Customer Reviews

Death Note II: The Last Name

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Based on the manga and anime series that has captured the attention of viewers worldwide, "Death Note" the live action film makes its way to the US on DVD.

"Death Note" is an adaption of the popular manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata and stars Tatsuya Fujiwara (known for his work in the popular "Battle Royale" films), directed by Shusuke Kaneko (known for the 2006 hit film "Gamera") and another theme song "Snow (Hey Oh)" by the popular band RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.

The sequel is the conclusion to the thrilling cat and mouse chase as the murderer Kira (Light Yagami, who has attained a large cult following for killing off criminals) tries to find a way to kill his nemesis, the top investigator in the police force known as L. While L suspects Light Yagami as being Kira.

The film is 140 minutes long, pacing was indeed well done and overall, despite being different from the manga and anime series, both Shusuke Kaneko and Tetsuya Oishii managed to come up with a thrilling, dark and gripping storyline that remains faithful to the overlying theme of the film.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

The film is featured in 16×9 anamorphic widescreen and was originally shot in 35mm (1:85:1 ratio). My main interest was to see how the CGI would be for the shinagami Ryuk and Rem. And how that would translate on film and the two shinigami look exactly like it does in the anime and manga series but Rem seems to look more less detailed than Ryuk. But overall, the CG works with the film.

As for audio, the film is featured in both English and Japanese via digital 5.1 and 2.0 stereo. I typically dislike English dubbing of Asian language films but what brought a smile to my face was that VIZ used the original voice actors of the anime series (which had great English dub work) on this series. So, for those who are fond of Brandon Swaile's Light, Alessandro Juliani's L, Brian Drummond's Ryuk, Shannon Chan-Kent as Misa and the other English dub voice actors will be happy to know that they did the English dub for the live film. That surprised me and definitely major kudo points for Viz Media for keeping things consistent in the voice acting.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Special features in the film include the Death Note anime trailer, the Japanese and US trailer and Viz Pictures Presents. The primary featurette is "the Making of Death Note II", a 23-minute featurette which includes interviews with the director and the main talent involved with the film. Definitely good insight of what the talent felt about the characters and the challenges that they faced. For example, Ken'ichi Matsuyama (L) having to constantly eat sweets. He mentions that he had to do it so much that he couldn't tolerate it anymore and couldn't swallow. He just spit it out after the shot. Also, explanations by director Shusuke Kaneko on differences from the live film and the manga version. Overall, a solid featurette.

"DEATH NOTE II: The Last Name" was extremely popular in Japan. Having been #1 in the box office for five weeks and earning 5.5 Billion yen in Japan, the film was indeed a success.

I enjoyed the film a lot and the pacing was much better with the second film but if anything was amazing, it was Tetsuya Oishii's screenplay. It is challenging to get so much storyline from the manga and making a live action film. There is so much story in the "Death Note" manga that it would be difficult to translate all that in two films. So, there had to be major differences in the live film versus the manga and unfortunately, for many films based from a long manga series, they don't succeed because they try to condense everything into one film.

As for "Death Note II: The Last Name", Oishii manages to create a new storyline that is so different from the manga series but yet manages to stay within the confines of the main focal point. Kira vs. L and finding a right conclusion.

Having the storyline so different from the manga, I was pleasantly surprised by it but by the film's end, I was rather pleased. Both Kaneko and Oishii pulled it off.

What I love about this film is that Kira and L are two individuals who are intelligent and the way they try to outdo each other, is always amazing. In a way, it's like a chess game between these two as they do what they can to outwit each other.

Also, I enjoyed seeing how many other characters were integrated into the overall storyline. And knowing how different this film is from the manga and anime series, I was satisfied with the conclusion of the film and overall, I really enjoyed the sequel. Good storytelling by Oishii and managing to pull of a storyline that is just as satisfying as the manga but yet quite different.

If you enjoyed the first live film, then you will definitely want to pick up the sequel. "DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME" is a thrilling, suspenseful and enjoyable film. Highly recommended!

My 14-year-old son got me hooked. He got free tickets to see it in the theatre. Snce he doesn't drive yet, dear old dad had to take him. I thought since this was vol 2, I better see vo1 1 first. I watched the first and was impressed....very cool movie. I was actually lookng forward to the second. I was not disappointed...OUTSTANDING movie. I personally can't wait for it to come out on dvd so I can watch them back-to-back. Definitely worth it and btw...I am a middle aged college grad. Watch it too and you wil be hooked. Now I can't wait until Feb.

Far more a continuation than a sequel, "Death Note: The Last Name" follows the immensely popular and entertaining Death Note. The agile game of cat-and-cat continues between Light (Tatsuya Fujiwara) and L (Ken'ichi Matsuyama). Tables are turned, fortunes are reversed, and a new Death Note and shinigami comes into play.

The story continues almost exactly where "Death Note" left off. A young and popular idol, Misa, gets herself a Death Note and an accompanying shinigami, Rem. An devoted fan of "Killer", she decides to follow in his footsteps, even though she lacks the genius and finesse of execution. She is much more of an emotional wild card than Light's calculated style. L is still in hot pursuit, and he gets to show his stuff a little more in "The Last Name", demonstrating why he has the reputation he has. There are quite a few twists and turns, but the pace is good and the film never gets slow or bound up in it's own mythology.

All of the original cast has returned, including director Shusuke Kaneko. Matsuyama, as L, is particularly good, and it is no wonder that his performance spawned a spin-off flick "L: Change the World". The new shinigamis each have their own individual look and personality, and are animated well enough that you soon forget they are CG characters. Light is a little bit too steadfast, because we all know exactly what we would do if we had an admirer like Misa, but I guess that is the price you pay for being a cold, calculating genius/killer. Still, he is a man of absolute steel, as he shows more than once.

For fans of the comic series, it isn't the literal adaptation they might have been hoping for, but it is still an excellent series in its own right. "Death Note" and "Death Note: The Last Name" are both great flicks, and it is almost a shame to see them end. Live-action animation adaptations are rarely done this good.

Death Note is based on the popular manga (Japanese Comic) and loosely based on the anime series of the same name. I've never read the comic but I've finally finished the anime series, and I have to say the Live-action version, Death Note and Death Note the Last Name does the franchise justice. This series is one of the best I've seen from Japan in quite a while. I will review both films because while the first film, which is indeed phenomenal and it can definitely stand on its own, the story is very much linked together. Suffice it to say, the live-action adaptation is better when seen one after the other, and this last chapter is what gives the thrilling saga of Light Yagami and the truly odd, sugar-devouring, detective called "L" its closure.

Plot synopsis loosely derived from the DVD cover:
In "Death Note", Tatsuya Fujiwara plays the role of Light Yagami, a genius law student who picks up the "Death Note" and uses it to "cleanse" the world of evil. Upholding justice obsesses him and he envisions himself as a god in the crime-less utopia he plans to create. As criminals continue to die in unexplainable ways, people start saying that it must be the work of a "messiah", of whom they call Kira. L, played by Kenichi Matsuyama, works for the International Criminal Police Organisation (ICPO) and is deployed to solve the Kira mystery.

In "Death Note 2: The Last Name", the story continues as Light devises a plan to be part of the Kira Task Force headed by L. While the two geniuses are busy dealing with each other, a second Death Note drops into Earth. Rem, a Shinigami (Death God), brings the second notebook and Misa Amane (Erika Toda), a pop star and Kira worshipper, comes into possession of it. Becoming a Kira herself, she accepts the offer to have the 'Eyes of the Death' which will enable her to know the name of any person without being told.
As Misa and Light work together to get rid of L, a new character, Kiyomi Takada (super-sexy Nana Katase), comes into the picture as the third Kira. With the disclosure of the new rules of the Death Note, the mystery becomes more complex, with a satisfying storyline and a completely unpredictable finale.

That's just scratching the surface, as Light continues to experiment with the capabilities of the book, as well as to internalize all the rules to call upon some serious manipulation of the rules to work to his advantage. Power corrupts absolutely--What would a human being do with the power of life and death?

Man has no right to play GOD.

This film reflects why imperfect human beings should not hold such power, men are fallible, vulnerable to desires and vanity. You see an almost accurate telling of one person's corruption and descent into madness, and how a genius can seem stupid. It also tries to reflect on the different views of a society and how a small "nudge" in the wrong (or right)direction by a government or individual can affect how things are seen by its people. The issue of capital punishment is also explored in both films. Some may say that the film also contains a social commentary.

The battle of wits between L and Light Yagami is definitely one to watch; as the two geniuses struggle to stay one step ahead of the other. It is rather curious that such a complex match-up of intelligence also proves that the two are actually two sides of the same coin but on opposing sides. L is pretty much a charming if eccentric presence as the sugar-loving detective. I didn't know that sugar does provide energy for the brain until I observed him gulp down significant amounts of candy and dessert. The thing that proves Light Yagami quite dangerous is the fact that he believes that he is doing the right thing and whatever steps he has taken may seem cruel, it is justified. When one believes his cause his just, one becomes more determined than the common opponent.

Death Note is smart storytelling, the plot twists and thrills are non-stop, each scene has a relevance to the next. The thrills/suspense are more CEREBRAL than visual with a very solid structure. Upon watching these two films, keep in mind that this is Fantasy-horror, the "Death Gods" have that manga/anime look, they may have that cartoonish look, but they look almost exactly like in the comic. Story-wise, it is pretty intense, it is genre-busting, battle of wits thriller that involves the supernatural world. (Although some anime films do surpass other films in terms of plot) I will stop here, since with this film, the less you know, the better it would be.

Death Note 1 & 2 really caught my attention. This is intelligent storytelling and for the most part, kept me on the edge of my seat. It made a good transition from comic to film. The two dvds are very much worth every penny!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! [4 ½ Stars]
Just what would you do if you hold this notebook in your hands?
Note: These two films have been selected at the 2007 New York film festival.

This movie is something of an oddity. On the downside, the plot is too convoluted, with numerous instances of the notes being swapped from one person to another and then back again, memories being lost and regained in the process, and new notes popping up out of nowhere. Some of the acting is a bit flaky, with characters breaking into hysterics one moment and then quickly accepting the appearance of Death Gods the next. The movie also implies that there are a lot of homicidal folks working in the Japanese media. But the main problem lies with the direction, which is too flat for such an imaginative source material. On the positive side it's engagingly quirky, it's always entertaining, it looks good, and the CGI is impressive. The story is ingenious despite its over-complexity, and there is never a dull moment. With stronger direction this could have been a great movie.

A very well done conclusion to the film based off the anime series. The film makers did an outstanding job of putting the entire series in context with subplots and plots without confusing the person watching the film. It followed the anime series about 75%. The acting was superb by all actors involved. Even if you havent watched the anime series this film does a good job on its own of explaining everything.

Couple gripes though...

1. REM the shimigami was female in the anime series not male as portrayed in the movie.
2. While the overall plot conclusion was the same as the anime several massive plot variations werent followed, possibly due to movie time constraints. For instance in the anime series "L" was killed by REM via manipulation from Light. Also, one of light's own team members actually figured him out and defeated him with the help of Near. Light's Father also was killed in the anime series but he wasnt in the movie. While this isnt a big deal to some, these are major plot point that werent transitioned to to keep it "pure".

Overall this was an extremly well done movie! I wish some Hollywood directors and screenplay writerswould follow novels, games etc as well as the makers of Death note movies did.

Great sequel to the first Death Note movie - picks up where the other left off, whips into hyper drive with an imaginative, complicated plot that really keeps you on your toes, and actually concludes with the Death Note notebook last name revealed. I wouldn't attempt to watch this sequel without seeing part one - you have to know the main characters, how they think, their relationship, etc., right from the get go in this part two. The story in infinitely more complex, with two gods of death and two Death Note notebooks, and more twists and turns how these death sentences using can be dealt using these notebooks. As before, the main story is the battle of wits between Light/Kira (Tatsuva Fujiwara), who vacillates between his evil Kira persona and innocent Light persona, and the mysterious "L" (Ken'ichi Matsuyama), the detective who's trying to put an end to all the deaths. These two brilliant young protagonists are playing a game of chess (both literally and figuratively) with each other, and the ending was pretty much a surprise to me. I'm not into Mangas, so I don't know if it's faithful to that story; I do know this movie is a really good supernatural thriller, and better than Death Note part one. The DVD has about a 20 minute "Making of" which was quite interesting - the director explained how the Manga had to be condensed and changed for the movie medium, each major actor had a say about their experiences ("L" never wants see candy again!), and a neat movie wrap where everyone politely claps and bows respectfully to one another. You can watch the DVD with dubbed English, or Japanese with English subtitles. Great DVD rental if you like this type of genre.

If you enjoyed the mini series you will definitley enjoy the movie superbly done and you must see the part 1 then part 2.

This movie completes the Death Note conflict in a different way than the original manga, but the new ending is just as fulfilling and, in my opinion, a bit easier to follow. It's true Near, Mello, and others do not appear in the movie, but the fantastic spirit of the other characters more than makes up for it.

I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who is a fan of Death Note, and also to anyone who is just a fan of good movies.

[This is a minor personal input, but... watch the movie in Japanese with subtitles. Please. If only because Light's laugh at the end is ten times more Epic in the original than in the dubbed version.]

For anyone who loves Death Note, or if you just happened upon it by accident, this, the second of the movies based on that fabulous manga and anime, is perfect. It's faster paced than the first and wonderfully done. Even the dubbing is excellent (using the same voice actors who did the anime and the first movie). Ofcourse the Japanese actors are fabulous, but Kenich Matsuyama as L is the standout blow you away performance of the much loved character L. And Alejandro Julliani does wonders adding his voice to Kenichi's performance. I also love the fact that movie assumes you either watched the first movie if you're looking at this one or at least are familiar with this story so they don't spoon feed you everything from the first over again. Great movie, great story, great acting - it's just perfect!!