DVD: Final Fantasy (Spirits Within) - 1st photorealistic computer-animated

Description: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is a 2001 science fiction film directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy franchise. It was the first photorealistic computer-animated feature film and the most expensive video game-inspired film until the release of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time in 2010. It features the voices of Ming-Na Wen, Alec Baldwin, Donald Sutherland, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Peri Gilpin and Steve Buscemi. The film follows scientists Aki Ross and Doctor Sid in their efforts to free a post-apocalyptic Earth from a mysterious and deadly alien race, the Phantoms, which have driven the remnants of humanity into "barrier cities". Aki and Sid must fight against General Hein, who wants to use more violent means to end the conflict. Square Pictures rendered the film using some of the most advanced processing capabilities available at the time. A render farm of 960 workstations was tasked with rendering each of the film's 141,964 frames. It took a staff of 200 about four years to complete The Spirits Within. Square intended to make the character of Aki Ross into the world's first photorealistic computer-animated actress, with plans for appearances in multiple films in different roles. The Spirits Within premiered in Los Angeles on July 2, 2001, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 11. It received mixed reviews, but was widely praised for its characters' realism. Due to rising costs, the film greatly exceeded its original budget toward the end of production, reaching a final cost of $137 million (equivalent to $190 million in 2021); it grossed only $85 million at the box office. The film has been called a box office bomb and is blamed for the demise of Square Pictures. DETAILED PLOT In 2065, Earth is infested by alien life forms known as Phantoms. By physical contact Phantoms consume the Gaia spirit of living beings, killing them instantly, although minor contact may only result in an infection. The surviving humans live in "barrier cities" protected by energy shields that prevent Phantoms from entering, and are engaged in an ongoing struggle to free the planet. After being infected by a Phantom during one of her experiments, scientist Dr. Aki Ross (Ming-Na Wen) and her mentor, Dr. Sid (Donald Sutherland) discover a means of defeating the Phantoms by gathering eight spirits, unique energy patterns contained by various lifeforms. When joined, the resulting energy wave can negate the Phantoms. Aki searches for the sixth spirit in the ruins of New York City when she is cornered by Phantoms but rescued by Captain Gray Edwards (Alec Baldwin) and his squad Deep Eyes, consisting of Master Sergeant Ryan Whittaker (Ving Rhames), Neil Fleming (Steve Buscemi) and Corporal Jane Proudfoot (Peri Gilpin). It is revealed that Gray was once romantically involved with Aki. Returning to her barrier city, Aki joins Sid and appears before the leadership council along with General Douglas Hein (James Woods). Hein is determined to use the Zeus cannon, a powerful weapon aboard a space station, to destroy the Phantoms, though Sid is concerned the cannon will damage Earth's Gaia (a spirit representing its ecosystem). Aki delays the use of the cannon by revealing that she has been infected and the collected spirits are keeping her infection stable, convincing the council that there may be another way to defeat the Phantoms. However, this revelation leads Hein to incorrectly conclude that she is being controlled by the Phantoms. Aki and the Deep Eyes squad succeed in finding the seventh spirit as Aki's infection begins to worsen and she slips into unconsciousness. Her dream reveals to her that the Phantoms are the spirits of dead aliens brought to Earth on a fragment of their destroyed planet. Sid uses the seventh spirit to bring Aki's infection back under control, reviving her. To scare the council into giving him clearance to fire the Zeus cannon, Hein lowers part of the barrier shield protecting the city. Though Hein intended that only a few Phantoms enter, his plan goes awry and legions of Phantoms invade the entire city. Aki, Sid and the Deep Eyes attempt to reach Aki's spaceship, their means of escape, but Ryan, Neil and Jane are killed by Phantoms. Hein escapes and boards the Zeus cannon's space station, where he finally receives authorization to fire the cannon. Sid finds the eighth spirit at the crater site of the alien asteroid's impact on Earth. He lowers a shielded vehicle, with Aki and Gray aboard, into the crater to locate the final spirit. Just before they can reach it, Hein fires the Zeus cannon into the crater, not only destroying the eighth spirit but also revealing the Phantom Gaia. Aki has a vision of the Phantom home planet, where she is able to receive the eighth spirit from the alien particles in herself. When Aki awakens, she and Gray combine it with the other seven. Hein continues to fire the Zeus cannon despite overheating warnings and unintentionally destroys the cannon and himself. Gray sacrifices himself as a medium needed to physically transmit the completed spirit into the alien Gaia. The Earth's Gaia is returned to normal as the Phantoms ascend into space, finally at peace. Aki is pulled from the crater holding Gray's body, and is seen looking into the newly liberated world.

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Location: Bundaberg, Queensland

End Time: 2025-01-27T22:39:41.000Z

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DVD: Final Fantasy (Spirits Within) - 1st photorealistic computer-animated

Item Specifics

Returns Accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted

Case Type: Tall/DVD Case

Rating: MA15+

Subtitle Language: English, Spanish & Portuguese

Custom Bundle: No

MPN: Multi Region Player Required To Play Outside Aust & NZ

Studio: Square Pictures, Columbia Pictures & Sony Pictures

Region Code: DVD: 4 (AU, NZ, Latin America...)

Format: DVD

Language: English, Spanish

Release Year: 2001

Actor: Voices Of Ming-Na Wen Alec Baldwin James Woods, Donald Sutherland Ving Rhames Steve Buscemi Peri Gilpin

Features: Co-director & Crew Interviews, Animated Director, Editor & Staging Directors Commentaries, Track Music Score & Commentary By Composer, Fascinating Look At The Process Of Making The Movie, Stages Of Production With Optional Commentary From Crew, Animated Menus Featuring CGI Introductions, Original Movie Trailer, DISC TWO - The Making Of The Movie Feature, Behind-the-scenes Documentary, Interactive ‘link-outs’ To 30 Minute Design & Development Feature, Interactive Feature Where You Become The Editor & Create/review, Character Files & Detailed Look At The 7 Main Characters, Thriller-joke Video, Joke Outtakes, All Dream Sequences From The Film Re-edited In Mini Movie, Never-seen-before Alternate Opening Sequences, More Boards/blasts, 5 Additional Featurettes Focusing On Design & Profuction, DVD-ROM Features

Movie/TV Title: Final Fantasy - The Spirits Within

Season: Based on Final Fantasy by Hironobu Sakaguchi

Music Artist: Elliot Goldenthal

Video Format: PAL

Director: Hironobu Sakaguchi, Moto Sakakibara

Sub-Genre: Computer Animated

Cinematic Movement: Arthouse/Independent

Franchise: Final Fantasy

Edition: Collector's Edition, Widescreen & Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. Sound, 2-disc Edition

Aspect Ratio: 16:9

Type: Movie

Producer: Chris Lee Jun Aida