I'm going to give this movie a chance.
Adaptations based on anime/manga rarely works. Surprisingly, Japan can translate most stuff, better than some although some don't translate well to screen or just badly adapted (Kuroshitsuji). Surprisingly, stage adaptations are a joy to behold.
As for Death Note, I do enjoy both the manga and the anime. Somehow I took great joy in seeing Light get killed in the finale. I also understand what was meant to be the original ending with Light winning. Now I don't mind which direction it took although I definitely understand Ogata's reasons. I am no purist but I am still glad to see two possible endings for the anime/manga. For example, I both enjoy Super Sentai and Power Rangers as well as the sub/dub of Pokemon.
Here, in this adaptation, I am more cautious. Trailers, if done right, would do well. I mean the first trailer of Power Rangers is not good by any means. I mean it got the tone of what the reboot is but overall it's disjoining from what fans of the show would disapprove of.
This is simply the first trailer. That meant there will be more and hopefully, they took the criticisms well. I know they are aiming for a general audience but they would have to know that fans will flock to see it. Look what happened to The Last Airbender for example. Fans flocked to and later regretted it.
Now I understand that there are DN fans involved in the production. I am cautious about it. Because fans can either swing two ways regarding a movie/book/any type of media: decent or really bad.
So you get the idea, right? Since this is simply the first trailer, there isn't much I give other than caution. The first impression I got was that it could be worse. It could be Dragon Ball Evolution.
First I will comment on the cast. The cast is certainly talented and they have done previous movies that showcase that talent. It's just that most of the cast is white...
I would have to comment on the whitewashing, though. Most of the official cast is white. Why not have Light be Japanese-American? Make him the genius he wears himself with the pristine grace. Nobody would suspect anybody that has such grace and beauty. Look at Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy for example. They are high-standing in society but ruthless and cold in actuality.
They will suspect a delinquent. It's how things work to judge appearances. I cannot see Light in punk attire in any way possible. All I can see him is to wear suits or fashionable wears. Light does wear casual but well put-together all the same. Punk or goth attire for Light would not fit as much as it would fit Misa instead.
...and Misa or whatever her Americanized name is... I have issues with the fact she's just the popular girl in high school. The fact that Misa is an idol in Japan wouldn't translate well into America; that I understand. If anything, she should be a popular Youtuber or even a middle-tier pop star herself, some job that has people unsuspecting of her criminal intentions. Not the level of Rihanna or Lorde but someone who makes it to the Billboard at least a few times. Are you even aware what makes Misa as a character? Her backstory with Rem? And that Shinigami guy I couldn't remember the name of? I am very cautious, okay. I was even cautious when I was watching the Japanese live-action adaptations of Death Note and I found the films to be perfectly fine.
...Also, Misa is not dumb. I want to get that out of the way before I yell. She is certainly impulsive but impulsiveness does not equal low intelligence. I recently came out of a video that states Misa was dumb and well...
I made my conclusion regarding Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Fan4stic's washed-out color palette. I hate such colorings then and I still hate it now. Are people afraid of color or something? What's wrong with moderation?! What is wrong with lighting up a scene? Or visual storytelling? Or just allowing the people to see in a dark theater?
Now there is nothing wrong with such palette in the first place. The overuse of it makes the whole scene much more dramatic than it really is. Synder overused, not understanding why Nolan used it in the first place. Hell, Nolan used lighting properly! He doesn't drown his films.
Does Synder know lighting? MTV's Teen Wolf used lighting really well including lens flares. In fact, Teen Wolf used cinematic storytelling, visually, textually, and subtextually, very well.
What am I talking about? Synder works best with fight scenes rather than dramatic storytelling. Being a former music video director would do that.
But I digress.
I really cannot discuss more of the trailer. I would need more details from following trailers and teasers.
However, there is one thing I know: I will still watch the movie regardless. I watched Man of Steel and Batman v Superman despite Synder, didn't I? I watched Sherlock and Doctor Who (despite me not being a huge fan of DW; I managed to watched RTD era all the way through but not so much Moffat era. I think I can hold his writing for at least one episode before I literally start picking apart his story quicker than I will notice in Supernatural....which is bad because I'm not a big fan of Supernatural either but in SPN's favor, at least Supernatural is consistent) despite Moffat. I think I can withstand the American adaptation of Death Note.
...unlike this movie which I am going to watch when it comes out on Netflix, I am sure as hell not watching Ghost in the Shell, the American adaptation. I really cannot see the Ghost in the Shell that I know at all unlike DN which at least has fans and talent on board...even if these guys might not focus on the right things if the movie goes wrong. I can tell the Ghost in the Shell movie is so wrong.
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