Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, a spin-off of a hugely-popular PlayStation title in the long-running game franchise, seems dead-set on remaining as faithful as can be to its video game source material. But whereas one's enjoyment of a video game-based movie is usually heightened by playing the game before seeing the film, that act should probably be mandatory in the case of Advent Children.   

By watching the introduction -- so complex and detailed that it could be stretched out to a feature length film -- I gather  Advent Children takes place a couple of years after a struggle over using a "lifestream" circling the planet as an energy resource resulted in the planet itself taking charge and righting humanity's wrongs. Still, all is not well, as children everywhere are starting to succumb to a mysterious, debilitating illness. At the same time, Cloud (voice of Steve Burton), a genetically-altered warrior who abandoned his old life, is thrust back into danger when a trio of thugs attack him, desperately in search of something they call "Mother."

After more brief battles and some questioning of his own, Cloud uncovers a plot to use the remnants of an alien presence that crash-landed years ago to bring about the resurrection of a powerful force. In order to end this evil scheme, Cloud will have to overcome his own inner demons. 

You may remember that a few years ago Sony released Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, a cutting-edge, computer-animated film mostly panned for its story but praised for its visuals. I enjoyed the movie as an intriguing slice of sci-fi animation, but the most curious aspect of the movie was that it really had nothing to do with the "Final Fantasy" series, an RPG ("role-playing game," for the uninitiated) franchise stretching back to the days of the original Nintendo. Some of my friends have told me that Advent Children is more closely associated with the game it's been spun off from, but that it's like Spirits Within in the way astounding visuals just barely (if at all) compensate for a sketchy plot leaving viewers who are not "in the know" scratching their heads and wanting an explanation for what in the world just happened.

As a visual experience, Advent Children is nothing short of amazing. It offers a crisp, clear, and eye-catching playground of the future created through computer animation at its sharpest. The characters themselves look fantastic, and the action sequences come along fast, furious, and smooth one after the other. However, much like the fate that befell last year's anime opus Steamboy, Advent Children eventually fails because of its over-reliance on action sequences. The plot isn't established strongly enough for the film to throw in an extended high-speed motorcycle chase or epic swordfight every ten minutes and expect those viewers going into the "Final Fantasy" experience cold to care about characters stuck with some of the most rushed background development possible.

The whole affair feels like an overly-complex version of a tired, old-fashioned mad scientist's plot to rule the world, in which the villains are more mysterious and intriguing than the bland heroes (although Cloud's massive sword is one impressive piece of weaponry). It also doesn't help, being someone who never touched a copy of "Final Fantasy VII,"  that the appearance of about four or five inexplicable characters in the middle of the film's climactic battle sequence served only to distance yours truly even more from the story.

Some may wonder why I'm reviewing Advent Children when I've never played the video game it's based on. Because, by presenting itself proudly on video store shelves everywhere (as opposed to viewers having to sneak down a spiral staircase in a dark cave to get a copy), I think this movie has a duty to entertain the uninitiated as well. While Advent Children will have no trouble appeasing fans of the game or providing animation fans with a truly eye-popping show, convincing  mainstream moviegoers to go along for the ride is going to be a bit more tricky.

MY RATING: ** 1/2 (out of ****)

(Released by Sony Pictures and rated "PG-13" for sequences of intense sci-fi action violence.)