'SUP, NERDS?!
I've been dreading today's entry... Recently I watched the Death Note (2017) feature film on Netflix. Death Note was my favorite manga about ten years ago and I still think it holds itself as a phenomenal crime and thriller series. Ohba and Obata are geniuses who continue to cultivate amazing manga (i.e. Bakuman), but the American Death Note movie barely manages to replicate their creative ingenuity. Although I'm not in love with the movie like I am with the anime and manga, ya'll need to stop picking on it.
It's Called "Adaptation"
Even though I didn't like Death Note overall as a film, I do feel the need to defend it. One of the greatest complaints I've seen about this movie is that the actors are not Japanese. Why does it have to be a full Japanese or Asian cast? Does that actually matter?
Adaptation is a concept that should be celebrated. It is a compliment to another culture. Death Note (the manga) doesn't rely on being Japanese to advance the story. Maybe if this was a detailed story about Oda Nobunaga adapted into an American Western with a bunch of white actors... perhaps that would be a nonsensical and culturally inappropriate.
If we're crying about how disrespectful Death Note is as an American movie based off a Japanese series, we may as well banish the American adaptations of Shall We Dance?, The Ring and Edge of Tomorrow. Oh, and let's take back My Fair Lady, Ghost and Sideways from the Japanese. THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BORROW OUR IDEAS IF WE CAN'T USE THEIRS!!!1!!!11
Oh, and don't get me started about Memoirs of a Geisha amidst this outrage. Let's focus our rage in the fact that a Japanese-oriented film hired only a few Japanese actors. This is an example of a film to actually be upset about. Focus your energy elsewhere.
They worked well with what they had
I've had this dream of creating an American adaptation of Death Note for years. After running the various arcs and characters through my head, I think it's best suited as a television series. Death Note simply has too much content that cannot be boiled down to a single feature film. Its charm relies on the philosophy and psychosis of Light and L.
I was bothered most by the setting of the movie-- but to their credit, they didn't do a horrible job. The manga spans over Light's young adult life whereas the adaptation is just a moment in high school. I do feel Light's character could have benefited to be placed in a college setting to create a mature character, but they opted for an angsty teen.
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| I'm certain Light is aware of his own cringe. |
I think the creators portrayed Light well as an generally disliked teenager with plenty of insecurities. To be honest, I loved the scene when Ryuk was introduced and Light was spilling boogers and hiding in detention. Later when Light was faced with a decision to kill his father, the choice of leaving his father alive was realistic, considering he actually cares for his father and he has no other family left. I was left heartbroken when Soichiro died in the manga, but that Light has different motivations than "movie Light". "Manga Light" is definitely a full-blown sociopath and "movie Light" has more (ahem) "innocent" intentions.
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| This isn't the Misa I love... How does that feel, Mia?? |
Misa-Mia?
Misa is misunderstood as a character by a large number of people in the manga. Either you love or hate her for her cutesy, goth appearance, but she is quite an intelligent character. She sought the attention of Light and was able to manipulate the most powerful man in the world into getting what she wants: his heart (except he didn't actually love her).
Despite how "high-school" the Death Note movie is, Mia resembles Misa in the way that she manipulates Light and proves to be a real threat. Yes, the corny montage of them writing names after school and making out makes everyone cringe, but Mia was (er, almost) brilliant sabotaging Light so that she could become the next holder of the note. It did hurt just an itty bitty bit when Light wrote her death and into scenario proving her love... At least she got what she deserved since she never did like him in the first place.
Best Acting Goes To...
Ryuk and L are the best characters in the Death Note movie. The way Willem Defoe portrays Ryuk and the way he was written is near-identical to the manga. L is portrayed in a way that makes him feel like an outlandish genius, minus him being an unattractive character.
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| Perhaps the sweets are, but L is not an attractive character in the manga. |
I never liked L because he was too weird in the manga. He also never felt real and was almost too smart. Lakeith Stanfield takes L's quirks (like his love for sugar and the way he perches a chair) but expresses more emotion than his manga counterpart. I loved that L was vulnerable and showed heroism, such as chasing Light and the note. Admittedly, the end was wonderful when L was removed from the Kira case and he is tempted to write on Mia's page of the Death Note...
A Part 2?
Honestly, I kind of hated watching Death Note since it was originally never designed as a movie and didn't resemble the manga like I wanted it to. However, it's not a completely awful movie and I think critics are too harsh because they compare it too closely to the manga or anime. Looking at Death Note as just a movie, separating it from the original work, the emotions, philosophies, weaknesses and intentions of the characters make sense. I think that's what really matters in a movie.
I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel. Considering it received a lot of buzz, there may be another. I think the movie-rules of the Death Note could extend into another interesting story and I'm curious to see the consequences of Light and L's actions. Let me take your hand for a moment and be truthful with each other: the Japanese live action Death Note movies are definitely worse than the American adaptation. And there didn't need to be two disastrous films made in Japan.
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| What's the point of this movie if they aren't handsome?? That's all it needed to be an okay set of movies. |
Death Note was a fun watch, but it's like any summer blockbuster film: It's a bit ridiculous and isn't terribly meaningful-- a movie meant to sell popcorn. What do you think of it? Were you able to enjoy it? Which characters did you like the most or least?
LATER, DWEEBS!
Loverly Liz
P.S.-- You should really watch Shall We Dance... kind of sort of the
