Review of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

Eight years later, Final Fantasy VII finally got a sequel. Under tight scrutiny by Cloud fans everywhere, here's how it measures up: Story: I won't lie; unless you're a Final Fantasy VII fan, you won't appreciate the story for what it really is. (You probably won't even understand it, for that matter.) The film references story elements from the original game heavily. Though there is a short recap at the beginning, it doesn't go as in-depth as it really needs to. This is the story's one major setback; a few more explanations was all it would have taken to hook a few more FFVII fans. Forthose already hooked, no worries! The game's canon is being faithfully continued here.

Art: I don't think I really need to explain this, but the graphics are outstanding; a huge improvement on the Playstation game's pixelated world. Characters do look real if you don't think too much, but several clever camera angles and movements remind us that this is an animated film (albeit a very sophisticated one).

Sound: Of all the Final Fantasy series soundtracks, VII's is easily the most recognizable. Nobuo Uematsu returns for Advent Children, recreating the game's music for full orchestra, often with a rock band thrown in for added effect. Everything from the opening theme to "One-Winged Angel" has been made over for the better. The character's voice actors are spectacular, English and Japanese alike; though any number of voices could have been imagined for them during the game, the ones we got seem to fit perfectly.

Character: Final Fantasy VII was character-driven to begin with. The whole focus of the story is Cloud's inability to move on (yeah, he still angsts), and the new villain is trying to obtain a goal he doesn't even fully understand himself (guess who's pulling the strings here), but beyond that there isn't a whole lot of character development to speak of. On the other hand, dead characters stay dead (thankfully), and every supporting character from the game makes a CGI-appearance of some kind. Nostalgia, anyone?

Enjoyment: Depends on who you are, really. Die-hard FFVII fans will love seeing Cloud being forced yet again into a battle he initially doesn't want, only to have to face his arch-nemesis in a battle that can really only be called "incredible". It is also worth noting that our dead flower girl friend stays that way, despite some throw-away cameo scenes that serve no purpose other than to please the fanboys.

Overall: Fans have waited seemingly forever for this, and in my opinion it was worth the wait; it finishes Cloud's personal story in a satisfying way, and its ending is loads more clear than was the original game's. This is a must-see for any Final Fantasy VII fan.