Chances are, if you're a regular reader of EX, you've either already seen FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN or are planning to do so in the near future. If you haven't yet, put down that mouse and move as quickly and safely as you can to the nearest theater. This film is nearly a complete triumph, and you'll be kicking yourself if you don't soak it up in full big-screen glory.

You probably already know that FINAL FANTASY was produced by those fine folks at Square, who have brought us no less than nine Final Fantasy video games to date. (Ten including FINAL FANTASY X which is due out in a few weeks.) And surely you're aware that the entire movie was rendered in computer graphics. But if you're worried about super-deformed 3D sprites with improbable hair or, even worse, Jar Jar Binks, you can cast those doubts out aside like losing lottery tickets. FINAL FANTASY sets a new standard not only for CG films, but for feature-length science fiction movies in general.

The plot is somewhere between GHOSTBUSTERS, ALIENS and a slightly unhinged eco-conscious New Age mysticism that I won't try to spoil (or even explain) for you here. Just trust me that the writing is well above average with moments of wry humor and sincere poignancy. But even though this script is capably delivered by a professional voice cast that includes Ming-Na, Donald Sutherland, James Woods and Alec Baldwin, the story takes the way back seat on the bus in this production. It's all about the eye candy, and FINAL FANTASY's visual treats are of a caliber that removes jaws and drops them to the floor.

The visual effects are stunning. The imagery was so powerful I found myself getting goose bumps that had nothing to do with the theater's air conditioning. I was transfixed by the breath-taking landscapes, the meticulously detailed equipment, the horrifying creatures and the evocative characters. The cinematography revels in angles impossible with real actors or sets, using sweeping pans and incredible zooms.

From the staggering view of alien vistas or the pain-staking detail on a jet's landing gear, this film's complete and extravagant environment is utterly engrossing. I very quickly forgot that this is all pixels and vectors, the scenes were so detailed and the character's movements so fluid.

The action is hair-raising and intense, and the satisfying explosions are huge and teeth-rattling. Scenes race quickly from ominous dream sequences to furious combat to unsettling interplays of shadow and light. Quite simply, FINAL FANTASY paints pictures on the screen that amaze the eye and linger in the imagination. Furthermore, the emotions depicted on screen are almost entirely believable as well—almost. The only limitation I could see in the digital craftsmanship was in the recreation of human expressions. Hair, clothes and even skin look nearly entirely genuine, but real anger or fear or sadness on a person's face is still slightly beyond the reach of computer graphics. Nevertheless, the CG artists are getting closer (and I can't help but snicker at the thought of dozens of programmers struggling for months to figure out exactly how lips are supposed to move during the movie's inevitable mushy moment.)

Just like every FINAL FANTASY video game offers its own separate universe, so too does this film create a unique world with dramatic characters and evocative crises. However, just like the games, the adventure is enthralling and the visual effects are astounding. And FINAL FANTASY is so much more than just an extended FMV sequence. It wasn't long before my hands stopped their habitual twitching, grasping for an invisible control pad. FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN might not be a game, but it is pure entertainment.