(Review is for Advent Children Complete, Japanese subtitled version)
And yes, I mean it. In an Overly Narrow Superlative sort of way. To be honest, I wouldn't even call it the greatest, since at least some of the Pokémon movies can work as standalone movies. And Wreck-It Ralph? Don't make me laugh.
That said, Advent Children Complete can be a blast. Of course, it depends on your expectations. For starters, basic familiarity with FF7 and its mechanics and storyline helps a lot to understand what's going on. Secondly, don't come in expecting an amazing animated film; come in expecting a loosely serviceable plot as a vehicle for amazing animation, fight scenes and music. I hear complaints about the characterization and dialogue in this film, but hell, that's why I watched the Complete version (watching it in Japanese helped with the dialogue issues, though my choice was more due to Cloud speaking Japanese in Super Smash Bros. than anything). Fixing Cloud's character was one of the biggest problems they addressed, and he gets a half-decent character arc and lots of heartwarming moments this time around. Not to mention that the Cloud vs. Sephiroth fight scene alone is worth the price of admission, and probably the best fight scene I've ever seen in an animated film (another Overly Narrow Superlative).
Overall, my expectations for ACC were somewhat low, so I was pleasantly surprised. Like so many other people are saying, it works as a glorious piece of FF7 fanservice as opposed to a genuinely good movie. So many things in the film reek of Nomura being more used to directing games than movies (right down to the two-phase "final boss"), and I have a feeling Advent Children would have come across better if it was instead released as a "Final Fantasy VII-2" game with the plot of Complete from the beginning.
One of the greatest video game movies of all time
(Review is for Advent Children Complete, Japanese subtitled version)
And yes, I mean it. In an Overly Narrow Superlative sort of way. To be honest, I wouldn't even call it the greatest, since at least some of the Pokémon movies can work as standalone movies. And Wreck-It Ralph? Don't make me laugh.
That said, Advent Children Complete can be a blast. Of course, it depends on your expectations. For starters, basic familiarity with FF7 and its mechanics and storyline helps a lot to understand what's going on. Secondly, don't come in expecting an amazing animated film; come in expecting a loosely serviceable plot as a vehicle for amazing animation, fight scenes and music. I hear complaints about the characterization and dialogue in this film, but hell, that's why I watched the Complete version (watching it in Japanese helped with the dialogue issues, though my choice was more due to Cloud speaking Japanese in Super Smash Bros. than anything). Fixing Cloud's character was one of the biggest problems they addressed, and he gets a half-decent character arc and lots of heartwarming moments this time around. Not to mention that the Cloud vs. Sephiroth fight scene alone is worth the price of admission, and probably the best fight scene I've ever seen in an animated film (another Overly Narrow Superlative).
Overall, my expectations for ACC were somewhat low, so I was pleasantly surprised. Like so many other people are saying, it works as a glorious piece of FF7 fanservice as opposed to a genuinely good movie. So many things in the film reek of Nomura being more used to directing games than movies (right down to the two-phase "final boss"), and I have a feeling Advent Children would have come across better if it was instead released as a "Final Fantasy VII-2" game with the plot of Complete from the beginning.