains of an alien villain named Jenova. Cloud, however, refuses to help. Kadaj and his party begin to recruit those infected with Geostigma and Denzel joins the group, attracted by the idea of finding a cure to his disease. Loz follows Tifa and Marlene to Aerith's church, and a fight ensues where Tifa is knocked unconscious and Marlene is kidnapped. Those abducted are brought to the ruins of a mystical Forgotten City, a place where Kadaj welcomes them as his fellows and announces his intention for them to be reunited with Jenova. Cloud eventually arrives to save them, but is overpowered by Kadaj’s party and is thereafter rescued by his old companion, Vincent Valentine.

Cloud continues his fight and returns to the city, but once there he finds that Kadaj has summoned the Bahamut Sin and other evil beings to torture the population. Cloud and his old party from Final Fantasy 7 are able to defeat the monsters, however. Kadaj confronts Rufus Shinra and reveals that he is in possession of a box containing the remains of Jenova. Rufus tries to destroy it but is unable, and Kadaj flees to the city with his party. Cloud pursues Kadaj and engages with him in battle. Cloud ultimately wins the fight, however, Kadaj is able to open Jenova’s box and join its contents, metamorphosing into Sephiroth. He states that he will be able to use the life force of those infected with Geostigma to dominate the planet. Sephiroth and Cloud then fight and, after a long struggle, Sephiroth is defeated, leaving behind only a wounded Kadaj. A healing rain cures those with Geostigma, but Loz and Yazoo appear and catch Cloud off-guard. The two of them self-destruct, resulting in an explosion that completely envelops all three combatants. Cloud seems to have survived the attack, however, as he eventually wakes up in the church and is joined by his friends.

Reception

The game was released to mixed reviews, with some praising its computer animation graphics while others complained that the film’s plot was confusing and uncompelling. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave this film a score of 33% based on 6 reviews, although the audience score is significantly higher at 84%. 1UP.com’s James Mielke awarded the film an "A-" and praised it for its amazing computer-generated visuals. Advent Children Complete, the director’s cut of the film, is often regarded as a much improved version of the original film, as it is generally more accessible and comprehensible to those that have not played the original game.

Production Cast

This film was directed by Tetsuya Nomura and produced by Yoshinori Kitase, Shinji Hashimoto, and Ichiro Hazama. The script was written by Kazushige Nojima. Advent Children also stars various voice actors and actresses like Takahiro Sakurai (as Cloud Strife), Ayumi Ito (as Tifa Lockheart), Kenichi Suzumura (as Zack Fair), Shotaro Morikubo (as Kadaj), Maaya Sakamoto (as Aerith Gainsborough), Toshiyuki Morikawa (as Sephiroth), and Shogo Suzuki (as Vincent Valentine). Music for the film was scored by Nobuo Uematsu, while the role of cinematography is credited to Yasuharu Yoshizawa. Keiichi Kojima is listed as the main editor.

Links

Square Enix Official
Rotten Tomatoes Page for Advent Children