Fullmetal Alchemist (Hagane no renkinjutsushi) [Sub: Eng]
Trailer
This movie follows two alchemist brothers as they go on a quest for the Philosopher's Stone after an attempt to revive their dead mother goes horribly wrong.
Fullmetal Alchemist has some good things going for it, but needs to fix the leaks and sputtering in the narrative's engine. The movie leaves room for a sequel, so maybe we'll get to see a new and improved Hagaren soon.
If you're a fan of the franchise, it's worth checking out. It's a watch that pales in comparison to the original, but Fullmetal Alchemist makes for such a good story, even a bad version of it has weight.
Where this version really won me over is with its compelling effects and worldbuilding. It's hard to translate the madcap randomness and outrageousness of anime action into, well, real life, but Sori gives it a spirited go.
Conservative fans might appreciate its craven faithfulness, but adaptation isn't much fun when it's just approximation, and Fullmetal Alchemist behaves less like cinema than cosplay on a cinema budget.