Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV is the story of a war between two kingdoms. The magically empowered kingdom of Lucis is fighting against the imperial forces of Niflheim. The film takes place twelve years after an attempt on the lives of the Lucian royal family in the territory of Tenebrae, which was then lost to the empire. Nyx (Aaron Paul) a member of the magic wielding Kingsglaive, is assigned to guard Princess Lunafreya (Lena Headey) of Tenebrae, who plays a major role in a proposed truce between kingdoms. Amidst rising tensions in the capital, Nyx finds himself embroiled in a nefarious plot to destroy Lucis' magical defenses.
A lengthy prologue is usually the first sign of trouble when it comes to films like this one. And indeed, the film gets off to a slow start as it lays down the lore of this particular story, which doesn't actually warrant such a detailed explanation. The movie then jumps straight into some battle, the stakes of which, despite the prologue, are never really made clear. It is just a bit of concentrated mayhem that establishes the main character of the film, the standard overqualified hero who doesn't take orders very well. He rescues his friend amid a haze of computer-generated visuals, showing off a streak of insubordination along the way.
The film then slows all the way down, detailing an impenetrable plot that involves a series of double crosses and betrayals that never really add up. Characters are sent off into missions that turn out to be traps or dead ends. Kings make vague declarations against each other. A princess is put in captivity for dubious reasons, and is then consistently sent headlong into danger. When the action finally starts up again, following the interminable setup, it isn't actually clear what's supposed to be going on. The characters are left directionless, their goals painfully unclear up until the very end.
It is fairly clear that the narrative wasn't the main priority of this film. The sprawling stories of the Final Fantasy franchise aren't really suited to the limitations of a feature film. The movie is all about bringing the franchise's unique aesthetic to the big screen. To that end, one can't really call it a success either. The motion capture animation is spotty at best. While the detail is amazing, the character movement feels unnatural. The eye gets drawn to the mouths, which don't quite move correctly, and occasionally feel a little out of sync.
The action suffers as well. It's visually dynamic to a fault. The film often chooses angles and imagery that prioritize dynamism over clarity. It just becomes tough to tell what's going on at times, the characters at times just out of frame when something theoretically momentous is happening. The voice work is solid, but there are times when the animation just doesn't keep up. The emotive delivery from Aaron Paul isn't always reflected in the face of his animated avatar. And Lena Headey's fierceness is lost in the stiff design of her character.
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV is a slog to sit through. It actually explores some intriguing themes, the world it eventually sets up rife with tensions that are worthy of further consideration. But these themes are buried within the intrigues of an impenetrable narrative, one that also happens to feature incoherent action and visuals. Given the breadth and the length of your average video game, this might have worked. With player interaction, the action sequences may have felt more engaging. Taken as it is, as a feature film, it just doesn't work.
My Rating:
