Death Note (2006)

This is a movie based on what some people consider to be the best anime of all time, second only to "Cowboy Bebop". Well, One-Punch Man's gotten a huge rating as well. Anyway, I would have given this a perfect score if not for one thing. I thought the CGI on Ryuk looked really fake. For a character that spends a lot of time in the movie, that can be distracting. This is still excellent.

I have heard a lot about the "Death Note" franchise and from what I've heard, this is a very faithful adaptation. I wish I could consider this a great live-action adaptation, but as something based on a manga, it might not qualify. All the characters look just like their manga counterparts. The best aspect is probably how realistic it is. I can totally see this sort of outcome happening in real life if a magic book like the Death Note really did exist. It does make you wonder why he doesn't kill dictators. ***1/2

Fmovies: The pacing was slow at first but as it progressed i was completely hooked into the this adaptation. I have seen quite a bit of the anime and it precedes it well, with minor changes. Everything in the movie is well done and true to the whole concept of the story. The visuals alright, as well as the acting. It really depends on a viewer on how to take Deathnote, but to me it's really interesting not to mention thrilling.

It keeps you wanting more and keeps you on edge on what will happen next. The choices the characters makes and why, reflects our reality in a sense. The plot is simple yet so complex. What really gets to me is the idea of this whole deathnote, a responsibility, a choice, a sacrifice for the sake of one's belief and morals. This is those kind of movies where you tend to think quite deeply in absorbing the story yet allowing yourself to be entertained. Recommended to all. You can't miss this. Something different, interesting.

Despite what some may say, this is as great as adaptation of the manga as one could ask for. The actors portray their characters perfectly. The calm menace of Light is portrayed perfectly, with a clear distinction between Light and "Kira" Light, which is impressive considering anime would allow stronger visual cues. L is an honest to god incarnation of his manga and anime counter part down to the smallest detail. Ryuk is also impressive, the CGI effects do him justice and his voice is much better then the one for the subbed anime which was horrendous.

Now obviously the plot needed to be condensed and changed but they did very well. All the important parts are there and the ending, which strays far from the manga, is actually even better then what actually happened in that instance in the story. It wasn't conveyed the complex story involving a genius highschool student who's use of a notebook that kills people that get's him involved in a proverbial chess match with the detective L, but they did a fine job. Misa, despite her short screen time, acted the part of Misa perfectly, down to the voice.

Fans of the manga should enjoy as long as they don't expect an exact replica of the manga, and fans of thrillers should enjoy this as well.

9.5/10

Death Note fmovies. Death Note, the movie I though was amazingly done! For the most part it stays very close to the manga and keeps true to the general feel of Death Note. The over all story of DN spans across 8 manga volumes and how they've compiled them has been quite ingenious, Again keeping with the feel of Death Note. If you've read the manga, you will notice certain events, and like with most movies compared to the books, you can tell where gaps are by poor character development, more times than not. With Death Note it's merely seamless.

The characters are wonderfully and are perfectly portrayed! Ryuk is outstanding and rather entertaining to watch, especially when he goes into apple withdrawal's.

I saw the movie last night, and I thought it was very good. Repeating others, it would probably be better to read the manga a bit to see the changes, but the changes weren't that horrible. Some of the action is a bit wishy-washy(such as the heart attacks), but L was very good. The actor definitely captivated you as the character from the anime and movie. Raito was believable, but he didn't seem as genius as he did in the movie. The animation on Ryuk was also pretty sweet, only bad in one or two angles. I definitely can't wait to see "The Last Name". Already reading the ending, I think the director did a good job in changing some of the views and order of things.

Overall though, this movie is a must see!!!

This is the live-action version of the TV anime series, DEATH NOTE. They are both relatively similar, though the plot lines have been moved around a bit and a girlfriend was created for the main character, Light. In the anime and manga, there was no girlfriend and so my purist daughter complained loudly when she appeared in the film. However, I advise you to relax and give the film a chance--I actually LOVED what they did with the lady in the film. Early on, she's about as superfluous as a vestigial tail, but later she becomes an important part of the plot--you'll see. But as for the rest of the film, it is true to the original--Light is an evil piggie and L looks and acts much like a cockroach (like in the anime).

As for the story itself, it's a pretty hard film to describe for Western audiences. If you are already an anime/manga freak, then you probably will not be scared away by the odd plot line and story elements about the supernatural. However, for the uninitiated, please try to suspend judgment--the film can be enjoyed by anyone--not just anime/manga fans. I am much more of a casual fan of the genre and enjoyed the film immensely. My wife generally hates anime and loved the film. And, my insane "sold my soul to anime" teen loved the film as well. In light of this, I really think this live-action film is good entertainment for all.

One final note is that the guy playing Light's father is Chairman Kaga from Iron Chef. Throughout the film, I kept expecting him to whip out a yellow pepper and eat it, but unfortunately he did not!