Fullmetal Alchemist DVD Movie Review
Review of Conqueror of Shamballa, Sequel to Award Winning Anime
Jan 29, 2009
Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa follows the highly successful anime featuring the Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, two of the most famous alchemists in the world. They are separated from each other in parallel universes and the Fullmetal Alchemist movie follows their attempts to return to each despite powerful opposition.
Story of the Fullmetal Alchemist Movie
Just as the television show, the FMA movie adaptation of the popular anime combines heartwarming characters, an action filled plot, and alchemy to create a vivid universe where anything is possible. Although still children, Edward and Alphonse are matured by the pains they have suffered, as well as the responsibilities they carry.
The moral dilemmas they face in the movie, such as whether they should abandon their attempts to return to each other in order to ensure the villains do not cross through the gates between their home world of Amestris and Earth, are believable and touching. The young alchemists have suffered so much, but they will need to fight a little longer in order to find peace in their lives.
Video Quality for the Award Winning Anime's DVD Movie
The Fullmetal Alchemist movie, like the show, is visually stunning. The video itself is clear and crisp, and the presentation is phenomenal. It is astounding to see how many different vibrant environments are displayed throughout the course of the movie. Conquerors features sun swept deserts, snow-filled mountains, and so many others. Each and every character is rich in detail, well sculpted and beautiful to see in action.
Fullmetal Alchemist DVD Audio and Languages Options
Fullmetal Alchemist Conqueror of Shamballa is nothing short of brilliant, and its award winning music is just another reason why. Every piece of music sets the tone of the scene it accompanies perfectly. The sound is dark and foreboding when danger lurks around the corner for the two protagonists, while a jovial score is emitted from the carnival. The finale leaves viewers with a satisfying melody, and even the audio menu music is entrancing.
Hand in hand with the music are the sound effects, which are nothing short of amazing. Every little detail is seen to, from the ominous whirring of the circling planes, to the fire crackling in the fireplace, to the chirping birds in the forest. Even the sounds of the desert exude a sound that perfectly represents the whispering sands.
The languages available on teh dvd are English and Japanese, each in 5.1 surround sound. Although, it is preferable to watch the movie in Japanese with subtitles in order to maintain the authenticity of the film.
FMA Conqueror of Shamballa DVD Extras
The 2-disc special edition of Fullmetal Alchemist Conqueror of Shamballa comes jam-packed with a 40 minute making of the film, Japanese theatrical and TV trailers, production art and image gallery, interviews and 3 audio commentaries, as well as a Fullmetal Alchemist booklet and some image stills from the movie. The movie is already spilling over with great content; it’s hard to see how they could pack any more in. It is evident that the creators took great pride in creating this masterpiece.
How the Fullmetal Alchemist Conquerors of Shamballa DVD Measures Up
Fullmetal Alchemist: Conquerors of Shamballa really is a perfect movie. Combining rich characters with depth, a beautiful score, stunning environments, and an involving plotline, there is no wonder it picked up Anime of the Year upon its release. The Fullmetal Alchemist DVD Movie Conqueror of Shamballa deservedly receives a 10 out of 10.
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