History YMMV / FinalFantasyTheSpiritsWithin

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation:

* ScifiGhetto: A weird example. The film adaptation of a popular ''fantasy'' game series goes for a decidedly grounded ScienceFantasy genre. This is possibly because HighFantasy simply wasn't done on the big screen when the film was greenlit (''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' wouldn't get released until after this one bombed), as well as the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII more familiar]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII Western releases]] in the franchise being more sci-fi than fantasy.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: At the time, each ''Final Fantasy'' title was standalone with ([[Anime/FinalFantasyLegendOfTheCrystals almost]]) no sequels or spin-offs, so a tie-in was not as guaranteed as it might be [[Anime/KingsglaiveFinalFantasyXV later]]. However, ''Final Fantasy'' had also only started to dip into sci-fi, and was still at least ScienceFantasy. A movie that was neither directly tied to any existing game, nor even in the same genre by taking place in ''Earth's'' future, had almost nothing in common with the rest of the franchise at the time. ''Final Fantasy'' fans had no reason to be invested, and mainstream audiences were turned away by it being connected to a video game in the first place.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: An adaptation of a popular RPG video game series, that doesn't actually adapt ''any'' of the games' stories or characters? Many people suggest that the backlash wouldn't have been as severe if "''Final Fantasy''" wasn't in the title.

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: While not quite as good as the hype was promising, lots of effort was put into the effects for the film, and some parts are quite impressive.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Neil jokes about hoping to have kids, to which Jane responds "that's a spooky thought". [[spoiler: Not so funny when Jane physically has to watch him die]].

* UncannyValley: A worthy first effort, but...

* SciFiGhetto: A weird example. The film adaptation of a popular ''fantasy'' game series goes for a decidedly grounded ScienceFantasy genre. This is possibly because HighFantasy simply wasn't done on the big screen when the film was greenlit (''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' wouldn't get released until after this one bombed), as well as the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII more familiar]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII Western releases]] in the franchise being more sci-fi than fantasy.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The banter between Neil and Jane is either just friendly, or he could be flirting with her. Notably when she tells him to get a girlfriend, he winks and says "I'm working on it" - and alludes to Jane always picking on him in a {{Tsundere}} way.

* BrokenBase: A lot of fans were annoyed that none of the games were adapted to the big screen before ''Spirits Within'', while others argue that each game is unconnected and it makes sense that the film would be too.

* HilariousInHindsight: In light of the whole "Roger Ebert vs. video gamers" brouhaha, Ebert gave the film one of its best reviews, calling it revolutionary in terms of its visuals and giving it a 3.5-star review. In fact, Ebert has given more positive reviews to video game adaptations than any other major critic, with additional positive reviews for ''{{Film/Hitman}}'', the ''[[Film/LaraCroftTombRaider Tomb Raider]]'' films, and ''Film/MortalKombat''.

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: While not quite as good as the hype was promising, lots of effort was put into the effects for the film, and some parts are quite impressive.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: The Phantoms are stuck in a dream-like state, lashing out at everything around them, unsure of what is reality. The larger beasts are just gigantic wildlife that have no idea what's going on as well.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: A variation. Plenty of ''Final Fantasy'' fans were annoyed that it wasn't an adaptation of their favourite game and hated it for being a standalone story. This has been cited as one of several possible factors in the movie's failure.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: An adaptation of a popular RPG video game series, that doesn't actually adapt ''any'' of the games' stories or characters? Many people suggest that the backlash wouldn't have been as severe if 'Final Fantasy' wasn't in the title.

* BrokenBase: A lot of fans were annoyed that none of the games were adapted to the big screen, while others argue that each game is unconnected and it makes sense that the film would be too.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: By today's standards, the animation (especially facial) is nothing to write home about, but considering the film came out 3 years before the first movie in performance capture (''WesternAnimation/ThePolarExpress'')... well, at the time it was pretty damn impressive. It certainly scared the hell out of the Screen Actors' Guild when it released, who sent a few representatives out to talk to media outlets about how they didn't support the burgeoning rise of "virtual actors." These days, the film resembles a 100 minute cutscene for an eighth-generation video game.

* VindicatedByHistory: Didn't do that well with critics (Creator/RogerEbert [[https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/final-fantasy-the-spirits-within-2001 loved]] it, however) or audiences when it came out. These days it's got a lot more fans, who praise the SceneryPorn and overall story. It's bordering on CultClassic as the years go by.

* PlotHole: So how has nobody ''noticed'' the lake of glowing blue shit that's apparently a few hundred feet below the surface of the Earth?
** How many people have risked leaving safe zones? Only a handful of people have even left the domes to even do cursory investigation.
* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: By today's standards, the animation (especially facial) is nothing to write home about, but considering the film came out 3 years before the first movie in performance capture (''WesternAnimation/ThePolarExpress'')... well, at the time it was pretty damn impressive. It certainly scared the hell out of the Screen Actors' Guild when it released, who sent a few representatives out to talk to media outlets about how they didn't support the burgeoning rise of "virtual actors." These days, the film resembles a 100 minute cutscene.

* DesignatedVillain: The film has the problem that Hein is, for the most part, ''completely right'' in terms of his reasoning based on the known facts, and we're supposed to disagree with him because he's kind of a jerk and dresses like a Nazi. There's no proof Sid's plan will achieve anything useful (even he later says he has no idea what completing the wave will do, and his grand proof is that a tiny test rig has failed to kill one Phantom), Sid has been doing the equivalent of smuggling a live nuclear bomb into the last barrier city without telling the guy who's in charge of protecting it, and the council approves the construction of the Zeus Cannon, using a huge amount of no-doubt precious resources, and then hesitates to use it because of an objection that is primarily based on, of all things, Sid's new-agey religious beliefs.
** Except Cid's the only person whose created an effective defense against the Phantoms and is the only one who's done ''any'' research on them. All anti-Phantom technology is based on ''his'' work.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: By today's standards, the animation (especially facial) is nothing to write home about, but considering the film came out 3 years before the first movie in performance capture (''WesternAnimation/ThePolarExpress'')... well, at the time it was pretty damn impressive. It certainly scared the hell out of the Screen Actors' Guild when it released, who sent a few representatives out to talk to media outlets about how they didn't support the burgeoning rise of "virtual actors."

* VindicatedByHistory: Didn't do that well with critics (Creator/RogerEbert loved it, however) or audiences when it came out. These days it's got a lot more fans, who praise the SceneryPorn and overall story. It's bordering on CultClassic as the years go by.

* VindicatedByHistory: Didn't do that well with critics or audiences when it came out. These days it's got a lot more fans, who praise the SceneryPorn and overall story. It's bordering on CultClassic as the years go by.

* VisualEffectsOfAwesome: While not quite as good as the hype was promising, lots of effort was put into the effects for the film, and some parts are quite impressive.

* HilariousInHindsight: In light of Roger Ebert vs. video gamers, Ebert gave the film one of its best reviews, calling it revolutionary in terms of its visuals and giving it a 3.5-star review. In fact, Ebert has given more positive reviews to video game adaptations than any other major critic, with additional positive reviews for ''{{Film/Hitman}}'', the ''[[Film/LaraCroftTombRaider Tomb Raider]]'' films, and ''Film/MortalKombat''.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: A variation. Plenty of ''Final Fantasy'' fans were annoyed that it wasn't an adaptation of their favourite game and hated it for being a standalone story.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: By today's standards, the animation (especially facial) is nothing to write home about, but considering the film came out 3 years before the first movie in performance capture (''ThePolarExpress'')... well, at the time it was pretty damn impressive. It certainly scared the hell out of the Screen Actors' Guild when it released, who sent a few representatives out to talk to media outlets about how they didn't support the burgeoning rise of "virtual actors."

* DesignatedVillain: The film has the problem that Hein is, for the most part, ''completely right'', and we're supposed to disagree with him because he's kind of a jerk and dresses like a Nazi. There's no proof Sid's plan will achieve anything useful (even he later says he has no idea what completing the wave will do, and his grand proof is that a tiny test rig has failed to kill one Phantom), Sid has been doing the equivalent of smuggling a live nuclear bomb into the last barrier city without telling the guy who's in charge of protecting it, and the council approves the construction of the Zeus Cannon, using a huge amount of no-doubt precious resources, and then hesitates to use it because of an objection that is primarily based on, of all things, Sid's new-agey religious beliefs.