Movie Review: Death Note (Lights, Camera, Action!)

Death Note (UK Rating: 15)

For some, any adaptation is bad news. The break away from the thing they love is automatically seen as a negative. Those coming in wanting a completely faithful adaptation of the original, and will be completely unhappy with anything that breaks away from any plot point, would be best giving this a miss. It is a very different story with only a few characters and plot points that remain the same.

So far, so familiar, but this story plays out very different to the original. The main difference is the characters - pretty much across the board, the characters are hardly recognisable to their original incarnations, other than one that absolutely steals the show. That being Ryuk; casting Willem Dafoe was an absolute masterstroke and he was absolutely perfect in the role - the laugh, the facial expressions, the tone of his voice are all absolutely perfect. It's a real shame there isn't more of him here, and hopefully he will be back in whatever form this continues. The Ryuk character was somewhat altered, though - much more standoffish and seemingly less interested in Light than getting the book to a more fitting Keeper. That's rather fitting, considering that Light in this adaptation is highly unlikeable. Nat Wolff portrays a whiny, screechy Light that is without any of the devious intelligence or the complex plans other than a single moment. Then there's Mia, the replacement for Misa, a very different character, but similarly deliciously unhinged and damaged. Mia is a cheerleader in Light's school he has eyes for, so much so he reveals the note to her and the decision to change the world is almost more her idea than his, with Light using it to almost show off to Mia. This toxic relationship becomes the heart of the story; there's definitely manipulation going on, but this time it's on Mia's part instead of Light's. She's evidently damaged and it's something that would have benefitted from further development.

Fans will notice a certain character absent in this list: L - the genius master detective, the perfect foil for Kira, and possibly the most popular character in the story. L exists in the film but he's a pale imitation of the original. He keeps some of the mannerisms, his method of speaking, and his habit of constantly snacking on sweets, as well as how he sits on a chair. He doesn't seem as intelligent, though, so the cat and mouse game between L and Light that became the core of the story before now feels more tacked on. The pair has the odd confrontation but it's lacking the heart of the original. Instead, the story seems based around the twisted love affair of Light and Mia.

That being said…there are some decisions made with this version that are… disappointing, to say the least. Some things seem to just fit, to just work as a key element of the story, and do not need to be altered or elaborated upon. There are some stuttered issues with pacing midway through the film, the occasional bit of trite or cliché dialogue, and some needless changes to the rules of the Death Note itself, which are all rather forgivable. Even the watered down Light is acceptable; this is, after all, a different take on the source material. What is not forgivable, however, is the loss of the relationship between Light and L. This story would be so much better had it been included.

7/10

Very Good - Bronze Award

Adaptations take guts. It is not possible to shrink down the entire Death Note story to fit in 90 minutes, so this was either going to be a part of the story or some major changes. As an adaptation, this is a great one. There are some elements that really shine. Mia is great, Ryuk is superb and, ultimately, the story is a fun ride that is not only worth watching but worth re-watching. Adam Wingard's influence is evident and a real benefit, too, including the fantastic tonal balance seen in his previous works, along with the sublime synth soundtrack. Ultimately, this is a highly enjoyable, albeit flawed, fresh take on the source material and, hopefully, something that will continue to develop, if only for more Dafoe-Ryuk greatness.