Post by ravenwithoutcause on Mar 14, 2005 12:41:01 GMT -5
((Don't kid yourself, you want this movie. Just because you a fanboy or girl... but I am too ^.^))
As the opening theme (composed by series-long soundtrack composer, Nobuo
Uematsu) heralded the movie's start -- conveyed in sparkling 5.1 sound, mind
you -- scenes of a modern-day Midgar (the movie takes place two years after
the conclusion of FFVII the game) fade in and out, spliced together with
cuts from the scenes from the original FFVII CG movies. As the scenes of a
consumed Sephiroth flash upon the screen, the sounds of the classic track
"One-Winged Angel" play in the background. While the quality of the original
7 year-old CG scenes of the PlayStation game actually hold up quite well
initially, this soon changes the moment the image of a dilapidated Shinra,
Inc. comes into view. The huge cannons that once fired death across the sky
are now a lifeless, overgrown reminder of its former self. As the viewer is
taken on a virtual tour of the new Midgar, a child's voice (orated by the
young female character, Marlene) brings the viewer up to speed on what has
happened since the conclusion of the highly influential seventh episode of
Final Fantasy. "The lifestream. That's what we call the life source of our
planet" intones Marlene, as scenes of the lifestream's tendrils undulate
across Midgar. As she continues to recap recent events, we see a newly
reinterpreted version of the scene where Cloud gently lays the fallen Aerith
in the water; Aerith having recently died at the hands of the story's
villain, Sephiroth. Finally, as the viewer is made familiar with the
backstory (although, to be honest, players of Final Fantasy VII will have
the advantage getting to grips with Advent Children's plot), Marlene's
voice-over fades, bringing the prologue to its conclusion, a point
highlighted by the arrival of the film's opening credits.
Strife Delivery Service
Amidst the clink and clank of glasses and dishes, the camera pans to the
sight of a young woman cleaning up a dusty, dimly-lit office, as a telephone
chimes in the background. The young woman is Final Fantasy VII's Tifa. As
Tifa puts away the last of the dishes, she patiently strides over to the
phone, picks it up in no particular hurry and recites "Strife Delivery
Service." It seems someone has a job for Strife Delivery Service, and Tifa
wonders aloud where VII's hero, Cloud Strife, might be.
He Takes Sword In Hand Once Again
The scene shifts to a lone rider on a motorcycle, slicing through the
wasteland as a river does through canyons. As the camera moves in closer, it
becomes apparent, and hardly a surprise, that the rider is Cloud. Tifa has
radioed to Cloud that he has a client to visit, and off he goes to his
destination.
While the movie has up until now run in sequential order, it is at this
point where the events are -- while still shown chronologically -- obviously
signature highlights in the currently unfinished product. That said, we find
Cloud barreling down a dusty, industrial gulley, when three other
motorcycles erupt in hot pursuit. The riders are Kadaj and his henchmen, the
slender, silver-haired Yazoo, and the stockier, more menacing Loz. Whether
this is an imagined sequence on Cloud's part or an actual encounter is
unclear, as the riders suddenly disappear, and the movie segues into a
fairly rapid sequence of events.
A scene shows Cloud speaking with a cloaked, wheelchair-bound man with a
bodyguard at his side. The man speaks of how he wants to change the world,
improve the world, and how he needs Cloud's help. Cloud is, after all, an
ex-soldier, the type of man with the strength to lead a revival of Midgar.
But Cloud is doubtful. He scoffs at the notion, suggesting he can no longer
help anyone. A few scenes later, though, it is revealed in no uncertain
terms that the man who will push Cloud to his limits is the young warrior
known as Kadaj. Kadaj is driven by a desire to find his "mother" (although
it is unclear at this point who his mother is), but the children are the key
to this discovery; children who are afflicted with the Geostigma.
The scene shifts to an abandoned church Cloud calls "home," although it is
barely more than a ruin. Tifa and Marlene are here, walking slowly through
the flowers blooming in the exposed sunlight, accompanied by the sounds of a
gorgeous Uematsu composition played out in acoustic guitar. Uplifting and
sprightly, the piece, however, merely foreshadows a dark torrent of things
to come. The sight of Tifa and Marlene is interrupted by a quick cut to
Kadaj "speaking" with the wheelchair-bound man. The wheelchair man's
bodyguards lie on the floor, writhing in the agony Kadaj has clearly
inflicted on them. Kadaj makes a point of informing all in attendance that
he must find "mother," and cryptically refers to the mysterious cripple as
"Mr. President." Back at the church, Tifa and Marlene hear the approach of
footsteps, and turn around to face Kadaj's henchman, Loz. The sturdy
mercenary demands to know where Cloud is, as Tifa backs away, insisting that
the intruder leave at once. Since the uninvited guest has no intention of
acquiescing to Tifa's demands, combat ensues, with Tifa bearing down
full-force on the ready-and-waiting Loz. Although Cloud's childhood friend
unleashes a rapid-fire series of punches and kicks on Loz (players of FFVII
will recognize Tifa's signature attack from the game), the burly henchman
grabs Tifa by the feet, whirls her around and hurls her against the church
wall, where she lands in slow-motion like a cat. The look of concern on
Tifa's computer-generated face radiates a grim concern like no other before
it. She knows she will not win this battle.
Why Are The Children Always The Ones To Suffer?
As the opening theme (composed by series-long soundtrack composer, Nobuo
Uematsu) heralded the movie's start -- conveyed in sparkling 5.1 sound, mind
you -- scenes of a modern-day Midgar (the movie takes place two years after
the conclusion of FFVII the game) fade in and out, spliced together with
cuts from the scenes from the original FFVII CG movies. As the scenes of a
consumed Sephiroth flash upon the screen, the sounds of the classic track
"One-Winged Angel" play in the background. While the quality of the original
7 year-old CG scenes of the PlayStation game actually hold up quite well
initially, this soon changes the moment the image of a dilapidated Shinra,
Inc. comes into view. The huge cannons that once fired death across the sky
are now a lifeless, overgrown reminder of its former self. As the viewer is
taken on a virtual tour of the new Midgar, a child's voice (orated by the
young female character, Marlene) brings the viewer up to speed on what has
happened since the conclusion of the highly influential seventh episode of
Final Fantasy. "The lifestream. That's what we call the life source of our
planet" intones Marlene, as scenes of the lifestream's tendrils undulate
across Midgar. As she continues to recap recent events, we see a newly
reinterpreted version of the scene where Cloud gently lays the fallen Aerith
in the water; Aerith having recently died at the hands of the story's
villain, Sephiroth. Finally, as the viewer is made familiar with the
backstory (although, to be honest, players of Final Fantasy VII will have
the advantage getting to grips with Advent Children's plot), Marlene's
voice-over fades, bringing the prologue to its conclusion, a point
highlighted by the arrival of the film's opening credits.
Strife Delivery Service
Amidst the clink and clank of glasses and dishes, the camera pans to the
sight of a young woman cleaning up a dusty, dimly-lit office, as a telephone
chimes in the background. The young woman is Final Fantasy VII's Tifa. As
Tifa puts away the last of the dishes, she patiently strides over to the
phone, picks it up in no particular hurry and recites "Strife Delivery
Service." It seems someone has a job for Strife Delivery Service, and Tifa
wonders aloud where VII's hero, Cloud Strife, might be.
He Takes Sword In Hand Once Again
The scene shifts to a lone rider on a motorcycle, slicing through the
wasteland as a river does through canyons. As the camera moves in closer, it
becomes apparent, and hardly a surprise, that the rider is Cloud. Tifa has
radioed to Cloud that he has a client to visit, and off he goes to his
destination.
While the movie has up until now run in sequential order, it is at this
point where the events are -- while still shown chronologically -- obviously
signature highlights in the currently unfinished product. That said, we find
Cloud barreling down a dusty, industrial gulley, when three other
motorcycles erupt in hot pursuit. The riders are Kadaj and his henchmen, the
slender, silver-haired Yazoo, and the stockier, more menacing Loz. Whether
this is an imagined sequence on Cloud's part or an actual encounter is
unclear, as the riders suddenly disappear, and the movie segues into a
fairly rapid sequence of events.
A scene shows Cloud speaking with a cloaked, wheelchair-bound man with a
bodyguard at his side. The man speaks of how he wants to change the world,
improve the world, and how he needs Cloud's help. Cloud is, after all, an
ex-soldier, the type of man with the strength to lead a revival of Midgar.
But Cloud is doubtful. He scoffs at the notion, suggesting he can no longer
help anyone. A few scenes later, though, it is revealed in no uncertain
terms that the man who will push Cloud to his limits is the young warrior
known as Kadaj. Kadaj is driven by a desire to find his "mother" (although
it is unclear at this point who his mother is), but the children are the key
to this discovery; children who are afflicted with the Geostigma.
The scene shifts to an abandoned church Cloud calls "home," although it is
barely more than a ruin. Tifa and Marlene are here, walking slowly through
the flowers blooming in the exposed sunlight, accompanied by the sounds of a
gorgeous Uematsu composition played out in acoustic guitar. Uplifting and
sprightly, the piece, however, merely foreshadows a dark torrent of things
to come. The sight of Tifa and Marlene is interrupted by a quick cut to
Kadaj "speaking" with the wheelchair-bound man. The wheelchair man's
bodyguards lie on the floor, writhing in the agony Kadaj has clearly
inflicted on them. Kadaj makes a point of informing all in attendance that
he must find "mother," and cryptically refers to the mysterious cripple as
"Mr. President." Back at the church, Tifa and Marlene hear the approach of
footsteps, and turn around to face Kadaj's henchman, Loz. The sturdy
mercenary demands to know where Cloud is, as Tifa backs away, insisting that
the intruder leave at once. Since the uninvited guest has no intention of
acquiescing to Tifa's demands, combat ensues, with Tifa bearing down
full-force on the ready-and-waiting Loz. Although Cloud's childhood friend
unleashes a rapid-fire series of punches and kicks on Loz (players of FFVII
will recognize Tifa's signature attack from the game), the burly henchman
grabs Tifa by the feet, whirls her around and hurls her against the church
wall, where she lands in slow-motion like a cat. The look of concern on
Tifa's computer-generated face radiates a grim concern like no other before
it. She knows she will not win this battle.
Why Are The Children Always The Ones To Suffer?