Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shambala
Type: Movie
Genre: Action/Adventure
Version: Import DVD
Reviewed: 12/28/05
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Many of those who’ve seen the Fullmetal Alchemist have been eagerly awaiting the release of Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shambala. For those who haven’t seen it before, then now might be a good time to get familiar with it before actually seeing the movie. The FMA movie is more geared for the existing fans who have watched the entire series and want a nice wrapup after the ending. The movie serves as just that.
(NOTE: Possible Fullmetal Alchemist series spoilers ahead)
Munich, Germany. It’s been two years since Edward Elric was separated from his brother Alphonse. He’s now in a different world, which is coincidentally similar to ours. It’s a world of science. Alchemy does not work here. And Edward is still trying to find a way back home. As it goes on, viewers learn that the world Edward is in is something like a parallel universe. There are familiar faces, but that doesn’t mean they are the same person.
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| Edward is transported to a world like ours. That is to say, instensely boring. |
When Edward helps a gypsy girl from some nasty bad guys, he ends up being thrown in a big mess that could jeopardize the future of both worlds.
The movie brings back lots of familiar faces and plenty of nostalgia to those who have watched the series. As the movie started playing, I found myself surprisingly excited to see what laid in store for Edward and Alphonse. It was quick-paced and wonderfully executed. The action shots are well animated and coreographed, but some of the computer generated parts (like the armed soldier guys) were a bit too obvious. The animation quality was similar to that of the series, the intro being especially nice to look at. The bad guy (…or woman in this case) seemed a little too kooky to be believable. The plot was there…but not very solid. Some of the things weren’t believable, but it was interesting to see how the writers things to Hitler and the Nazi Era.
So is the movie worth seeing?
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| Blue light special. |
For FMA fans, it’s a definite yes. At the same time, by the end of the movie, I felt slightly ripped off. I was anticipating well…more of a “movie,” but this seemed more like an extended episode than anything. That might be because I’ve been spoiled by the series’ big-themed storyline and already good animation. Overall, the movie was highly entertaining and wrapped up the FMA series nicely and still provided a way for the possibility of a continuing series. For non-FMA viewers, you’d best be off watching the series before approaching this movie.
-Cathy Huynh