ADVENT CHILDREN COMPLETE

Version: Square Enix 2009 Japanese Blu-ray; English dub

I haven't reviewed the original yet, so I'll just combine them into this one. The original is a great movie. The only problem I have with it is that Sephiroth is literally on screen for 6 minutes and gets wiped out way too easily. This guy was the final boss of the game, yet Cloud finishes him in one attack? LAME. There was also a soundtrack bug I had as well. After Cloud and Tifa get knocked out in the church, they play a track called "Water" that is just way too upbeat for the scene.

Well guess what. They fixed everything! The above track I grumbled about has been replaced with "Anxious Heart" from the original game. This track is much more appropriate. It plays in the game at the point where Cloud visits his hometown, and the mood closely matches the church scene.

One big improvement over the original film is that we actually know what is going on now. They give Denzel a background, you see what Geostigma actually does to people, and Reno and Rude actually have better parts. There's also a lot of background chatter added to clarify the setting. Pretty much everything has been improved, you'll just have to watch.

I usually watch this in the original Japanese, because that's how I first saw it and the voices in the dub are kind of silly (I'm looking at YOU, Cid). Unfortunately, the blu-ray I have is the Japanese version so there are no subtitles. >.< There is a dub, and it's not bad if you like dubs. I only made it through the dub because I absolutely love Sephiroth's voice actor. Everyone from the original film returns, and Aeris and Zack have more speaking parts. I'll add some more comments when I listen to the Japanese track. I can kind of speak the language, so I'll be able to understand what's going on.

Speaking of Sephiroth, he's been absent from this review, hasn't he? Well, that's on purpose. :P I will tell you this: there is more of him in the film, and Cloud actually bleeds now. Not that nosebleed size dribble from the first one, I'm talking staining the hair kind of bleed. But you have to see for yourself, I don't want to spoil.

The blu-ray is available in the US. I bought the Japanese one because the ending song is different (it's Kyosuke Himuro with Gerard Way from MCR!) but they are pretty much the same release with the US version having more subtitles. The cover is also a weaker picture, but hey, the US has a big gripe when it comes to Christian imagery and probably wouldn't like the Japanese cover.

Go buy it. Unfortunately, you can only get Complete on blu-ray. Maybe some digital media sites have the download up for purchase, but those files are always inconvenient. Get some version of this film, even if you have to get the DVD. The limited edition DVD has Last Order on it, as well as some awesome postcards and booklets, so if you get that one it's not a waste.