Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (M) PRESENTED IN 35MM FILM

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within at The Revival House Perth

In the year 2065, Earth has been devastated by the Phantoms—mysterious alien entities that kill with a touch, extracting the life force from any living thing they encounter. Humanity survives in barrier cities while the military, led by the hawkish General Hein (James Woods), pushes for a massive orbital cannon strike to eliminate the alien infestation once and for all. Dr. Aki Ross (Ming-Na Wen), a scientist infected with Phantom particles, believes there's another way: she's searching for eight specific spirit signatures that, when combined, could neutralize the aliens through a wave pattern that restores balance rather than destruction. With the help of the Deep Eyes squadron led by Captain Gray Edwards (Alec Baldwin) and the guidance of her mentor Dr. Sid (Donald Sutherland), Aki races against time to find the final spirits before Hein's devastating weapon destroys the Earth's own spiritual energy—the Gaia that sustains all life.

Director Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy game series, brings his vision to life in this groundbreaking 2001 film that pushed computer animation technology to unprecedented levels. The photorealistic human characters—particularly Aki's flowing hair and expressive eyes—represented a quantum leap in CGI, even as they sparked debates about the "uncanny valley." Beyond the technical achievement, the film weaves Eastern philosophy about spiritual interconnectedness with Western action sensibilities, creating a contemplative science fiction story that values understanding over conquest. Elliot Goldenthal's orchestral score brings emotional weight to the stunning visuals, from the ethereal beauty of the spirits to the devastating phantom attacks. While its box office failure nearly bankrupted Square, the film has gained appreciation as an ambitious artistic achievement that dared to bring anime storytelling values to Hollywood-style CGI filmmaking.

Original format and audio experience of this film faithfully reproduced by The Revival House. Presented in 35mm film unless noted otherwise.

When: Saturday, March 7th at 4:30PM
Where: The Revival House at the Como Theatre
Rating: M (Adult themes, Supernatural theme, Low level violence)

Experience the CGI milestone that brought photorealistic animation and Eastern philosophy to epic sci-fi storytelling, in 35mm film.

Presented by: The Revival House Perth