Game developer Square Enix’s latest filmmaking attempt misses full potential again. But, again, the effort they have invested to get there is most admirable.
Like 2001’s “The Spirits Within” and 2005’s “Advent Children,” the film pushes the boundaries of how stories can be told across media forms and, especially, how they look. That said, both past efforts had storylines that couldn’t match the advanced aesthetics: “Within” was as exciting as (and is) a fetch quest, while the sequel to “Final Fantasy VII” is complicated for complexity’s sake.
“Kingsglaive,” by being just complex enough, doesn’t share those flaws in its story. The proceedings in Takashi Hasegawa’s screenplay are so predictable, but for such a lore-dense franchise it helps to not scare off newcomers (or, for this case, get them to bite into the marketing for your forthcoming game). The problem with this film is, quite ironically, the visuals it uses as a bragging right.
Nyx Ulric (Aaron Paul) is one of the most-skilled Kingsglaive. All of the glaives are immigrants from regions around the Lucis Kingdom. | Courtesy of Square Enix
Count on Square Enix and the crew of “Advent Children” to make conflicts look gorgeous, particle effects, scope and all. Be it when the neo-London-esque Lucis Kingdom generates an expansive shield to defend itself from the invading military empire of Niflheim, the ruthless robotic army of Niflheim carrying out an assassination attempt on the Lucis’ royal family, or when Lucis’ elite guardian force—the Kingsglaive—is protecting one of the kingdom’s allies from a wave of demons. The film is a realized dream of every lover of pre-rendered cutscenes, especially those from “Final Fantasy.”
Then, like a dream, things ring false when viewers get a closer look. The faces don’t emote on the same level as the voices, no matter how much proper heroism Aaron Paul injects into his drawl as protagonist Nyx Ulric, or how much righteous regality “Game of Thrones”’ veterans Sean Bean and Lena Headey give to King Regis and Princess Luna. This is a particularly annoying flaw because the animation department is capable of matching the glowing voices: just look at anime’s mandatory quasi-flamboyant cast member/Niflheim Chancellor Ardyn Izunia (Darin De Paul) or Ulric and another Kingsglaive named Crowe (Andrea Tivadar) in key sequences.
The animation of the female leads, in particular Luna and Crowe, are the most noticeable flaws, however. Both characters are designed with ages too young and visages too marble-like to have the mature, decisive chords of their performers. At least there was none of the poor lip synchronization that, for some reason, made it into one of the trailers.
Nyx Ulric (Aaron Paul) introduces Princess Luna (Lena Headey) to King Regis (Sean Bean). It’s been a while since the latter two met. | Courtesy of Square Enix
Had that problem been left unchecked in the final product, it would be hard to notice Takeshi Nozue’s improved direction that displays a restraint on shaky cinematography, confounding choreography and the quick cuts so prevalent in “Advent Children.” The world of “Final Fantasy XV,” where magic and myth effortlessly merge with modernity and monarchy, deserves to be seen in full clarity—and to witness it in such a state in “Kingsglaive” is downright enthralling.
Of course, as long as editor Keiichi Kojima stops abusing the fade-out technique to convey a brief passage of time, that is. A convoy moving from one block to the next, or Princess Luna proceeding closer to King Regis deserve a transition that doesn’t suggest the animation department is having an off-day or the concept of flow in a scene isn’t applicable in a film linked to a video game.
The sole element that stays consistent in quality throughout Square Enix’s filmmaking endeavors is the music. Even without the legendary Nobuo Uematsu, the music John R. Graham and Yoko Shimomura (who will also score the game) still astounds with the distinct elegance, cinematic and emotional qualities akin to the works of the “Final Fantasy” franchise’s go-to composer.
General Glauca of the Niflheim Empire attempts to kill King Regis (Sean Bean), but is stopped short by the king’s magic that helps him produces numerous swords out of thin air. | Courtesy of Square Enix
“Kingsglaive” reaches its finest hour in a rooftop banquet sequence, with spectacular fireworks and a tease of Shimomura’s heart-wrenching “Somnus,” and the following bombastic treaty-signing segment that shows off the magic of the Kingsglaives and their king. Although the final battle will be memorable since it happens on such an explosive scale, these two mid-film events highlight the sweet spot that the whole of “Kingsglaive” could have achieved: when the story is told smoothly, when the editing is proper, when the direction has the quintessential “Final Fantasy” level of opera and when the animations complement the performances.
Guess it’ll be until the next effort from Square Enix for all these to happen. But for now, “Kingsglaive” is a good-enough beginning of the “Final Fantasy XV” saga.
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV
Aaron Paul (Nyx Ulric), Sean Bean (King Regis), Lena Headey (Princess Lunafreya Nox Fleuret)
Directed by: Takeshi Nozue (“Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children”)
Written by: Takashi Hasegawa (“Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children”)
Music by: John R. Graham, Yoko Shimomura (“Kingdom Hearts” game series)
110 min., PG-13
Release date: Aug. 19 (at AMC Studio 30 and Alamo Drafthouse Mason Park), Aug. 30 (digital)
7 out of 10.
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