This movie tries to do a lot within its small runtime and it can make the plot feel a bit disjointed. We've had the entirety of two runs of Gundam SEED to establish the characters presented. This made it confusing to understand the choice to make a will they won't they relationship plotline that could have actually been carried out more creatively as I'll explain later. Aside from that other characters who have been well established in the series are treated as a vainfully as the unnamed citizens that get nuked and microwaved in the film. With side characters having their loyalty questioned only for those doing the questioning to be the ones who betray their allegence. The plot is a lot less focused on the world and instead is shifted primarily to the goals of our main villain and rival love interest, Orphee Tao.
From here I get into spoilers. The plan is that the federation is supposed to give up their allgence to Orphee who constructed a convoluted plan to destroy his own kingdom to throw it into war. He strikes most of the major representatives of the Federation to force unconditional surrender to him and his advance race of genetically modified lifeforms. Amoung these is our main character's love interest Lacus, who was quasi-mind controlled into loving him. Kira, our main character is sent back and forth on his feelings for Lacus as he feels unsuitable for being a killing machine of a Gundam pilot. The movie spends way to much time on this uncomfortable plotline to the point of embarrassment. Meanwhile, cities are being destroyed and governments toppled in the wake of the Secret Weapon that Orphee has at his disposal. In the end once all of characters rally together in the end they fight and destroy Orphee and his goons. As for all named Federation characters and even the traitor not a single one dies and it ends happy on the beach with no moment of reconciliation for the cities and lives lost.
My recommendation, get rid of the romance plotline entirely and focus more on the rift between love nd war in Kira. Make it so Kira persuing his goal of peace so blindlessly and recklessly that Lacus purposely pulls him back for fear of his and his crew's safety. Her making the willing decision to side with Orphee out of sacrifice to bring peace to Kira instead of the embarrassing jealousy mind control thing would have been far more impactful in my opinion. It would have brought more focus on to the action ans grim acts of war in the movie as well.
Essentially the film is a fluff piece finale to end off the series and does little to leave a lasting impact for the viewer. However, I do see merit in ways it could have been more impactful had they focused less on the fanservice and romance.
From here I get into spoilers. The plan is that the federation is supposed to give up their allgence to Orphee who constructed a convoluted plan to destroy his own kingdom to throw it into war. He strikes most of the major representatives of the Federation to force unconditional surrender to him and his advance race of genetically modified lifeforms. Amoung these is our main character's love interest Lacus, who was quasi-mind controlled into loving him. Kira, our main character is sent back and forth on his feelings for Lacus as he feels unsuitable for being a killing machine of a Gundam pilot. The movie spends way to much time on this uncomfortable plotline to the point of embarrassment. Meanwhile, cities are being destroyed and governments toppled in the wake of the Secret Weapon that Orphee has at his disposal. In the end once all of characters rally together in the end they fight and destroy Orphee and his goons. As for all named Federation characters and even the traitor not a single one dies and it ends happy on the beach with no moment of reconciliation for the cities and lives lost.
My recommendation, get rid of the romance plotline entirely and focus more on the rift between love nd war in Kira. Make it so Kira persuing his goal of peace so blindlessly and recklessly that Lacus purposely pulls him back for fear of his and his crew's safety. Her making the willing decision to side with Orphee out of sacrifice to bring peace to Kira instead of the embarrassing jealousy mind control thing would have been far more impactful in my opinion. It would have brought more focus on to the action ans grim acts of war in the movie as well.
Essentially the film is a fluff piece finale to end off the series and does little to leave a lasting impact for the viewer. However, I do see merit in ways it could have been more impactful had they focused less on the fanservice and romance.