Final Fantasy VII Advent Children

Final Fantasy, though poorly reviewed, is considered one of the best examples of fully-rendered CGI to date. It has a cult following mostly because of its spectacular appearance and also because there was a previous hardcore fanbase for the video games.

Plot
The plot is poorly orchestrated in the film. Those unfamiliar with the Final Fantasy games might quickly be lost. A ten minute introduction attempts to set up what is happening in the film, but the viewer may still be lost.

The story follows the Cloud Strife, a popular character from most of the recent Final Fantasy games. As the main story begins, the audience sees that Cloud runs a delivery service in a city called Edge. On one of his deliveries he is attacked by three strange men claiming the Cloud tell them where their "mother" is. He escapes and attempts to find out more about the three men who attacked him. Beyond this the plot splits and begins following multiple plot lines, all of which are poorly explained.

One of the men visits Cloud's home in hopes of finding "mother" while the others collect children infected with a mysterious plague that is sweeping the earth. Cloud appears to try and rescue the children but is thwarted. He is then told that the men who attacked him are trying to resurrect Sephiroth, the best known villain of the Final Fantasy series. The remainder of the movie is mostly action, involving fight scenes with a giant dragon, the three men, and Sephiroth himself.

Importance
While Final Fantasy falls extremely short on story, it is still a spectacle to behold. There are points in time where metals, clothing, and other non-living surfaces appear to be real, especially with Cloud's sword and clothing and the dragon's armor. There is also a stunning amount of detail paid to human figuration. In one shot of one of the minor character's hands, it is possible to see veins under his skin. The visual beauty of the film is stunning, though it can take on an "uncanny sense" at times. This is probably due to the humans' imperfect appearance. They look enough like real people that we expect them to be perfect, but their imperfections make them eerie. Though they are rendered in an anime style, the difference is still close enough that the movie can be unsettling to watch.