Dr. K's Waiting Room

Released: 11 July 2001
Director: Hironobu Sakaguchi
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Budget: $137 million
Stars: Ming-Na Wen, Alec Baldwin, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, Peri Gilpin, and Donald Sutherland

The Plot:
In 2065, alien “Phantoms” have driven humanity behind barricaded cities. When Doctor Aki Ross (Wen) and her mentor, Doctor Sid (Sutherland), discover a way to defeat the Phantoms, she enlists her former flame, Captain Gray Edwards (Baldwin), and his squad to save “Gaia”, the planet’s life force.

The Background:
Back in the mid-1980s, videogame developer Square was primarily known for their simple role-playing games (RPGs), racers, and platformers. Following the success of Dragon Warrior (Chunsoft, 1986), Square allowed Hironobu Sakaguchi and his small team to develop potentially his last chance at success: a complex RPG experience. Luckily for Sakaguchi, Final Fantasy (Square, 1987) was a big hit that popularised the genre and produced loads of sequels and spin-offs in the following the years. In 1994. Square boldly expanded the franchise with Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals (Rintaro, Kanda, and Ohkuda), an original video animation notorious for its obscurity. For their next attempt at multimedia expansion, Square partnered with Columbia Pictures, placing series creator Sakaguchi as the director and writer, and invested four years developing the technology to bring the film to life. Powered by numerous state-of-the-art computers and software and incorporating motion capture technology, significant time and painstaking effort was taken to render the film’s character models. Aki Ross was purposely designed to be an intelligent, realistic character whose model could become a recurring “actor” in subsequent CGI films. Seen as a breakthrough in CGI design, Aki even made the front cover of Maxim. This venture didn’t come cheap, however, and the production budget soon ballooned, leave Square on the verge of bankruptcy when the film tanked at the box office. While reviews raved about the film’s technical achievements and realistic animations, the nonsensical plot, uncomfortable realism of the effects, and lack of fidelity to the source material tarnished its appeal. This, it would be some five years before Square attempted another feature-length Final Fantasy venture.

The Review:
In Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, the Earth is a post-apocalyptic wasteland. About forty years before the start of the movie, the planet was hit by a meteor carrying a highly aggressive, largely invisible alien invasion force that swept across the world. People suddenly dropped dead for no reason and, when the reason was discovered, went to war with these invaders (dubbed “Phantoms” since they’re invisible and can pass through solid objects). Battling the Phantoms was no easy task as physical contact with the creatures sees a person’s spirit removed from their body. However, the United States Military Force (USMF) developed semi-effective means to protect from and combat the creatures thanks to the painstaking research of Dr. Sid. Dr. Sid discovered that the Phantoms were comprised of a bio-electric life force that mirrored our own, a tangible power source that the USMF used to power their barriers, weapons and other assorted, suitably sci-fi technology. Thus, the USMF can seemingly kill or dismember the creatures, though their numbers are seemingly endless so humankind has been forced to shelter in “barrier cities”. Unfortunately, the barriers (effectively a form of electrical shielding) aren’t always reliable and can fail, whether due to the technology developing a fault or the Phantoms’ attack being too relentless, resulting in many lives being lost over the many decades and the planet’s surface left a wasteland of discarded vehicles, corpses, and dilapidated cities. Although a man of science, Dr. Sid is a deeply spiritual person. While his research enabled humanity’s survival, his ideas regarding humans have souls (or “spirits”) and the very planet itself having a tangible life force (dubbed “Gaia”) are seen as unpopular, fairy tale stories that don’t aid with defeating the Phantoms. His theories certainly earn him the ire of the hostile General Douglas Hein (Woods), a military man through and through who has a personal grudge against the Phantoms for killing his family and is literally obsessed (thanks in no small part to James Woods’ suitably grandiose voice work) with obliterating the clear and present danger, rather than indulging fantasies about spirits.

Thus, Dr. Sid has been forced to work covertly to scour the planet for eight spirits; life forms with unique energy patterns that directly feed Gaia and enable her to grow. It’s Dr. Sid’s belief that gathering these eight spirits will produce an energy wave that will dissipate the Phantoms. However, since General Hein would rather fire his massive orbital Zeus Cannon and willingly risk damaging the life force of the world, Dr. Sid works in secret. His first major breakthrough in Gaia research was his protégé, Dr. Aki Ross, who was accidentally “infected” by the Phantoms, something that’s normally a death sentence. However, Dr. Sid’s Gaia research saved her, safely containing the Phantom infestation in her chest, and she’s helped him by gathering six of the spirits through unsanctioned trips to the wastelands. These experiences have taken their toll on Aki as she’s encountered animals driven to the brink of extinction, lone weeds, and even a dying child who all contained the necessary spirits. To make matters worse, the infection is slowly killing her and Aki has regular nightmares of a doomed alien civilisation, one stuck in perpetual war, which she regularly records and studies as she believes it’s the Phantom’s way of communicating with her. All this leads her to distance herself from Captain Gray Edwards, commander of USMF’s “Deep Eyes” squad, since she didn’t want to hurt him with her short lifespan. The two cross paths when Aki secures the sixth spirit and she saves him from a similar infection by utilising focused surgical lasers. Although Gray is a sceptic and a pragmatist, he’s not some deluded warmonger like General Hein and at least entertains Aki and Dr. Sid’s theories, even if he doesn’t believe them. A driven and stubborn individual, Aki’s determined to gather the eight spirits and save her world and fully believes in Dr. Sid’s research, even exposing her infection to prove to the command council that there’s an alternative to the Zeus Cannon and merit to Dr. Sid’s beliefs. Naturally, this causes General Hein to become deeply suspicious of her. Believing she poses a threat and may even be manipulated by the Phantoms, he orders Gray and Deep Eyes to watch her for any abnormal behaviour. However, Gray’s feelings for Aki lead him to save her and them all to be branded as traitors, forcing Deep Eyes to team with the doctors in securing the last spirit before it’s too late.

Gray’s a very by-the-book commander. He’s strong and loyal, for sure, and acquits himself well in combat, but he’s a bit of a blank slate. It’s clear that war has taken its toll on him and that he was hurt when Aki pushed him away. When his squad drops off one by one in their mission to save Aki, Gray reacts with anger and grief each time, showing he truly cares for his team. Indeed, Deep Eyes are a very likeable bunch, often bantering and acting like seasoned allies rather than simple grunts who blindly follow orders. Sensing the lingering feelings between Aki and Gray, mechanic and comic relief Neil Fleming (Buscemi) and stoic Corporal Jane Proudfoot (Gilpin) give the two some private time to work through their feelings. It’s abundantly clear that, for all his smart mouth, Neil has a crush on Jane, one he’s too awkward to express out loud and instead resorts to grand gestures to try and win her affections. Unfortunately for him, this results in his death when a gigantic Phantom sneaks up on him during their escape from the barrier city. While she’s largely dismissive of Neil and scolds him like a child at times, Jane’s incensed by Neil’s death and flies into a rage, only to ultimately embrace the same end when it’s clear she can’t defeat the Phantom. They’re joined by surly Master Sergeant Ryan Whittaker (Rhames), a soft-hearted brute who follows his commander out of blind loyalty. After being mortally wounded during the escape from the barrier city, Whittaker demands that they leave him behind with a gun and covers their escape, ultimately dying and leaving Gray fully ready to make his own desperate last stand to cover Aki and Dr. Sid’s journey to the Northern Crater Phantom Crater. Luckily for Gray, Aki won’t let him foolishly throw his life away and Gray joins her in descending into the crater, only finally realising that Dr. Sid’s seemingly mad theories are all-too true and that he, not Aki, holds the key to stabilising the life force of their fractured and doomed world.

The Phantoms come in all shapes and sizes, from humanoid warriors to gigantic, Lovecraftian creatures that defy description. Largely insectile, sporting tentacles and stingers and carrying weapons they never seem to fire, the Phantoms emerge from the ground and pass through walls with ease. Though they can be cut down and seemingly killed, hundreds more rise in their place and, since they’re largely invisible, they easily get the drop on the unprepared. Even when Aki and the Deep Eyes use technology to detect the Phantoms, fighting even one of them is a lost cause as they kill with a touch and just being near them can be infectious. As if their name (“Phantoms”) wasn’t enough of a clue, the creatures turn out to not be an invasion force, but the tortured spirits of a long-dead world who were carried to Earth via a meteor. Having waged war on their world and ultimately destroyed their planet, the restless alien spirits rise again as dangerous ghosts alongside the other creatures that inhabited their world. Their motivation is revealed to not be conquest, but simply that they cannot rest, though they remain no less dangerous after this revelation. As if an endless swarm of ghostly aliens wasn’t bad enough, Aki’s efforts to recover the eight spirits are undermined by General Hein. A brash, delusional, and paranoid military man, General Hein genuinely believes that the only logical course of action is to slaughter the Phantoms at their source using the Zeus Cannon, an orbital laser powered by the same energy emitted by the creatures. Cold and callous, General Hein relishes publicly humiliating Dr. Sid and throws his authority around with reckless abandon, happily branding even his own troops traitors if they dare question his orders. General Hein is so sure that the Zeus Cannon will work and so desperate to avenge his losses that he orders the city’s barrier to be partially lowered to let in some Phantoms, believing his troops can contain them before realising that he’s doomed the entire city. While this seems to bring him to his senses for a moment, it actually tips him over the edge into full on megalomania. Believing Aki is under the influence of the Phantoms, he refuses to entertain her revelation about them or acknowledge her warnings and orders the Zeus Cannon to be fired, even personally re-routing power and ultimately undoing himself due to his obsession.

The Nitty-Gritty:
My advice to any Final Fantasy fans coming into Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is not to expect a movie that reflects the source material. You’re much better off watching the film as a sci-fi alien invasion movie than a Final Fantasy adaptation; doing this makes it much more enjoyable, even if it does tend to drag in the middle. However, while the movie has little resemblance to the videogames, there are some loose familiar elements. Dr. Sid is the most obvious example, taking the recurring name from the games (why Biggs and Wedge weren’t also used is beyond me), a Chocobo gets a brief cameo, and you could even argue that the Zeus Cannon is a technological stand-in for the mythical “Summons” usually seen in the games (though calling it the “Odin Cannon” would’ve been a stronger link). While the film isn’t set in a medieval fantasy land, has no magical Crystals, and features no magic, there are some thematic parallels that mirror the games, specifically Final Fantasy VII (Square, 1997). The planet having a life force, for example, is very similar to the “Lifestream” from that game; the steampunk-like technology is also similar, with the barrier city resembling Midgar; Deep Eyes and their uniforms kind of resemble SOLDIER; and the finale at the Phantom Crater reminds me of the descent into the Northern Crater to confront Sephiroth. The idea of the Phantoms spewing from this singular point isn’t a million miles away from the “Lunar Cry” of Final Fantasy VIII (ibid, 1999) and the planet’s sprit is called Gaia, a recurring name for the planet in Final Fantasy games. Yet, the movie features none of the music from the games, no returning characters, and is as far removed from the source material as Final Fantasy VII was from the first Final Fantasy, so I can understand why long-time fans of the games were disappointed by the film, which changes so much of the source material that it’s almost unrecognisable.

However, put that aside and watch it as a sci-fi alien invasion movie, and it’s not that bad a watch. Sure, there’s a lot of existential musings on the soul, the nature of the planet, and the difference between logic and reason and abject aggression but there’s a fair amount to like here. The Phantoms are very intriguing; I loved how they all looked so different, from flying snakes to massive Eldritch abominations. I liked the sheer hopelessness that was evoked whenever even a handful of the humanoid Phantoms showed up and how desperate the situation was for all involved since humanity is on the brink of extinction. The performances were all solid throughout as well. Steve Buscemi and James Woods, especially, stole every scene they were in with their comical, over the top delivery that was perfectly mirrored in their character’s performances. And this is, naturally, where Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within shines the brightest. It’s a technical marvel, there’s no doubt about it, showcasing dramatic and cinematic camera angles never seen before in CGI animation and providing the most photorealistic CGI “actors” the world had ever seen. The detail put into Aki, especially, is staggering and you can really feel every emotion, doubt, and strength of conviction through her. Gray doesn’t get quite the same nuance, but General Hein is suitably menacing, Dr. Sid fittingly portrayed as a disheartened but no less enthusiastic grandfather, and the technical achievements of the film can’t be understated. It still holds up really well today, even if technology has advanced so far that most modern videogame cutscenes are now technically superior. Unfortunately, everything does come across as very bland and bleak. This makes sense considering the context, but it’s clear that the darkness and griminess was a conscious choice to hide imperfections in the CGI. The Phantoms are the most colourful thing in The Spirits Within, giving them an ethereal presence that’s bolstered by the fear and desperation of the characters and the creatures’ death touch to make them incredibly ominous. I do wonder what a more traditional, medieval fantasy setting would’ve looked like with this same technology and if it would’ve aged as well, but it is impressive to see CGI characters brought to life so realistically, even if they spend most of the film just standing or sitting and debating beliefs.

As Aki’s condition worsens, her visions become more intense and detailed, finally allowing her to figure out what anyone with a brain could’ve told her: the Phantoms are alien ghosts, not an invasion force. Unfortunately for her, she and the Deep Eyes must escape the barrier city, which has been compromised thanks to General Hein’s arrogance, resulting in the loss of Gray’s entire squad. Realising the eight spirit is at the Phantom Crater, Aki, Gray, and Dr. Sid head there to retrieve it, finding the infectious spirit of the Phantom’s world threatening Gaia. Unfortunately, General Hein takes his obsession to its logical conclusion and bombards the site with the Zeus Cannon. Although Aki tries to reason with him, General Hein balks at her words and orders the assault to continue, destroying the eighth spirit and, ultimately, himself when he refuses to let go of his vendetta. To make matters worse, the Zeus Cannon also penetrates Gaia, wounding her and leaving her susceptible to the Phantom Gaia’s influence, which seeps in as a tangled mess of red roots. Left defenceless and with the Phantoms closing in on them, Aki has one last vision that makes her realise that the Phantom particles within her have been changed by her spirit and transformed into the eighth spirit. Though sceptical, Gray allows Aki to take the power node from his weapon and broadcast the energy wave, which pushes back the Phantoms. However, when this proves insufficient in restoring Gaia, Gray makes the ultimate sacrifice and acts as a medium between the planet’s corrupted life force and the spirit resting with Aki, dissipating the Phantoms and returning Gaia to normal at the cost of his life. With the Phantoms having finally been laid to rest and Dr. Sid finally seeing his lifelong beliefs with his own eyes, a despondent Aki returns to the surface cradling Gray’s lifeless body and sees a world finally free from the invading spirits.

The Summary:
I was a SEGA kid growing up, so I didn’t get to play the Final Fantasy games (legitimately, anyway) until I was in my twenties and got a PlayStation 3. I knew of the franchise thanks to gaming magazines and such, but I believe my first real experience of it was Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. I think that ignorance, my personal lack of nostalgia for the traditional videogames, and my love of sci-fi films has always contributed to me having a soft spot for this movie. It’s nothing like any of the games; it has none of the characters you know, none of the tropes, and only surface-level similarities in its themes. As an adaptation, it’s very poor and has little fidelity to the source material. However, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily bad; it just means you have to view it differently. As a sci-fi alien invasion film, it’s pretty decent. The Phantoms are a really interesting twist on the formula (even if the “twist” can be seen from a mile away) and I loved how they were so dangerous and unstoppable. I like the post-apocalyptic setting and the delusional General Hein, who stole the show for me, and the desperation faced by everyone to combat this threat. The existential themes at work were a bit obnoxious at times, the pacing felt very off and it does drag in the middle, and I would agree with arguments that many of the characters were wooden and underdeveloped. Aki gets the most screen time and the most development, which makes sense, but isn’t always the most interesting character, and the Deep Eyes squad quickly descend into one-dimensional (if enjoyable) characterisations. Of course, the most impressive aspect of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is the CGI, which still holds up today. The level of detail in the characters is extraordinary and it’s clear that a lot of time, effort, and money went into the project. Unfortunately, I think it was largely squandered. By being so removed from the source material, the filmmakers alienated their target audience, and bogging the film down with a dull pace didn’t help cover for this decision. I still like it and still defend it, but even I don’t watch it all that much and I can see why both die-hard Final Fantasy fans and even casual audiences would be disappointed as, once you get past the technical achievements of the film, there isn’t much left to sustain your engagement.

My Rating:

Pretty Good

Did you enjoy Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within? If so, what did you like and, if not, how annoyed were you by the changes made to the source material? What did you think to the premise, Aki’s character arc, and the characterisation of the Deep Eyes squad? Were you also a fan of James Wood’s performance? What did you think to the Phantoms, and did you also guess their true nature ahead of time? Would you like to see another big screen Final Fantasy movie? Which Final Fantasy game is your favourite? I really want to know everyone’s thoughts on this one so leave a comment below, support me on Ko-Fi, and check out my other Final Fantasy content.