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The magical kingdom of Lucis is home to the hallowed Crystal, but the menacing empire of Niflheim will stop at nothing to make it theirs.
In 1987, Japanese video game publisher Square was on the verge of bankruptcy. Knowing that the situation was dire and unlikely to resolve itself in any way other than the liquidation of the company, Square resolved to produce one last title. That title was called “Final Fantasy,” and it proved to be successful beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. The game sold millions of copies, saved the company, and spawned a franchise that endures today. “Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV” is a companion film to the latest installment in the Final Fantasy series, also titled “Final Fantasy XV.” As most gamers can attest, “Final Fantasy’s” impact on the gaming industry is undeniable. Square (today known as Square Enix following the 2003 merger with fellow game developer Enix) helped to pioneer the art of epic fantasy previously restricted to novels. The seventh and tenth installments in particular could easily be considered masterpieces. However, as the industry has continued to evolve to emphasize artistic independent titles, open world games, and online competition, “Final Fantasy” has become increasingly irrelevant. This film, while not a poor offering, provides little in terms of cinematic interest and will not turn around the series’ flagging fortunes.
It is worth noting right off the bat that the entire film is CGI, and very much in the vein of a video game. It is a bit jarring, and not because of the animation quality, but rather because it feels like you should be orchestrating the movements of the characters with a controller in your hand, and not watching them interact independently. The storyline is, again, something that video game fans will immediately recognize – though locations and characters change, “Final Fantasy” has a very distinctive plot arc that it has employed on numerous occasions. This time, the tale is of two warring nations (called Nifleheim and Lucis), a magic crystal, and a king desperate to be reunited with his daughter. The film is designed to examine the broader geopolitical scope of the game’s world. The action sequences are thrilling, and the voice cast is somewhat surprisingly full of recognizable Hollywood stars: Sean Bean, Lena Headey, and Aaron Paul.
As revolutionary as “Final Fantasy” was to the gaming world, Square Enix seems to have overextended itself in its foray to the big screen. There is very little substance to the film, despite the rich backstory and careful attention to detail. It feels less like Square Enix tried to actually produce a movie, and more like it simply put together an extended two hour cut scene from the Final Fantasy XV video game. Even though “Kingsglaive” predates the release of the game, it will be difficult for viewers to feel immersed in this picture at all without prior experience exploring its world in the game it is based on.
While Square Enix continues to produce high quality games, it may be time to say goodbye to “Final Fantasy” once and for all. The series, and by extension this film, feels increasingly heavy-handed and repetitive. Even gamers probably won’t enjoy “Kingsglaive” very much. Hollywood has been notoriously awful when it comes to adapting video games for the silver screen (see: Boll, Uwe), and while Kingsglaive doesn’t approach the ineptitude of some of those bombs, it also doesn’t really offer much.
In theaters August 19th
