After almost 4 years of planning and development, and almost US$140 million, Final Fantasy, The Movie is finally upon us.

Promising the most realistic CG animation to date, the film largely succeeds. There isn't much here I was hoping to see that I didn't. I simply expected to see the best computer animation I've ever seen - and I did.

Having said that, the film isn't going to please everyone. The plot is fairly thin and predictable, but it makes sense in the context of the games, as it deals with similar themes and doesn't petend to be any more than a technical marvel and a fun summer movie.

The voice acting is, for the most part, very good, although some seemingly inappropriate lines indicate some possible last-minute-rush editing. Definitely a must-see for CG, Sci-Fi and anime fans.

This fall, PlayStation 2 owners will be able to "play" a special version on DVD.

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