Death Note

Death Note



Working hard as I do, I'm often knackered last thing at night. Which isn't really any use when Film Four show all their best films after midnight. I've tried many times staying up late and watching quality movies, but always doze off before the end.

No movie is harder to watch when you're tired than a subtitled movie. The words appear and disappear before the mind has time to register them and you soon doze off.
It struck me as strange then, when, without even blinking, I watched the whole of Death Note until the early hours of the morning.

Death Note is the biggest phenomenon you've never heard of. In Japan it's called desu noto and it's got it's own Manga comic series and animated TV series.

The story centres on a bright young disenfranchised law student called Light Yugami, who finds a plain black book with the words 'Death Note' on the front. Inside the cover are a set of instructions which explain how the book can be used to kill. If the finder simply writes that person's name inside.

Initially, Light is sceptical, but soon believes when he writes the name of a notorious criminal in the book, only to wake and find the news broadcasting his death. Light starts in earnest, ridding the world of wrong-doers; Murderers, Rapists and corrupt politicians.

Before long the authorities discard the notion that there is a worldwide epidemic and start to hunt the culprit. Headed up by the mysterious 'L', a genius who remains anonymous for most of the film, the net closes in on Light. It soon becomes a pitched battle between two great minds to see who can outfox the other.

Oh, and did I mention the ten foot animated demon of Death, Ryuuk? As soon as Light touches the book, he can see and hear the fang toothed fiend with a taste for apples.

By the end of the film, Light has lost sight of his noble cause of ridding the world of criminals and uses the book to keep from being caught. With one final shock twist at the end, we know that Light has lost his humanity.

The tension in this film is palpable. Once the first act is through and we're presented with the cat and mouse scenario, it really hits top speed. With each character coming up with even more ingenious plans to outwit the other. Like when Light knows his house is bugged with cameras and listening devices, he simply hides a miniature TV in a bag of crisps.

With the sequel on this coming weekend, I'll have to dig out some ProPlus as it'll most likely be on until three in the morning. Definitely worth it though.

Verdict 9/10
Captured my fatigued attention span expertly.