Movie Review: Death Note (2017)

Something people have been forgetting recently is that there is a difference between White Washing in movies, and Cultural Adaptation. White Washing is casting a white actor to play a character of another race (Breakfast at Tiffany's and The Last Airbender are the best example of that), while Cultural Adaptation is rewriting a story to aim at an audience and look at the source in the eyes of a culture that does is not in the source material. Magnificent Seven from 1960 is a Westernized remake of 1957's Seven Samurai, a Japanese movie, and Throne of Blood from 1957 is a Japanese adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, and it is my favorite version of the play.
Why do I explain this? Because when Netflix picked up the contract to make a Westernized Adaptation of Death Note, the anime community got their panties in a bunch and claimed White Washing and it isn't. Instead of taken place in Japan, like the manga/anime, this adaptation takes place in Seattle, Washington and they had to do some rewrites to both story and characters to fit the movie format. If they didn't, it would have been a rushed and poorly plotted mess, like the Japanese Death Note movie... YOU KNOW I'M RIGHT!!!

As a fan of the anime, I would be willing to nitpick and tear it apart for being so different from the source material, but I took some time to think about it and watch it a second time to put the bias aside and look at it for what it is.

Minor Spoiler Warning.

Warning: I'm breaking my "No rated R" rule to review this movie, because it needs to be talked about. The movie contains foul language and gore. Treat it like the source material and it is only for Mature Audience.

The Pros- It is actually well acted. I'm serious. The actors fit all the written characters for the movie and do the best they can with the script given to them. The best actors are Nat Wolff as Light Turner (not Light Yagami) and William Dafoe as Ryuk. Both of which steal the scenes they are in and when they interact, it is fantastic. I know one thing people will complain is the change in characters, I will argue that the way they are written fits this format and it works with what the movie is trying to do. It gives us a 'What If' scenerio. Light isn't someone sick of the world as an outsider, he's a victim of the world he lives in and wants to change it. Simple as that. Also, they cut out most of the characters in the manga/anime for a smaller cast and that is the best thing they could do with a movie format. It gives more focus to the characters we got. Director Adam Wingard's touch also helps in adding tension to the film. His camera work and the scenes he uses work well and it helps you feel what you need to in scenes. Ryuk's introduction is terrifying, and the realization of it all being real is also well fitting for the right emotion. That is how it's supposed to work. The character chemistry between Light and his Father is a focus of the movie and it does work out well. You see how the relationship works in the early scenes and the interactions between them are always good.

The Cons- This film's plot is not well paced. Not as bad as Batman V. Superman, but still at a point where it can be confusing. I'm going to go ahead and say that right now. Relationships are rushed for the sake of the tense sense. It becomes more clear in the second half of the movie and if you watch it, you will understand. Some moments of facts are ignored for the sake of the plot (Kira does not translate to Light in Russian or Celtic, I checked, movie!). The film also has too much tension. A good Horror/Thriller movie gives us pockets to breathe and relax a moment before the tense scenes happen. This movie is tense from start to finish. Do not watch this before going to bed, you will not sleep well (I speak from experience). When I first watched this movie, I felt almost out of breath. While the actors are all good, not all the written dialogue is. It's not laughably bad, like Dragonball Evolution, it's mostly just a 'huh' moment. The one character that suffered from westernizing is L. He is the same character we love in the first half, but the second half he falls apart and no longer feels like the genius detective. It does fit the story and what he ends up going through, but it feels kind of cheaply put in to just have a chase scene between Light and L.

Final Thoughts- Looking at it based on the source material (like the anime community) it's awful, but from the perspective of it being it's own movie, I kind of liked it. I have struggled between those two sides all weekend to come up with a clear thoughts towards the movie. It isn't something special or will last forever, but it is entertaining. If you are curious, go ahead and see it. If you have never seen the anime, you may find yourself enjoying it. If you are a fan of the anime, remember this is a Westernized Adaptation and they had to change A LOT to fit the format. At least, I liked it more than the Japanese Live Action movie... And I look forward to pissing off more of the anime community in the future.

Special Announcement!

So, remember how I was promising to go through all the Dragon Ball Z movies... I've decided to go a different direction. I've been unable to get the rest of the movies on a good source and tracking down physical copies is going to be a pain. So, I've decided to end my run of Dragon Ball Z movies for one other reason. There are other movies that are coming out the rest of the year either on DVD/ Blu-Ray or Netflix. With that in mind, I want to expand and do those too. My biggest fear as of recent is being known for only Dragon Ball Z and I don't want to do that. However, I will make one solid promise to all who read this blog. If I am able to get my hands on a physical copy of Dragonball Evolution, I will rewatch it and do a full, uncensored review of it. If you want me to destroy it, I will, but I need help. Let me know if you find a copy for cheap or would like to donate a copy. I will look forward to destroy what is perhaps one of the worse movies I have ever seen.

Movie Review: Dragon Ball Z: Tree Of Might (Spoiler Warning)

I know... I know... I'm a week late. Give me a break. I had a rough week.

Dragon Ball Z is complicated. There are some great moments that leave an impact and are well remembered and then their are moments that can be downright stupid. It is a usual with all long running anime. You remember when Cell made his first appearance because of the terror and build up, but the Garlic Jr. filler season is forgotten because of how ridiculous it was and treated itself. Seriously, Krillin's ex-girlfriend is the only memorable thing in that season. Why do I mention this with Tree Of Might? Because it also has both good and memorable moments, and moments that are downright stupid. It's not as bad as the Garlic Jr. filler season in the series, but it's not as good as the Cell season either.

Released in Japan in 1990, same year as World's Strongest, Tree of Might does a lot of good things with it's premise, but it also falters in many other areas too. Again, I am reviewing the Funimation dubbed version we got in 2006.

The Pros- Unlike the first two Dragon Ball Z movies, this one has all of the Z fighters that crossed over from Dragon Ball; Tien, Krillin, Chaozu, Piccolo, and everyone's favorite punching bag, Yamcha (seriously, he is always the first one down for the count). The action scenes are well down and we get to see what the fighters can do. The Tree of Might itself and the main villain Turles are both great in this movie and they do serve the purpose of being a great threat. You see the Tree of Might destroying the Earth from the inside and it gives a feeling of real terror that is taking place. Turles also makes short work of Piccolo before he even eats the fruit of the Tree of Might. Turles Being in this movie present something that even the later series and movies explore; the potential of more Saiyans in the universe. Dragon Ball Super (I'm not over that title!) explores this as well and so does future movies that I will get to. Turles was the first we see, since he doesn't seem to have ties to Frieza and he does not mentioned Vegeta (he's not in the movies, yet). It is something I'm glad was explored and I will share my thoughts on it more in the future.

The Cons- Outside of the designs of Turles' minions, they aren't memorable at all. They have no personality, no characteristic, and they don't present a threat (even after beating all the other Z Fighters). All five of them fight Goku by himself and he wipes the floor with them. You can always ask one question during the opening scene of the movie; Why don't they investigate what started the forest fighter at the beginning of the movie. Instead of investigating that and preventing the Tree of Might from happening, they instead collect Dragon Balls to restore the forest... Except the crater that the small drone created. Okay... Goku is the only one that does any kind of damage to the villains of the movie. The other characters should not be this weak. Unless all the villains are as strong as Nappa. Otherwise, it feels all these characters are wasted, especially Yamcha! He goes down first!Did Akira Toryama not like Yamcha after Dragon Ball? The ending feels like a total Deus Ex Machina. Goku focuses on the energy from the fruit of the Tree of Might and uses it to blast Turles and the tree out of existence. Was it a special type of Spirit Bomb or what was it?

Final Thoughts- I don't want to sound like I don't like this movie, because I like a lot of elements contained in this movie, but it has a lot that isn't remembered. It is good for the fans, but it isn't what I would show someone who is curious about the serious.

Movie Review: Dragon Ball Z: The Worlds Strongest (Spoilers)

There was one thing I left out of my review of Dead Zone, Garlic Jr. loved talking. He went into monologues about how evil he was and how he would cover the world with evil. I say this now because it helps see the difference between Dead Zone, and this weeks movie, The World's Strongest. Released in Japan in 1990, we got the Funimation uncut English release the same year as Dead Zone and next week's movie, Tree of Might. Out of the original trilogy of Dragon Ball Z movies, This one is my favorite because it highlights all the good things about the early days of Dragon Ball Z without being an official part of the TV series. I'm not the only one in that opinion either, Team Four Star (the guys behind Dragon Ball Z abridged) rated this as the second best movie in the entire series. I'll get to their number 1 later down the line and everyone is already predicting what that is, or they are looking it up right now. Spoiler Alert.

The Pros- Since it doesn't fall into any specific timeline in the series, it is able to be it's own story and it does really well with that. It is a complete story with little to no plot holes. Tension and Atmosphere is fantastic throughout the film. You feel the risk that the characters are facing and it is beautifully designed for an anime film released over 25 years ago. The villains are much better this time around. When Goku encounters them, the henchmen (called Bio-Warriors) have very little dialogue and their presence alone with Goku's reaction paint the picture of how strong they are. It is a welcome compared the last film where they just talked about how strong they were. Doctor Wheelo and Doctor Kochin also work well as villains too. Kochin serves as the main talker in the movie and none of the dialogue is wasted. He does explain how he and Wheelo were heads of Bio-Engineering and altering DNA to create Bio-Warriors and society shunned them for it 50 years ago for it and they returned for revenge. Even hearing their story about what they did to one of the universities that ridiculed them helps paint the picture of how much of a threat they are. This is also one of the only times we see Master Roshi fight seriously in Dragon Ball Z. While he had a bigger role in Dragon Ball, he is pushed back to being more of a minor character the longer Dragon Ball Z ran, so it is nice to see him fighting this time around. The fight animations are much better than they were in Dead Zone and it is more reminiscent of the action Dragon Ball fans know and love.

The Cons- I really only have one problem with the movie. None of the other characters who show up to help Goku do very little to help in the fights that take place in the series. Gohan provides the Power Poll and we get another hint at his hidden power, but it doesn't do much after it happens. This story focused more on Goku and while it isn't a bad thing, it makes Krillin and Piccolo feel less important and not needed in the movie, but they are fun to watch regardless.

Final Thoughts- This would be one of the movies I would recommend to anyone that is new to anime and not sure where to start. This was also the movie that got me into Dragon Ball Z. I seriously recommend this move more than any other film from the early days of the series. It is fun, exciting, tense, and overall a joy to see.

Movie Review: Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone (Spoiler Warning)

It has been awhile since I have mentioned Anime on my blog, haven't I? Like movies, video games, and music, anime also has many genres, styles, and people have there own personal preferences. There are some anime that helped to get people into it, like Cowboy Bebop, Sailor Moon, Astro Boy, Speed Racer, but the biggest and perhaps most relevant (even to this day) is Dragon Ball Z. While it is technically a sequel to the original Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z went into a different direction and became it's own entity and it's own franchise all together. It was the action show young boys clung to and it lasted for many years and with the sequel series running now, Dragon Ball Super (really? That is what they called it?), people still go back and remember Dragon Ball Z fondly. So I am going to take the time and review one Dragon Ball Z movie per week, because talking about the series will lead to debate and war on it's own. Let's start with the first movie, Dead Zone.

Released in Japan in 1989, we didn't get it in America until 1997 with Pioneer doing the dub, then getting the Uncut version in 2005 with the Funimation dub. This movie takes place before the Saiyan saga and the original anime series. So, this fits between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z with Goku and Piccolo still being rivals and Gohan being 4 years old. This is the early days of the series, so a lot of the favorite characters and powers are not here, but I am putting in a spoiler warning right now. If you haven't seen it, where have you been for the last twenty years?

The Pros- The action is that of the classic series. It is fun to watch, but simple. I enjoy that in older anime. While newer anime is super flashy in the action, it is nice to go back and watch a classic action anime and see the simplicity. It may not have all the characters, but it does have the big three that helped make the entire series; Goku, Piccolo, and Gohan. The early days of the series and the Saiyan Saga did focus on these three the most, and putting them in this movie as the focus was the best they could have done with this movie. I did watch the Funimation Dub and the voice acting is actually good. They fit the characters and you get that idea really well especially when Goku and Piccolo are talking to each other during the fit. You still feel the tension between them and that is thanks to the voice actors. The movie's voice actors do have a good look to them and they feel like they really would fit in the series, by how they look. I mean they did bring back Garlic Jr. for a filler season between the Frieza Saga and the Android Saga, so someone in development like him. Since it is the uncut version, we do get more that was cut from the Pioneer version we originally got and fills in a couple plot holes as well, making the uncut version feel more like a complete story and it is the better version overall.

The Cons- The villains may look cool, but they aren't interesting outside of that. The three henchmen are all stupid (they really lack intelligence) and Garlic Jr's only motive is... He's just evil. We get some things about his father, but it doesn't justify it at all. He's just evil. While the dub is well voice acted, it also feels edited at the same time. Partly because they don't say certain things on purpose. For example, Gohan eats a fermented fruit and instead of saying it's fermented, the villain just says, "It'll make you weird." Not the best way to put that. It can feel unnatural at times and those moments can be distracting. I'm going to be blunt, the same scene where Gohan (4 years old) eats a fermented fruit and it leads to the most pointed scene I have ever seen in all of the Dragon Ball Z movies. It doesn't serve any purpose other than the joke that, the kid is drunk. Do the Japanese really find something like that funny? The movie actually doesn't have much action in it. It is pretty slow in that regard. It has a fight at the beginning and on big scene at the end. Other films can have this problem, but this is one of the slowest ones. It is only 50 minutes long, and it feels like it drags itself... Kind of like the entire series (Prove me wrong).

Final Thoughts: This isn't the best Dragon Ball Z movie, but it isn't the worst either. It is kind of a fair way to introduce people to the series because it has the same good and bad things in the Dragon Ball Z series, and it is before things started getting over the top and crazy with all the characters and the action, so it is a good introduction. If you are younger, you would probably enjoy it more even with the dub. Any die hard anime fan would probably recommend watching it with the subtitles, but I will leave that to the person and not on recommendations. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out, but know that it is technically a prequel to the show.

Top 10 Song from Artist I Don't Like

Have you ever heard a song that just stood out in a positive way, only to discover that the artist behind it has done songs you didn't like before. That is what this list is for. Keep in mind, this is my opinion. If an artist you like is on this list, don't get offended. It won't change my opinion and it will only ruin your day. Also, these songs were released as hits, so no fan favorite unknown song from the album, I don't own an album from any of these artist. I am also adding links to YouTube for anyone curious to listen to them. With that out of the way, lets dive in with something a bit more obvious.

#10- Savages by Theory of a Deadman- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRKBGBSSaYg
   Theory of a Deadman is a poor man's Nickelback... Which is a poor man's Rock music. I will give Theory of a Deadman one thing, at least they made a song I legitimately like. Savages feels less like Nickelback and more like Godsmack. I don't know if it is the haunting guitar work, the guitar solo, or the fact that Alice Cooper contributes to this song. Lyrically, it is nothing special, but the tone sets up a mood for adrenaline, aggression, and hints at a good time. While the rest of the songs feel like something a drunk guy would sing at a karaoke night, Savages feels like a song that should be enjoyed at a Rock concert.

#9- Ghost of Beverly Drive by Death Cab for Cutie- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srvcc8izHSU
   I have never been a fan of Death Cab for Cutie. I have found the mellow feeling and acoustic work they are known for to be boring. People have tried to get me to like them, but failed. Until Ghost of Beverly Drive came out. I did not believe they were the ones behind this song when I heard it. I thought it was a new Pop Punk band or an Indie singer. This the smart use of being mellow, but also being interesting with the electric guitar instead of acoustic and a very effective drum rhythm backing the whole thing up. It is not lyrically different from Death Cab for Cutie's other work, but I can relate to it a little more since it goes into always going back on your mistakes. It is a song I didn't think could exist, but happy it does.

#8- Rollin' by Limp Bizkit- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYnFIRc0k6E
  The early 2000s were not the best times for Metal. While we did get Korn and Papa Roach, we also got the Limp Bizkit and it is really the only time they could have been popular. They were vulgar, over the top, and more violent then they should've been. They did a reunion tour, but that is all I have heard. However, this song was fun when you found the edited version (which is the version I am sharing) and the riff work is actually good. Not to mention, it is the only song that showed the band did have potential to do more than they did. It is a song to just move along and not get in a fight... At least not with Limp Bizkit... Wow! Who taught Fred Durst how to spell? ... Moving on...

#7- Where Is the Love by The Black Eyed Peas- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc
  Good Grief! The Black Eyed Peas were just awful, weren't they? Well, almost the worst, but still glad they are gone. This song does still have a level of relevance. It is not the strongest in terms of a tune, but I feel it was made to focus on the lyrics. It is a song about love, and shows how all sides are guilty of that. Why is that bad? It isn't, but we do ignore it at times. Before getting any more potential, Justin Timberlake saves the song like Alice Cooper saved Savages. His chorus for the song helps it stand out and it hasn't been forgotten since I have first heard it in my younger years.

#6- Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agrXgrAgQ0U
  Speaking of The Black Eyed Peas, Will.I.Am has had an awful solo career and Fergie has been almost just as bad. Fergie is basically the Michael Bay of music, she only had one strong song and even my Rock and Metal buddies agree, Big Girls Don't Cry is a beautiful song. If this was the first song I have heard from Fergie, I would think she was a genius, then instantly regret it after hearing the rest of her uninspiring garbage. The song mostly highlights how hard it is to break off a relationship, from the perspective of the person breaking off the relationship, not the person with the broken heart. HOW MANY SONGS DO THAT? Not a lot, at least not at the emotion Fergie gives us. Seriously, I wanted more of this from Fergie, NOT FERGALICIOUS!!!

#5- Sound of Madness by Shinedown- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGt-8adyabk
  Shinedown is kind o heartbreaking for me to talk about. When I first heard them, I liked them. Then I heard more and more and liked less and less. Nowadays I view them as a one trick pony, except the Sound of Madness album. During that time, they had a lead guitarist that was very heavy on blues playing and adding that style to a heavy tone is what made the entire album stand out, but Sound of Madness (the title song) is the best song on the album, hands down. Imagine if Metallica did a song with Eric Clapton, that is Sound of Madness. This creates a very dark tone and smart us atmosphere around it, making it a great song for either stress relief or working out. Not to mention the guitar work and riff. I learned it on guitar and it does get people excited when they hear it.

My top 4 are not songs I like more than the rest of the songs listed, some I may like less. I did the order based on the quality of the songs, and my opinion of the artist in question. With that in mind, my top 4 are all going to hurt to admit.

#4 Style by Taylor Swift- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CmadmM5cOk
  5 years ago, I made a list of least favorite artist of all time and Taylor Swift was number 1 on that list. I found her whiny, annoying, and repetitive. Since then, other artist have come out that proved me wrong and it could be worse, because Taylor Swift released Style. Style is a song about just looking about a cute couple. Taylor Swift went from a girl crying about heartbreak to just enjoying the good moments and looking nice with your significant other. People tried to tell me she matured when she went to Pop music, but I didn't believe it until Style came out. I would endure We are Never Getting Back Together, Mean, Love Story, and Bad Blood again if she released another song with the level of maturity she showed with Style.

#3- Closer by The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT2_F-1esPk
  I am not and EDM fan. If you have told me the guys behind #Selfie was still making music and popular, I would have laughed and punched you in the throat for telling such a lie. While songs like #Selfie and Don't Let Me Down are lifeless, they did release Roses and Paris which are both okay... But I can't help but love Closer. I have no idea why! Lyrically, it is over complicated and the music behind it is boring. Not to mention I am not a fan of Halsey and the member of The Chainsmokers can't sing at all. The message is one thing I was attracted to though. It is a song about enjoying the moment. Don't think about the future too hard, enjoy where you are now. Don't focus on getting older. It is a song that shouldn't work, but does. I did share the lyric video, because it is better. Trust me.

#2- Best Song Ever by One Direction- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz8nbL6iKT4
  One Direction was not the New British Wave we needed. They were uninspiring and boring over all. I am happy they are breaking up, but by the end of it all, I couldn't help but hope someone other than Zayn tries a solo work or does more in music, because this song was good for all the best reasons. It is telling a story about a specific event, it has great music for dancing, and it was vague in all the right areas. I am even having a hard time writing while listening to it because I want to start dancing. It was a toss up between this and Perfect, but Perfect is basically their version of Style and I like it less than this one.

#1- The Feeling by Justin Bieber feat. Halsey- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYj4l5Xntt0
  I NEVER wanted to like a Justin Bieber song! From his beginning with Baby to the current day, he has only shown how much of an immature little $#!* he is. So, why is The Feeling such a mature song? Did he writes this? Someone tell me he didn't write this! It wasn't as big as his other songs on the album he produced, but this is the best song he has ever released. Hello again, Halsey, and welcome back to a song I didn't want to like, but do. This is a song about the internal debate on whether you love a person, or just love being with someone. The same kid that release Sorry and What Do You Mean the same year, released this. This song ask the question we all need to ask when a relation is in trouble and needs to be evaluated. It is a depressing tune with the song ,but it fits the message. Asking yourself that question is hard and puts you in a tough situation, I speak from experience. I didn't think I would ever like a song from an unlikable source, but I was surprised and I do enjoy it... Sorry...

More Top 10s to come. If you have any suggestion, let me know.

Movie Review: Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV

It is no secret I love the Final Fantasy franchise. Heck, I am one of the founders of a YouTube channel called, Final Fantasy Fanatics!
 Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZoBsGNKOYcel-tuTmozhjg

Which is why I put this movie off for so long. I watched it three times in order to get a full understanding of it and even watched special features on the Blu-Ray. I haven't done that for any other movie I have reviewed. Why did I do that? Because I wanted to back myself when I say, ignore Rotten Tomatoes. That 13% rating from the critics is not an accurate representation of this movie. Square Enix has released 3 feature length films; Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (which sucked), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (which is a divisive movie depending on who you ask), and this movie, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. It is personally, the best movie they have ever done. Let me explain the background of the film before going into Pros and Cons.

Background: This movie goes into detail behind the war between the two nations of Final Fantasy XV's world, Niflheim and Lucis. The Kingsglaive is a special military unit for Lucis that uses magic with the world's rules that also exist in the game and we see events take place from the prospective of members of the Kingsglaive.

Pros- Unlike The Spirits Within (That tried too hard to be it's own story) and Advent Children (technically a sequel to the video game, Final Fantasy VII), Kingsglaive is a companion movie to the Final Fantasy XV game. It shows us what we don't see in the movie during the first chapter of the game and it gives a further understanding of the impact and the toll it has on the main character in the game.
Instead of focusing on the main character, we look at a movie exclusive character named, Nyx Ulric, and he is a fantastic character. He is complex, there is emotion with him, and on top of it all, he has an incredible design. He looks like a hero. He is only in this movie, but I would have loved to see more of him.The characters you also see in the game are also really well written and stand out in their own way and all the character designs are unique.
The voice acting in this movie is top notch. Three big names gave there voices to the film; Aaron Paul from Breaking Bad lends his voice for Nyx, Lena Headley from Game of Thrones voices Lady Lunafreya, and Sean Bean voices King Regis (If you don't know who this is, go watch more movies). They all give fantastic performances and you feel the emotions they feel. That can be hard in an animated movie... Yes, this film is animated, not live action.
The animation is beautiful. This is one of the best visual films I have ever seen. This film can work by itself for that alone. It is pure eye candy and easy to watch. It even does a great job on areas I have seen other animated films struggle with. The characters look and feel realistic, the environments are distinct, and the action is fluid and natural. The animation style lends to the action and it is a fantastic experience to sit through. This makes the action in some live action movies look like a group of LARP (Live Action Role Playing) players. I love it, and the final fight is everything you would want in an action climax.

Cons- As good as Nyx is, the other movie exclusive characters are not as interesting. It is kind of hard to feel for them when you don't even see all their faces. All the cloaked Kingsglaive member might as well also wear a red shirt (Star Trek joke quota has been met) because it is hard to really get emotionally involved when things hit the fan for the minor characters. Of all the characters I wish I cared more about, it would have to be the Captain of the Glaive. His drive is not well fleshed out, he doesn't have a strong presence until the third act of the film, the only good part about him is his design.
I can understand someone who isn't interested in Final Fantasy XV not liking this movie. Since it is a companion film and not a prequel or sequel, it can be hard for someone who does not play any of the Final Fantasy games to get into the movie and get emotionally attached to any of the characters that are also in the game. Since it is part of a bigger story, casual audiences have a high chance of getting confused by the movie, because of the structure of it.

Final Thoughts: The reason I delayed talking about this movie, is because I am a part of the target audience. If you are curious about Final Fantasy and want to play the newest game in the franchise, I would recommend watching the movie first. If you want a movie for fun visuals, I could also recommend it. If you are a person that doesn't like video games and is not interested in Final Fantasy (you are missing out, by the way) then I can't recommend it. It is my favorite film from Square Enix, and since the movie comes from a video game company, It may be better suited for gamers to see it. If you are a Final Fantasy fan, check it out. If not, I'll leave it for you to decide if you want to see it or not.