QS stands for “Quickshot”, a series of short form review/preview/opinion articles.
Let’s jump back in time to about two weeks ago. In the mood for a movie but unable to think of any new, adventurous option, I settled on watching a tried and tested favorite. Thankfully, Final Fantasy Kingsglaive was just as good, and off-the-walls bananas, as I remembered it being.
This isn’t a movie that many people saw (even though it DID have a limited run in theaters), but that honestly isn’t too surprising. For one, it’s a film based off of a video game. Secondly, it isn’t actually based off of a video game, in so much as it’s actually a supplemental story meant to coincide with the Final Fantasy XV video game. Back when this film came out, if you had no interest in Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy itself, or video games in general, you didn’t go to see this movie. More likely, you didn’t even know it existed.
I, however, AM a Final Fantasy fan, and was eagerly awaiting the release of Final Fantasy XV. I wasn’t quite able to catch this film in theaters, but I bought it the moment it released digitally. I loved it upon first viewing, and within the same week it came out I had forced my best friend and brother to watch it with me (two additional, separate viewing occasions, mind you). Since then, I’ve also watched it with my mother, and twice more by myself.
Suffice it to say, I love this movie. That being said, it isn’t perfect. Far from it, actually. It has quite a lot of flaws. It is a video game movie, after all. There’s a curse surrounding these sorts of things.
The pacing is all over the place, the voice acting is occasionally hit-or-miss, certain story beats come out of nowhere or are otherwise nonsensical, and the ending is designed to segue right into the Final Fantasy XV game. If you’re going to play the game, awesome! If not, it could potentially leave you feeling a bit unfulfilled. The world of the movie (and the game) is also a bit hard to get on board with, being a high fantasy setting that also has modern-styled businesses and fast-food chains, alongside luxury cars and digital cameras.
Still, the movie certainly has its unquestionable highlights. The animation quality is jaw-droppingly stellar, and the motion capture is borderline lifelike. Kingsglaive’s soundtrack is also top notch. The central plot is engaging and surprisingly emotional, the main hero (Nyx) has a compelling character arc, and the primary antagonist (General Glauca) is an imposing threat. The lengthy final battle scene is unforgettably amazing, and a pure joyous spectacle to behold.
It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a fun ride. If you ever find yourself craving just the right amount of fantasy goodness (and ridiculousness), look no further than Final Fantasy Kingsglaive. You won’t be disappointed.
The Contrarian Corner 