Adaptations are always difficult to handle, especially those working with beloved stories.
Whether dealing with the struggle of bringing nothing more to the table than the original already provides, or straying too far from the story it derives from, it’s very difficult to strike an appropriate balance. In Adam Wingard’s film adaption for Death Note, he seeks to translate a story for American audiences that carries some of its own personality, and to a certain extent, he succeeds. Handling one of the most popular and esteemed manga series in the world, the director of former projects like Blair Witch and You’re Next had a difficult job. The series had already seen popular Japanese film and television adaptations, but Wingard was tasked with leading a whole new story that could bring in different audiences. While he could see some success with this Netflix film, this was definitely a plot that deserved more time and development than it was allowed.
When it comes to manga stories, I don’t have much experience with them. I’ve never personally read or watched any anime, and despite their popularity I never found myself thinking it would be enjoyable for me. Walking into a screening of Death Note I didn’t have very high expectations for how engaging it would be for a non-fan, however, the story manages to draw in viewers through a fast-paced plot that will keep audiences on their toes. The film follows Light Turner, who is led to a morally ambiguous cat and mouse game with the government when he receives a supernatural journal that gives him the power to kill anyone whose name he writes in it. While very fun to watch, the sole root issue with this fast and visually stimulating film is that we’re not given nearly as much development as an origin story needs. While fans of the story might already be familiar with the personality and makeup of the characters, if this film is meant to be introducing new “American” versions of the key players with different overall traits, there needed to be a bit more build up. The plot packed into the first 15 minutes of the film could’ve been stretched out and really improved the project overall.
Starring Nat Wolff and Margaret Qualley as the film’s central lovers and Willem Dafoe brilliantly lending his voice to the creepy demon Ryuk, the real standout performance comes from Get Out star Lakeith Stanfield. Stanfield’s portrayal of the bizarre detective set on exposing the source of the killings really drives the film, and his performance will intrigue and unsettle viewers in equal parts.
Overall Death Note deserved a bit more expansion, however, the story manages to keep up a good pace for the most part. Given a possible sequel the American adaption could gain a solid audience.
Death Note hits Netflix Aug. 25th
