The plot of these films is very simple. Light Yagami, a high school student who has lost faith in the justice system, finds a mysterious notebook that allows him to kill people by merely writing their name in it. With this, Light thinks he can bring about a justified world by killing anyone who is evil, but a mysterious detective known as L is hot on the case to expose, catch, and stop Light from what becomes a murder spree.
The story of the films runs parallel to the actual plot of the manga/anime. Still, changes were made in the film to better adapt it for a theatrical release. Most notably (in the first film) is the existence of Light’s girlfriend Shiori Akino. While she is a decent and important character to the story’s progression, she is an original character created for the film.
There are also small changes that don’t directly affect the film, such as the shinigami, Rem, being male and having a woman, Sanami, as one of the detectives. However, there are other significant differences that may alienate or gain support of fans.
The movie plot strays off from the original even more in the second film, mostly because it omits entire story arcs. For example, both the “Yotsuba” and “Near and Mello” arcs are absent from the films. It’s understandable why these arcs had to be cut, and while the plot is different as a result, it’s nonetheless enjoyable. Not every fan may agree.
The actors were phenomenal in both films. This goes for both the “raw” and “dubbed” versions. Light Yagami is played by Tatsuya Fujiwara, probably best known as Shuya Nanahara in “Battle Royale.” His performance is very well done and is an appropriate fit. He plays Light as the dark person he really is, but is equally effective in creating the persona Light dons to assuage suspicion. His English voice actor, Brad Swaile, also did a phenominal job and stayed true to Light’s character.
Ken’ichi Matsuyama is an actor who deserves high praise for his portrayal of L. Not only did he fit L perfectly, but he added the right amount of flair, emphasis, and posture to make L believable and memorible. L’s English voice actor, Alessandro Juliani, plays L a little more human than his anime counterpart, but still makes him feel like the same character. It’s interesting to note that almost all the characters in the English dub are voiced by the same actors who voiced them in the anime. There are a few exceptions, such as Rem and Watari. Overall, the entire cast for both versions is highly effective.
Both movies, thanks to their atmosphere, approach to story, actors and characterizations, genuinely draw the viewer in. While the film diverts pretty far from the source material, it’s still an effective parallel storyline. Fans will undoubtedly enjoy seeing a live action version of Death Note and get into the different direction the plot takes. Hardcore fans may be bothered by the fact that favorites like Near didn’t make the final cut. Overall, though, this movie is a thriller like no other, containing supernatural aspects and a huge psychological game of cat and mouse. Definitly pick up a copy.
Death Note and Death Note II: The Last Name is available on DVD from Viz Media.