Death Note Movie Review

, the movie is based on a highly popular Japanese Manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata of the same name.

Good? Quite...
Worth
S$9.00
Movies in Singapore are from a range of S$6.50 to S$9.00 depending on the day and time you watch it on.

In order to enjoy this movie, you have to suspend your logic, and just enjoy the plot.

The story, in a nutshell, is about a note book, labelled 'Death Note'. Death Notes (I can only assume there are many) are used by Death Gods (Shinigamis) (again, I assume there are more than one). If a name is written on it, the person whose name is on it shall die. The 'Death Note', comes with instructions rules on how to use it... in English...

Ermm... (like I said... suspend your logic...)

The book was dropped by a Shinigami, Ryuk, and intended for Raito (Light) Yagami to pick it up. He was skeptical about the book, but eventually uses it to start on a mission to cleanse all evil from the world as Kira, his alter-ego on the Internet.

L (Eru), an eccentric, top rated detective is the one who was tasked on the job to find Kira. There are other characters that come into the plot, like Light's father, who happens to be the captain of the investigative team looking for Kira, Light's girlfriend, L's helper, and a cute teenage TV starlet Misa Amane, whom I suspect will have a major role in the following sequels.

Because I have not read the manga series, I am unable to compare between the two mediums, but I say that as a movie, Death Note was well made.

The movie starts with a high tempo, showing one mysterious death after another, then explaining the reason in flashbacks. The pacing for the plot was good, giving enough time for character building, and tension building. The use of silence, which I observed in many Japanese anime and films. as a tool story telling was not too excessive but was very effectively placed.

CG animation was not too excessive. According to my friend, the animation for the Shinigami Ryuk, was done exactly as how he was drawn in the manga series. Even his love of apples had been faithfully depicted.

Tatsuya Fujiwara was very convincing in the role of Light Yagami. Kenichi Matsuyama was also excellent as L. Portraying the odd quirks and mannerisms without over-acting must be a very difficult job. Supported by the rest of the cast, they have managed to make the incredible premise of the film, plausible, at least.

A sidenote... but I think Shunji Fujiwara, the actor in the role of L's helper Watari, really looks like the late Singaporean comedian Wang Sa.

Without revealing the plot too much, I think the movie was very well made to have made me change allegiance within the duration of the movie.

The end of the movie is but the beginning of the next. So don't expect the story to end with this one... this is only part one.

But I can't wait for part two. It is slated to be released in November of this year. Don't know when it will be released to Singapore, since the first one took 4 months to come, but I can't wait... :)