War of worlds: The parallels between the “Death Note” universe and its most recent installment

BY ANNABELLE ROSA

Anticipated by some and dreaded by others, the new “Death Note” movie came out on August 25, 2017, but was met with several negative responses, criticizing it as a complete departure from both the anime and the manga which preceded it. However, the movie was well constructed in the sense that it takes on a new identity of its own – something which is needed for any adaptation that makes a cross from one platform to another.

The premise of the film centers around a young man known as Light Turner, portrayed by Nat Wolff, an actor known for his roles in title films such as “Paper Towns” and “The Fault in Our Stars.” Wolf’s character happens upon the infamous death note, a notebook which has the ability to end a person’s life with a few strokes of a pen, and the death god, Ryuk, played by Willem Dafoe, who seems to be the keeper of the coveted “tool.” Wolff’s character begins to seek vengeance against those he deems villainous, signing the killings off with the name “Kira,” meaning “killer” in Japanese. Wolff gains the attention of the police, specifically a detective who goes by the name L, played by Keith Stanfield. An interesting story unfolds from there, taking thrilling and unexpected turns.

The two most impressive performances come from Wolff and Stanfield as they depict the two most important individuals within the storyline. Interestingly enough, it appeared as though the character development of both of their characters, Light and L, were more cohesive and complex within the film than in the anime. Both Wolff and Stanfield provide performances that, accompanied with a more introspective dialogue, make the line between good and bad a lot more blurred. Within the anime, on the other hand, the plot was what conveyed the confusion necessary for viewers to question their stance on who the true villain was.

The videography was also well done, with expertly executed camera angles and shots. The only things which stood out as somewhat cheesy were some of the prosthetics used for the gorrier death scenes.

The best part of the film, in spite of its intriguing plot and convincing performances, was its score, which was incredibly effective at setting the scene for the haunting tale with its cool, new wave vibes. In the opening scene, for instance, the camera opens on Wolff covered in long sleeves and jotting down what appears to be answers to a math assignment, his earbuds blaring, his focus shifting from one thing to another. All sound is cut out of the scene except for the Australian Crawl’s song “Reckless,” which shakes viewers in a manner that lulls them into a false sense of security while still providing the promise of a slow corruption and perhaps crime. The soundtrack and the sound are brilliant and the most compelling aspect of the film besides the original storyline.

The movie, though admittedly different from its predecessors, is actually worth viewing. In some ways it’s humorous, in others it’s serious, but ultimately it is a good movie to watch for entertainment’s sake on a Friday night. The movie deserves a 3.5 out of 6 stars for first successfully conveying an old story in a different manner and then for actually giving the characters more depth than they originally had. It is also worth noting that it gained the 0.5 for Nat Wolff’s high pitched, almost pre-pubescent scream in response to seeing Defoe’s character for the first time. Check out “Death Note” on Netflix – it won’t be terribly boring.

Photo by Genna Nordling