Movie Review: Death Note (from the manga!)

I have a friend named Rob. Rob is an anime junkie - from Ah! My Goddess to When They Cry, he brings them over, I ooh and aah over them and we’re all happy.

The first time Rob brought over a manga (the name for a Japanese graphic novel) called DeathNote he said, "This is something really different and I think you’ll really enjoy it!" I’ve never been a big fan of comic books - I’m more of a film buff - but when Rob says something is good, I believe him.

Here is a brief overview of the plot:

Light Yagami is an extremely intelligent young man who resents the crime and corruption in the world. His life undergoes a drastic change in the year 2003, when he discovers a mysterious notebook, known as the "Death Note", lying on the ground. The Death Note’s instructions claim that if a human’s name is written within it, that person shall die. Light is initially skeptical of the notebook’s authenticity, but after experimenting with it, Light realizes that the Death Note is real. (source: wikipedia)

I started reading and was immediately sucked into the plot. A boy finds a notebook on the ground, and when he writes someone’s name in the book - they die. There’s a lot more to it than that, but just think how messed up it would be if you had that power. How the first few names might be easy to put into the book, but what happens when someone does something bad, but overall is a good person? The plot is complex and the intelligence of the main character really contributes to the drama and suspense.

The movie is only out for two days, and I really recommend seeing it. It’s more of a thriller than a horror movie, even though people die…that’s not what it’s about. It’s about a boy with the power to make the world a better place and his struggle to handle that power.

Find out more about DeathNote…