[Tom4784]

Youtube video

I'll watch it but I don't think it really resembles Death Note in any way aside from in the broadest sense. It might turn out to be good though, who knows?

[Toy Soldier]

It's obviously been heavily westernised, but that doesn't mean it can't be decent in its own way. Probably better than it trying to stick TOO close to the source, tbh.

I also love that Willem Dafoe voices Ryuk. I mean, the first thing anyone thinks when they see the anime Ryuk is surely; "HEY! ... that's Willem Dafoe ..."

[Tom4784]

I live for the Willem Defoe casting, it's perfect.

[Mystic Mock]

It looks good I think.

There's a bit more action in there compared to the Anime though.

[Tom4784]

I watched it, I thought it was good but very flawed. I'd give it a 7/10.

Most of my issues with it come from the changes from the source material, Adam Wingard and the writers didn't really understand that the appeal of the original series was the cat and mouse game between Light and L because it's not really represented that well here.

Spoiler:

Light pretty much admitting to being Kira when L confronts him for the first time removes a lot of the drama that the anime had. It was fascinating watching L doing everything he can to prove his theory that Light is Kira but inevitably seeing him as a friend and the conflict that creates while Light is trying to do everything he can to kill him. None of that is in the film which is a shame.

The other major issue is the characters of L and Light.

Spoiler:

They are completely different to how they are in the source material to a point that it's distracting. Admittedly, in the anime they are both a bit too perfect at what they do and are quite infallible which is something that's difficult for most writers, actors and directors to pull off without making it boring but I think the film made both of these characters far too flawed to the point they are unrecognisable. Light is too much of a clown with a conscience while L is far too emotionally erratic. The Creatives behind the film just didn't understand the characters. It would have been better if they went with all original characters because the best character in the film is an original one called Mia who is more like the original Light than the Light in the film.

Oh and Willem Defoe as Ryuk is pretty perfect although he doesn't get enough screen time at all.

It doesn't really feel like Death Note until the last half hour either which is a shame but the finale is pretty great and it sets up a sequel that I'd want to see.

I had a few issues with it but overall I enjoyed it for what it was, You just have to think of it as a completely seperate entity to Death Note as a whole.

[RichardG]

watched the first 20 minutes

didn't enjoy

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by RichardG

watched the first 20 minutes

didn't enjoy

It's a slow start but it does get better. The characterisation of L and Light are a bit rough and only gets rougher. I found it better to just think of them as completely different characters to those of the anime.

[RichardG]

i've never watched the anime (i hate anime ) but i watched the jp live action version many times when i was younger

couldn't get into the netflix one at all, i'll try again later tho

[_baileys_]

I am a huge manga/anime fan so really looking forward to watching this one will bbl to let you know what I think

[_baileys_]

hmm I think I will stick to re-watching the manga anime version...

I am about an hour in and hmm putting it politely.. some movies should stay as animations and NEVER be made with real actors

[ethanjames]

I didn't even watch the original death note (though I was aware of it) but I watched death note and I really disliked it. I thought the main character was very unlikable and the actor did an awful job of playing him and the girlfriend was even worse who didn't really add much to the story itself until the last 20ish mins and even then it could have been done without. the whole plot was incredibly incoherent and it didn't work within the movie. it started to feel more like a highschool drama within the second act which bothered me as it was supposed to be an eighteen (idk why though any 12 year old could probably handle it). the finale was possibly one of the most overdramatic things ive seen in a while. the whole dialogue was very flumpy and it felt like it was written by a small child. but I did like the lighting I thought it brought a nice atmosphere. overall id probably give it a 2/10. I can see why someone may like it but still

[Scarlett.]

I've not seen the film (though I have seen clips xD)

I just finished watching the anime, and it was amazing