[.ca] Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie: The Conqueror of ...

Amazon.ca:
The Fullmetal Alchemist theatrical feature, The Conqueror of Shambala, takes place two years after the last episode of the popular broadcast series. Edward Elric has been transported to Earth and is living in Weimar-era Munich with Alphonse Heiderich, a young engineer who reminds him of Al. This Alphonse is working for the Thule Society, a group of Aryan fanatics who hope to cross dimensions to the world they call Shambala and acquire weapons that will ensure a German victory in the next war. Back in the world where the broadcast series took place, a restored Alphonse Elric searches for a way to bring Ed back. A combination of science and alchemy finally reunites the brothers--with unexpected consequences. Although the film is an exciting adventure that includes many of the familiar characters, viewers who haven't watched the TV series may have trouble sorting out who's who and what's where. Sadly, The Conqueror of Shambala marks the end of director Seiji Mizushima's and screenwriter Shou Aikawa's work with the Elric brothers: together, they preserved the essence of Hiromu Arakawa's winning characters while adapting them to a new medium. Arakawa is continuing the manga, so fans may one day see further animated adventures of Ed and Al.(Rated PG: violence, grotesque imagery, brief nudity, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

If you want closure - this is a good as it gets:
Out of storyline, and out of the movies' constructivity. For a movie based on an anime series - Conqueror of Shamballa gives you the information you were looking for after the Elric Brothers were seperated. This is by far one of the best animated movies I have seen with a series to launch it. Few anime movies can be titled epic, and this is certainly a movie for content and structure rather than mindless wandering about a stage. 5 out of 5 for a great ending to the Fullmetal Alchemist series.

Fullmetal Alchemist...a good effort.:
Fullmetal Alchemist the series surprised me with its depth and serious tone by the end of its run. The Conqueror of Shamballa gave some closing to series. However they were some points in that came up in the movie that were never properly addressed or were settled half heartedly. Conqueror of Shambala was an enjoyable anime though, especially to fans of the series who most likely want a more solid ending to the series.(Don't count on that by the way.)

Not really worth your time:
I'm a casual viewer of anime and unashamed to say that I caught the original series (via Tivo) on Cartoon Network. Essentially, this after-word to the 50+ episode epic it follows falls flat on almost every metric. It's one thing to suggest a mystical connection between a fantasy world and our one. It's quite another to attempt to follow through on the suggestion. The ending of FMA (the TV series) was interesting, thought provoking and sad. The film seems little more than an attempt to capitalize on a commercial success. The only redeeming feature of this film are its detailed and exciting action sequences. If you are some sort of hardcore fan, go nuts. For everyone else who enjoyed the original show and sighed happily if wistfully at the end: keep that happy feeling and don't see "Shambala".