First Rendition or Second? *SPOILERS*

[Arianna]

I can't help but feel that Advent Children was slightly better than Advent Children Complete. Anyone else have an opinion?

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate some of the new scenes, and what they say about the characters. I just feel that some of the changes are silly - mostly in the fight scene towards the end, especially with the Turks.

Anyhow... I just thought to post and see if anyone else ever thought (still does?) about this. Thanks ahead of time!

 

[Max Payne]

You think wrong.

 

[Arianna]

You think wrong.

Well, then, I plead the fifth!

Again, some parts I appreciate, just... eh.

The changes didn't really satisfy me.

 

[Max Payne]

AC in general isn't very satisfying, but it's definitely better in hd/sub HD with a few new scenes and effects.

 

[Neutron Ronnie]

I just feel that some of the changes are silly - mostly in the fight scene towards the end, especially with the Turks.

Did you mean the chopper scene? Would you care to elaborate on this? I'm curious

I'm assuming anyone who wanders in here has already watched both versions, or isn't particular about spoilers, so I won't use tags.

I generally thought ACC was better than AC, particularly with the added scenes and corrections (like Tifa's gloves). A couple of ways in which I thought ACC didn't measure up to AC, though:

1. Cid's entrance during the big fight was less impressive.
2. In AC, Sephiroth says he wants to take away the one thing important to Cloud; Cloud sees everyone who's important to him, tells Sephiroth there's nothing that isn't important to him, and proceeds to kick his ass. It had a flow, and it went very well with the music.
While I'm glad they added Zack in ACC, it kinda broke that flow for me. Perhaps it's because I'd watched AC dozens of times, so the old scene was stuck in my head.

 

[Arianna]

Did you mean the chopper scene? Would you care to elaborate on this? I'm curious

I generally thought ACC was better than AC, particularly with the added scenes and corrections (like Tifa's gloves). A couple of ways in which I thought ACC didn't measure up to AC, though...

I am thrilled that Zack got screen time, more so than in flashbacks. I do feel that the ending where Zack and Aerith disappear into the bright white light could have been blended better.

The chopper scene with the Turks really - distracted me. I can appreciate the humor, and gods know I loved Rude's bazooka, but - overall it was - silly. It made the events too comical, too unreal...

(Yeah, I say this, knowing full well that no one could do such gravity defying feats as the characters in this movie have.)

I did like the added parts with the Shadow Creepers.

The added parts with Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo proved one thing - that they are nuts! Though, the extended part where Marlene tries to escape is one of my favorites. Still, Loz kisses the materia...

The beginning that shows how the three SHM were 'born' is pretty cool; though I still stand on my opinion that that was big-time fan service.

So, yeah - there were things I appreciated, and liked. Overall, I just feel that the 'director's cut' could have been better orchestated. With the time and money they were allowed to put into the final version, I expected more and better.

... I still say Yazoo was much better in his original (deleted scene) version; much more an offensive fighter, using the gun-blade as both types of weapons.

And, I am totally sorry to all - I didn't even think of adding *spoilers* to the title. Will correct that now.

 

[ForceStealer]

Yeah I'm gonna have to disagree on all counts here. Advent Children Complete really constituted a much more put together movie. The story and exposition flowed much more naturally. Everything about the way things were handled was simply more professional, story-wise, at the very least. Marlene, and by association, Cloud, were much more believable characters as a result of that one scene. Denzel flashbacks cemented him as a character we were supposed to care about. (Not that one necessarily did, I just mean one was given a reason as to why one should)
Rufus offering the exposition about Geostigma, and Cloud having more balls in responding to him rather than just standing there, which was much more consistent with his character.

If you didn't like changes/additions to the combat, that's pure opinion, but I don't know how anyone could argue that the original is a better movie.

 

[Splintered]

I liked ACC better, it made the story much more coherent. Both are ADD riddled, but ACC made the attempt to piece things better.

They fleshed out Denzel's character so that he doesn't seem as random, Cloud's disappearance was explained and we got to see him interact more with other characters, and I just slipped better into the story.

Geostigma seemed more of a threat than just a plot device. It was very meh in AC, but ACC you got to see how gruesome it really was and how badly it was affecting everyone in the city and just how debilitating it can be, physically and mentally.

Also, the Zack scene was very much appreciated, especially after Crisis Core explained more about his relationship with Cloud.

There are some parts that lagged, but overall the more careful explanations and expanded scenes added a much better feel.

 

[Cthulhu]

ACC > AC in most points. Yeah, some scenes were altered (Cid's) and some scenes (Zack's) took out the flow on the most critical part of the movie, but overall, it was a much better movie in terms of quality, story (and understanding the story), the music actually matched the action (although I still don't think they should've used the piano thingy in Tifa's fight).

 

[mentaz]

ACC without a doubt. AC is vague in terms of plot - while in ACC we know for sure why Cloud left, how much of a threat Geostigma is and why Denzel is in the story, AC leaves much of that unanswered and a bit confusing. Besides that, I'd say it's the better quality and the new scenes.

 

[Masamune]

The only problem with ACC as a supplement to the original movie is that we already *knew* most of the additional material. We knew where Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz originated from, we knew Denzel's backstory etc. It didn't really add a whole lot in the grand scheme of things, and really upped the running time to no great significance. Fan-flick is a fan-flick is a fan-flick. That said it, it was still more visually satisfying than the original, and adjusted the music for a more theatrical experience.

 

[Cthulhu]

No, your statement isn't entirely correct. we might've known, but we are the ones that read all the stuff around AC and its universe and backstory and everything. The vast majority however, doesn't. I didn't know shit about where the SHM came from or what Denzel's background was until after ACC was announced and other information about the movie was slowly released.

 

[Masamune]

No, your statement isn't entirely correct. we might've known, but we are the ones that read all the stuff around AC and its universe and backstory and everything. The vast majority however, doesn't. I didn't know shit about where the SHM came from or what Denzel's background was until after ACC was announced and other information about the movie was slowly released.

I would beg to differ and say that the vast majority who watched AC also read the novellas or took their questions online. The embellishments of ACC are largely extraneous, because OTWTAS etc were already available.

AC(C) is essentially Cloud vs. Sephiroth Mk2, no matter how you want to dress it up. AC gets straight to the point of that, compared to its longer, flashier brother.

 

[Anatoliae]

I prefer ACC over AC. Mostly for what's been said already.

And the fact the Moogle Girl became a very touching character rather than just some random girl.

 

[Cthulhu]

I didn't, and I count for the average consumer, . No, only the real fans would've read the novellas, just like only the real fans would pick up and read books and such on Warcraft or Halo. I'm not one of them, and I doubt more than 5% of those that watched AC(c) have read or even know about said novellas.

 

[Arianna]

If you didn't like changes/additions to the combat, that's pure opinion, but I don't know how anyone could argue that the original is a better movie.

Well, I do. I just think the add ins - some of them - were not up to par.

Granted we learned some new things, and I'm grateful for that, but - just some of the scenes were - disturbing, as said in the flow, but also in my comprehension of the plot and the characters.

True, opinion, I never stated it was fact; but, I do think AC was not much enhanced by ACC.

... I mean, more of Kadaj's "ka-saan"... That freaked me out.

PS: Oh, yes, the quality of the picture, etc...

Honestly, I do see what's meant with Blu-Ray's/HDTV's better picture quality, but - at least to me - there's nothing lost on an older television/format.

While I bought into it, I don't agree on how 'great' the picture quality is.

*shrug* Perhaps it's my eyes.

(Although, I'm amused that everyone's 'against' me on this. )

 

[Animexcel]

I generally thought ACC was better than AC, particularly with the added scenes and corrections (like Tifa's gloves). A couple of ways in which I thought ACC didn't measure up to AC, though:

1. Cid's entrance during the big fight was less impressive.
2. In AC, Sephiroth says he wants to take away the one thing important to Cloud; Cloud sees everyone who's important to him, tells Sephiroth there's nothing that isn't important to him, and proceeds to kick his ass. It had a flow, and it went very well with the music.
While I'm glad they added Zack in ACC, it kinda broke that flow for me. Perhaps it's because I'd watched AC dozens of times, so the old scene was stuck in my head.

1. It was too repetitive to see a comrade being saved by another. I'm glad they took that one out that made Tifa looks so defenseless.

2. It shouldn't be all about the music in this case. I think we have listened to OWA so many times, and I know it could sound a bit awkward to split it near the end, but I think it was handled well and that it shouldn't be so predictable to know that the end is coming.

 

[Neutron Ronnie]

1. It was too repetitive to see a comrade being saved by another. I'm glad they took that one out that made Tifa looks so defenseless.

2. It shouldn't be all about the music in this case. I think we have listened to OWA so many times, and I know it could sound a bit awkward to split it near the end, but I think it was handled well and that it shouldn't be so predictable to know that the end is coming.

But Tifa still looks defenseless, you know, when the building's gonna collapse on her... And I'm not saying it should be all about the music, LOL... I just thought it broke the flow, because he retorts right back at Sephiroth in the first version, and in the second there's a little break. It deadens the impact slightly.

I suppose I should've clarified that by flow, I meant Cloud's retort to Sephiroth - NOT the music.

On the whole, though, I enjoyed ACC much more than AC... The Marlene/Cloud scene is one of my favorites...

And I like ACC even better now, because I just read the most ridiculous Clerith essay that is ripped to shreds by the changes and new additions. XD

 

[Makoeyes987]

Wow, this thread is complete bullocks.

How the hell is the original AC better than the Complete version that actually fleshes out its plot in a more substantial manner, and gives the movie some weight in terms of its storytelling and backstory? ACC is more comprehensible and penetrable than the first one. And if you seriously can't tell the difference between the original AC's appearance and the Blu-Ray release, then you seriously should get your eyes checked.

And the action of ACC is significantly more engrossing and dynamic since we actually see results of the combat (blood, brusing, dirt, etc) vs. the characters staying clean and virtually unscathed throughout each confrontation.

This thread makes no sense. It literally doesn't at all.

 

[Tetsujin]

PS: Oh, yes, the quality of the picture, etc...

Honestly, I do see what's meant with Blu-Ray's/HDTV's better picture quality, but - at least to me - there's nothing lost on an older television/format.

While I bought into it, I don't agree on how 'great' the picture quality is.

*shrug* Perhaps it's my eyes.

Well, 75% of the movie aren't even true HD, so...

 

[Max Payne]

Yeah, sub HD pissed me off the most.

 

[Makoeyes987]

Well, 75% of the movie aren't even true HD, so...

I love how you keep going on about that.

 

[Smaddy]

I think ACC is better, however... I think it's slightly overhyped. I think it was ridiculous that basically all the new scenes were to add material to supplement the new characters (The Trio and Denzel), and they added nothing which included the Avalanche crew. If Square's doing any fanservice, it's to the AC fans, not really to the FF7 fans.

I do like that Geostigma is more graphic. I like that certain aspects were better explained, and small pieces were set in to "complete" the story.

I think they over-did it at times with flashbacks. It seemed like at certain points there were too many tacked on scenes. The dialogue in Denzel's flashback of the Sector 7 disaster took me out of the movie because it got pretty ridiculous.

 

[Max Payne]

I love how you keep going on about that.

It is such a massive disappointment though. Especially after waiting almost 2 years for it.

 

[Makoeyes987]

It happens with many Blu-Ray releases. It's just reality and has been going on since Blu Ray and HD DVD. ACC isn't the only Blu-Ray re-release that upscaled rather than completely be released in entirely true HD.