Dmytro T
A Brilliant Adaptation of a Timeless Story
The 2006 Japanese Death Note movie is an extraordinary example of how to adapt a complex and iconic story while retaining its core brilliance.
I stumbled upon this film without any prior knowledge of the Death Note universe, and it completely captivated me. The story’s genius lies in its two central characters—L and Light—who are anything but ordinary. Both are brilliant, emotionally detached, and far beyond the thinking capabilities of the average person. Watching their calculated moves unfold feels like witnessing a game of chess played at a level most can’t comprehend. This detachment gives them a unique charisma that draws you in, making it impossible to predict their next steps.
What truly sets this movie apart is its atmosphere. The cinematography is hauntingly effective, and the soundtrack is both unconventional and perfectly fitting. The music elevates the tension and draws you deeper into this dark, intricate world. Even though the movie diverges from the original manga, it does so in a way that enhances the story. In fact, I found the film’s adaptation more compelling than the manga, which I personally found harder to follow. The changes didn’t detract from the story; they refined and elevated it, proving that adaptations can succeed by taking thoughtful creative liberties.
While the production may not have the high-budget polish of Hollywood, the film’s brilliance shines through its storytelling, character depth, and atmosphere. Its lower-budget feel almost adds to its charm, emphasizing the ingenuity of its creators over flashy effects.
Death Note (2006) remains one of the best adaptations I’ve ever seen, masterfully capturing the essence of its source material while standing strong as a film in its own right. This is a must-watch for fans of psychological thrillers, morally complex characters, and unforgettable storytelling.
Absolutely brilliant.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/11/25
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Liam D
A anime adaptation done right with a hook for a sequel I cannot wait to watch
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/06/22
Full Review
thomas b
Top budget foreign blockbuster from 2006 about a teenager who can exterminate people by writing there name in a notebook. When I first watched this 6 years ago, I dubbed it the greatest Japanese live-action film ever made. When it comes to Japanese movies, there are only a few select anime that outshine Death Note's super intelligent plot elements [book rules]. And after you add it's first sequel to the formula, it's even a more distinguished masterpiece.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
If I could really give one serious bit of criticism from a story/structure stance, it's that this movie's ending feels too definitive to necessarily feel like a cliffhanger, yet not definitively enough to allow the movie to operate without a follow-up. Beyond that, the movie's Daytime Soap Opera look and feel is the only actual complaint I can levy at this film, and this is legitimate as this movie is from the same Director that was actually able to make the ONLY good Gamera movies, almost entirely because his Directing was so stellar. Not to say that his Directing is not good here, but it almost entirely comes in the form of getting good Performances and doing a good job conveying the Story (which is complex) to the Audience, but this movie has MASSIVE potential for visual flair that it completely squanders, and that's a real shame. However, the main reason to watch this is because of the Story, which is absolutely brilliant. The very long-short of the story is this: A Criminal Justice major, about to graduate, just learned that many times "the system" allows those that obviously committed heinous crimes to walk, either due to a lack of evidence, lack of witnesses willing to come forward, or worst of all, due to a technicality. Rather disillusioned with the world of Criminal Justice, he suddenly comes across a book simply titled "Death Note", with the power to kill any person whose name he writes into it. At first he uses it sparingly, like on a gangster who threatens him on the street, then on people in a Maximum Security prison, all the way down to, eventually, those who wish to rob him of this power, which is slightly robbing him of his humanity. Despite the movie's slow-burn storytelling, a surprising amount of events take place in this movie. It also features an intense battle of minds between a man who can kill from the shadows by simply writing a name into a book, and a hyper-genius who is able to actually figure out who is causing it; this is NOT a task I would want to do myself, but the tactics he employs to narrow it down are insanely creative. Perhaps most importantly, and impressively, is that this movie gets you into the mind of a casual killer (I can't think of a better term) extremely effectively, as you COMPLETELY understand where he is coming from, and you, as an audience member, begin to question whether you would be able to resist the temptation, or if you're just one or two intense emotional pushes from using it yourself - And with that, once you start using it, how fast before you just let your power go into full effect, simply laying waste to everyone and everything that you hate. Somehow, the main character, whom is both the Protagonist and the Antagonist (but NOT an Anti-Hero either) remains slightly sympathetic throughout the entire movie, and the journey that follows, almost entirely told from his perspective, is a highly engaging one. You see him make some blatant mistakes, ones where he does not cover his tracks whatsoever, and learn from them, even one point killing people while under a surveillance camera, using very clever sleight-of-hand methods that prevent anyone from noticing. Despite this movie's ~150 minute runtime, I was completely enthralled with it through and through. It not only tells a compelling story, but genuinely (and unnervingly) questions the human condition in a way that I have never seen before or since, and if things like a slow-burn pace and Made For TV Movie production values and editing don't scare you away, then I don't just consider this a movie to recommend - I consider this an absolute Must See! (at least if you've never seen the Anime, which I have not)
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/23/23
Full Review
Gianmarco R
Very nice and inspired movie, very upbeat and fun, never boring. Although slightly repetitive the film stands up very well thanks to the continuous twists. The only flaw are the special effects, but apart from that the film is very enjoyable
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
09/09/21
Full Review
Audience Member
Pretty awesome little adaptation. It gets pretty twisted. The rivalry between the two leads gets really interesting. Sure, the Animation of the Demon is pretty spotty, but not enough to distract, at least not when everything else around him is soo interesting.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/20/19
Full Review
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