Pros

Cloud and Tifa are back and so is the original cast to a very minimal degree. Many elements and concepts from the game still remain such as the concept of the lifestream and holy. Plus, the Turks (most notably Reno and Rude) play huge roles in the movie and they are kind of the heart of the movie despite being villains in the original game.

Other concepts such as materia and materia summons briefly factor into the movie as well. The main environment of Midgad will also be familiar to long time fans as well.

Cons

Cloud’s angst is unbearing to go through in this movie. He strongly lacks the charisma as a main character and he is rather impossible to relate to. His wise cracking and smart aleck personality from the original game are now gone as well as his romantic qualities. The movie shows he is not over Aeris/Aerith when the original game shows he got over her death and found peace. Now he is just emo. Despite Tifa’s role and how she worries over Cloud, the movie does nothing to develop their relationship.

Outside of Cloud, Tifa, and a bit of Vincent, the rest of the original cast really have no presence. Granted they help out during the Bahamut fight, but they cause no damage to the point that they felt nearly non-existent. Too much of the movie focuses on Denzel, an original character severely ill with Geo Stigma. The audience really knows nothing about him and it's hard to really care and relate to him. His role could have easily been used by Marlene or another cast member where fans of the original game can feel more connected.

Maybe the PS4 remake will make use of him considering Square is taking an episodic approach to its release. The movie also doesn't really do anything to further symbolize what happens 400 years after the events of the game and how Red XIII brings back his race (and he doesn't do anything memorable in the movie or plays any significant role that contributes to the story beyond that).

The villains are just hard to take seriously because of their emo gimmick and their whole “I want my mommy” dilemma. In addition, the movie doesn't explain why they kidnap the kids, why they need them or why Kadaj can turn water black and what that water is supposed to do. I mean, is he taking some sort of drugs? If so, I want some!!! It is easy follow along but rather boring because the game already establishes and resolves the whole thing about Jenova not being the real mother of Sephiroth.

Plus, the ending just feels so anti-climatic with the cure of Geo-stigma just being Holy Water (ok, I know it's really the Holy spell and all that but still, it comes across as ridiculously symbolizing that Cloud is like Jesus or something). The worst, the movie relies so much on exposition as a result.

Anytime the movie is met with criticism, many fans will be quick to say you have to play the game in order to appreciate it. That may be true but should playing a 24 hour game be a prerequisite to enjoy a two hour movie? James Cameron once said you shouldn't have to enjoy a sequel without watching the predecessor. Terminator 2 does a great job of being an excellent sequel without any exposure to the first movie. The fourth Rambo movie tells a great story without any required exposure to the first three movies, excellently develops the John Rambo character, and gives the audience a strong message to the tragedies in Burma that very few people knew about prior to the release of the movie.

So whenever people tend to resort to that line of justification that audiences need to play the game, it seems to me that the majority of its praise stems from the basis of its brand name and not the quality of the movie in itself.

It is certain that a majority of the critics have played the game enough times to know that Cloud and his friends went through a great deal of development and it was sad to see that there is no further development, especially in context to their relationships. And without the need for cure spells or potions, the fighting is rather directionless and feels like watching an MMA and/or boxing match where both combatants are going for the knockout, but they are swinging and missing and they're not smart enough to make any changes to their strategies.

One thing that cannot be denied is that the music is excellently used and the remix of One Winged Angel did make things feel more intense as well as the piano rendition of the battle theme song in the church.

So how do you feel? Is Advent Children worthy of its award for best picture and the rest of its praise? Is it all style and no substance? Does the whole play the game argument to enjoy the movie really hold water? Will the PS4 remake help make this movie make more sense? Leave a comment with how you feel!