Death Note L: Change the World (2008)
Sigh, OK, so I didn’t do my homework on this one when I put it at the top of the old Netflix Queue…. I’ve never seen any of the other pieces of the Death Note franchise, no Anime, not the TV series, not the other movies… neither have I read the manga… so… I guess I really can’t comment AT ALL on how this fits in to the rest of the established Death Note world. I DO know that this is the “final” installment, and sits somewhat outside of the rest of the story, so maybe the damage isn’t that bad after all….
Anyway. Here we have one “L” (Kenichi Matsuyama) an operative for some secret group of super agents or something (like I said, I dunno the details). Operative “F” (Kazuki Namioka) discovers a super-virus has been unleashed on a village in Thailand, and upon his death, sends a young boy (Narushi Fukuda) back to L, since he’s somehow immune.
Meanwhile, back in Tokyo, a doctor and his daughter Maki (Mayuko Fukuda) discover the real source of the virus, and on his death, Maki and L finally come together just as the evil plan to destroy the world comes to light. L, Maki, and the boy track down her father’s partner, and together they discover the antidote for the virus, and eventually it all works out in the end.
Now, again, not knowing anything about the entire “Death Note” business, I have to say I kind of liked this movie. I didn’t feel like I was missing something big by *not* knowing, if that makes any sense. It stands alone quite well.
The most enjoyable part of “L: Change the World” had to be the humor, though. From L’s oddball Emo-Goth hunched over look and strange behavior, to the antics of FBI agent “Ray” (Shigeki Hosokawa) as they dodge the evil villains and rogue agent “K” (Youki Kudoh) through Akihabara in a pink Crepe van… Yeah, it gets kind of silly at times.
Most of the film is of course, in Japanese, although for some reason L feels the need to break into English here or there. And don’t even get me started on the “Americans” who come in to the Thai village and take care of business. At least you could have sprung for a proof reader and some voiceovers! lol. No matter though.
The entire thing is a strange and wonderfully funny ride. It’s OK if you “don’t get it” here, I’m not sure you’re supposed to, nor is it required. Just roll with it. Through the plot devices, the throwbacks to other Death Note installments (I think) and everything. Just relax.
Is it really the final installment though? The expected outcome (not going to spoil it!!) is never actually shown, so I can’t say for sure.
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