Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Whether you’re a fan of fantasy dramas, anime, Willem Dafoe, or just general awesomeness, it’s time to get excited. This week marks the premiere of Netflix’s latest adaptation, Death Note the movie.
The wildly popular property has seen several adaptations over the years, from its beloved anime series to live action series and movie from Japan. However, Adam Wingard‘s take on the property marks the first time the manga has been adapted specifically for American audiences. Netflix’s live action film stars Nat Wolff as Light, a brilliant high school student whose life is drastically altered when he comes into possession of an occult object known as a Death Note. If a human is in control of a Death Note, they have the power to kill anyone simply by writing that person’s name in the journal. What initially starts as a quest to eliminate the world of criminals quickly transforms into a high-level game of cat and mouse between Light and his quirky, equally intelligent, and mysterious foe, the detective L (Keith Stanfield). Dafoe voices Ryuk, the nefarious Shinigami (supernatural spirit of death) who gives Light the journal in the first place.
In all versions of the property, Death Note has been a thrilling and intellectual crime drama set against a background of the supernatural. Though Netflix’s version of the property is set in Seattle instead of the Kanto region of Japan, it’s still probably going to be as delightfully dark as the original. The streaming service’s take on Death Note will premiere on Friday, August 25, so thank Netflix for your weekend plans.
