Death Note: The Last Name
The last name to be written in the DEATH NOTE... Whose name will it be?
Overview
In the second installment of the Death Note film franchise, Light Yagami meets a second Kira and faithful follower Misa Amane and her Shinigami named Rem. Light attempts to defeat L along with Teru Mikami (a Kira follower) and Kiyomi Takada (another Kira follower) but in the end will Light win? or will a Shinigami named Ryuk make all the difference in Light's victory or his ultimate death?
Backdrop
What makes this movie Worth Watching
Death Note resonates deeply within Japanese culture, tapping into anxieties about justice, authority, and the power of individuals to enact change, even through questionable means. The series also plays with themes of nihilism and existentialism, which are common in Japanese literature and media, making it appeal to a younger generation grappling with these ideas.
- The intricate cat-and-mouse game between L and Light continues, intensifying the suspense and strategic brilliance.
- The introduction of Misa Amane as the Second Kira adds a complex dynamic to Light's plans and moral compromises.
- The film explores the ethical dilemmas of justice, power, and the consequences of playing God.
- The visual style effectively captures the dark and brooding atmosphere of the Death Note world.
Fun Facts
- The actors who portrayed L and Light (Kenichi Matsuyama and Tatsuya Fujiwara) spent a considerable amount of time together off-screen to build the necessary on-screen tension and rivalry.
- The design of Ryuk's CGI model was meticulously crafted to be both frightening and somewhat comical, reflecting his detached and amused perspective on human events.
- The film's ending deviates significantly from the manga and anime, offering an alternate resolution to the Kira case.