Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV

While this elaborate combination of CGI animation and motion-capture technology may satisfy fans of the long-running Final Fantasy video game franchise, it is likely to baffle and bore virtually everyone else. On some alternate-Earth-like planet, a brutally imperialist empire is threatening the peaceful realm of Lucis Caelum and its capital of Insomnia, which are protected by magical defenses derived from a mystical crystal and a ring worn by its ruler (voiced by Sean Bean), as well as by a band of royal warriors called the kingsglaive. Unhappily, the tide of battle is turning in the empire's favor, and so the king feels compelled to accept an offer of peace that involves turning over much of his territory but still retaining control of the capital. The king will also have to agree to the marriage of his son to the princess of Tenebrae, a land fallen to the empire. Naturally, the imperial offer of peace is a ruse designed to steal the kingdom's magic crystal, and a heroic defense is mounted by one of the kingsglaive, whose efforts are undermined by dissension within the ranks and a civilian resistance movement. Numerous battles ensue, some involving gigantic demons, as well as a bewildering variety of betrayals, twists, and sudden reversals. Also featuring the voices of Aaron Paul and Lena Headey in this English-dubbed version, filmmaker Takeshi Nozue's Kingsglaive suffers from a plot that is an absolute muddle, drawing from Wagner, Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. Made for the Japanese market but dubbed into English, this is only for the initiated on both sides of the Pacific. Not a necessary purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the production featurettes “To Capture the Kingsglaive: The Process” (6 min.), “Fit for the Kingsglaive: Building the World” (6 min.), “Emotive Music: Scoring” (6 min.), “A Way With Words: Epic and Intimate Vocals” (5 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing fantasy film targeted exclusively at gamer fans.] (F. Swietek)