Movie review: Death Note
The usual AniMacon screening was cancelled last night, so we could get together to see the live-action Death Note movie at the theater.
It was a fun night, though not everyone made it.
Two things that really bugged the whole group:
1. Why dub a live-action movie when the target audience is anime fans, who are usually quite happy with Japanese dialog and English subtitles?
2. Why dub the voices but make no effort whatsoever at making text readable?
I've read most of the manga, and seen the whole portion of the anime that the movie covered. The premise is intact, and they did well on the characters (especially L and Ryuk). Some scenes were changed for no apparent reason, but the new scenes at least fit the characters and story.
For those not familiar with the story, it all starts with a shinigami (god of death) named Ryuk, who is bored with the barren and lifeless shinigami realm and drops his Death Note into our world, where young genius Light Yagami picks it up.
At first, Light thinks that a notebook with the words "The human whose name is written in this note shall die" has to be some sick joke. But he's curious, and tests it out on some generally bad people, who no one will miss. They die, just as the notebook says. And Light gets ideas. He starts looking for the identities of criminals, and killing them in massive numbers, trying to create a peaceful and crime-free world, over which he can rule as a god. All he needs is a name, a face, a pen, and the Death Note.
Of course, the police (including Light's own father) soon realize that the countless criminals having sudden heart attacks are no mere coincidence. The supernatural serial killer is dubbed "Kira", and the chase is on, led by brilliant detective L, whose name and face are a closely guarded secret.
***spoiler begins***
L, it turns out, is about Light's age, at least as intelligent, and uses somewhat questionable methods. He remarks that Kira is childish and hates to lose, just like himself. L's also a gangly, weird-looking guy who doesn't wear shoes and eats nothing but sweets. The movie really portrayed him well, the actor had the skinny look and bags under his eyes, and somehow made shoveling down sugar look natural.
Light could've been cast better, the original story emphasized his popularity and physical appearance, but he didn't look spectacular and wasn't as well-dressed as Light is usually shown. But Light's personality was spot-on, the magnificent bastard willing to sacrifice anyone to achieve his goal. The thing that really bugged me was giving Light a single, exclusive girlfriend, Shiori. The original Light had gaggles of female admirers, who he used as a distraction and to keep up appearances. His relationship with Shiori doesn't ring true, but then in the end he's using her too.
Ryuk, the shinigami, was done in CG, which is fitting for a horrid apparition from another world. His tantrum when denied apples was great. Seems the shinigami realm doesn't have good produce.
The biggest change from the original was the Naomi Misora scene. Naomi Misora is the fiance of one of the FBI agents trailing Light, who made it her mission to hunt down her love's murderer. In the original, she coincidentally ran into Light at the police office trying to deliver information vital to the Kira case, and he tricked her into giving her name and used the Death Note to kill her in a particularly twisted fashion. A bit of a contrived coincidence, but it really showed off how truly evil Light was becoming.
At first, I was disappointed when the movie had her hunt down Light, acting like a crazed stalker, and take his girlfriend hostage. It made her look too hysterical, and him look too sympathetic. But then I saw the aftermath, when Light confessed to Ryuk that he'd arranged the whole thing with the Death Note, sacrificing Shiori's life as well as Naomi's to make himself look less suspicious. It seemed to even shock the shinigami!
I like the story, but I don't admire most of the characters. Ryuk is sort of a viewer avatar, who doesn't much care what happens, as long as it's entertaining. Light has what looks like good intentions if you don't look too closely, but he's a perfect illustration of the Lawful Evil alignment, willing to murder anyone who gets in his way. L, in the end, isn't all that much better, using very questionable tactics. But the interplay between the two leaves you wondering what's going to happen next, who's going to come out on top. Light's father Soichiro is one of the few truly "good" characters in the series, troubled by L's extreme methods and genuinely shocked at the thought that his own son could be Kira.
My favorite character in the series doesn't really come into her own until the second movie (and yes, they made sure there would be a second). Misa Amane, the cute, perky model girl who's smarter than she looks and moonlights as a serial killer. But she's doing it for love.
It was a fun night, though not everyone made it.
Two things that really bugged the whole group:
1. Why dub a live-action movie when the target audience is anime fans, who are usually quite happy with Japanese dialog and English subtitles?
2. Why dub the voices but make no effort whatsoever at making text readable?
I've read most of the manga, and seen the whole portion of the anime that the movie covered. The premise is intact, and they did well on the characters (especially L and Ryuk). Some scenes were changed for no apparent reason, but the new scenes at least fit the characters and story.
For those not familiar with the story, it all starts with a shinigami (god of death) named Ryuk, who is bored with the barren and lifeless shinigami realm and drops his Death Note into our world, where young genius Light Yagami picks it up.
At first, Light thinks that a notebook with the words "The human whose name is written in this note shall die" has to be some sick joke. But he's curious, and tests it out on some generally bad people, who no one will miss. They die, just as the notebook says. And Light gets ideas. He starts looking for the identities of criminals, and killing them in massive numbers, trying to create a peaceful and crime-free world, over which he can rule as a god. All he needs is a name, a face, a pen, and the Death Note.
Of course, the police (including Light's own father) soon realize that the countless criminals having sudden heart attacks are no mere coincidence. The supernatural serial killer is dubbed "Kira", and the chase is on, led by brilliant detective L, whose name and face are a closely guarded secret.
***spoiler begins***
L, it turns out, is about Light's age, at least as intelligent, and uses somewhat questionable methods. He remarks that Kira is childish and hates to lose, just like himself. L's also a gangly, weird-looking guy who doesn't wear shoes and eats nothing but sweets. The movie really portrayed him well, the actor had the skinny look and bags under his eyes, and somehow made shoveling down sugar look natural.
Light could've been cast better, the original story emphasized his popularity and physical appearance, but he didn't look spectacular and wasn't as well-dressed as Light is usually shown. But Light's personality was spot-on, the magnificent bastard willing to sacrifice anyone to achieve his goal. The thing that really bugged me was giving Light a single, exclusive girlfriend, Shiori. The original Light had gaggles of female admirers, who he used as a distraction and to keep up appearances. His relationship with Shiori doesn't ring true, but then in the end he's using her too.
Ryuk, the shinigami, was done in CG, which is fitting for a horrid apparition from another world. His tantrum when denied apples was great. Seems the shinigami realm doesn't have good produce.
The biggest change from the original was the Naomi Misora scene. Naomi Misora is the fiance of one of the FBI agents trailing Light, who made it her mission to hunt down her love's murderer. In the original, she coincidentally ran into Light at the police office trying to deliver information vital to the Kira case, and he tricked her into giving her name and used the Death Note to kill her in a particularly twisted fashion. A bit of a contrived coincidence, but it really showed off how truly evil Light was becoming.
At first, I was disappointed when the movie had her hunt down Light, acting like a crazed stalker, and take his girlfriend hostage. It made her look too hysterical, and him look too sympathetic. But then I saw the aftermath, when Light confessed to Ryuk that he'd arranged the whole thing with the Death Note, sacrificing Shiori's life as well as Naomi's to make himself look less suspicious. It seemed to even shock the shinigami!
I like the story, but I don't admire most of the characters. Ryuk is sort of a viewer avatar, who doesn't much care what happens, as long as it's entertaining. Light has what looks like good intentions if you don't look too closely, but he's a perfect illustration of the Lawful Evil alignment, willing to murder anyone who gets in his way. L, in the end, isn't all that much better, using very questionable tactics. But the interplay between the two leaves you wondering what's going to happen next, who's going to come out on top. Light's father Soichiro is one of the few truly "good" characters in the series, troubled by L's extreme methods and genuinely shocked at the thought that his own son could be Kira.
My favorite character in the series doesn't really come into her own until the second movie (and yes, they made sure there would be a second). Misa Amane, the cute, perky model girl who's smarter than she looks and moonlights as a serial killer. But she's doing it for love.