‘Death Note’ Review: A Shallow Adaptation That Falls Short Of The Original

Ten years in the making, Adam Wingard’s adaptation of the beloved manga/anime series “Death Note” finally falls in our laps. But it looks like it might not be worth the glance. Plagued by accusations of whitewashing, the film struggled from the get-go with adapting their source material. It was never going to be totally faithful to the manga. Few adaptations truly are. But somehow, in those ten years, what came out of the studio was a Frankenstein-like monster. A bastardized version of “Death Note” that has the bits and pieces of the original but none of the substance that made it so compelling.

Nat Wolff and Lakeith Stanfield in Death Note (2017). Photo by James Dittiger/Netflix.

Nat Wolff’s Light Turner Is Nothing Special

The original manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata featured Light Yagami, a genius high school student who finds the Death Note. With the power of the book, Light begins a vigilante crusade against all criminals. He aims to rule over a new criminal-free world as its god. This Light, under the pseudonym Kira (pronounced similarly to “killer” in Japanese), is highly intelligent, arrogantly righteous, and incredibly compelling in his crusade. Nat Wolff’s Light Turner, on the other hand, hits none of these notes.

Willem Dafoe, Nat Wolff, and Jason Liles in Death Note (2017). Photo courtesy of James Dittiger/Netflix.

Wolff’s outsider charm, as seen in his previous roles on “The Fault In Our Stars” and “Paper Towns,” works against him here. Wingard’s adaptation paints him as a brooding, aggressive, gothic loner stuck doing someone else’s homework for them. A far cry from the popular, charismatic Light of the manga. And while darkness lurks beneath Wolff’s Light, his vague motivations and penchant for penning brutal deaths don’t earn him the audience’s sympathy. Instead, he comes off as nothing special—an arrogant outsider taken from the stock character bin. This Light has people questioning just why he was chosen.

Death Note Characters Reinterpreted

Light isn’t the only character to get a makeover. Light’s longtime enemy L (Lakeith Stanfield), a world-famous detective, has been reinterpreted as an oddball in a hoodie. His notorious quirks – a penchant for sweets, his strange way of sitting on furniture – remain unchanged. However, the translation to the big screen looks awkward and forced. L’s conflict with Light also falls flat. What should be a classic game of wits devolves into Light escaping capture sometimes by sheer luck. Their encounters lack the high-stakes tension that characterized their dynamic in the manga.

Lakeith Stanfield in Death Note (2017). Photo by James Dittiger/Netflix.

The film made more changes. Misa Amane, a famous model in the manga, becomes Mia (Margaret Qualley), a cheerleader with a fascination for the morbid. Yet, her motivations in helping Light are barely touched upon. Only Willem Dafoe’s turn as the Shinigami Ryuk, who gifts Wolff’s Light with the Death Note, feels genuine and inspired. His quiet menace haunts Light, though his threats are never truly realized.

Gorier Than Fans Might Expect

Wingard cut his teeth on horror films “You’re Next” and “The Guest,” and this influence can be clearly seen in “Death Note.” In his hands, “Death Note” becomes bloodier, gorier, a fast-paced thriller more than a philosophical eye-opener. It’s a boy’s darkest, most power-hungry fantasies brought to life. Sometimes, the style and pacing work for the film. Certain moments—like the Ferris wheel scene—are truly heart-pounding moments. More frequently, however, the changes prove the film’s downfall by diluting the true essence of the story. To sum it all up, “Death Note” is gory, darkly sinister, and sometimes thrilling – but ultimately uninspired.

Death Note (2017). Photo courtesy of James Dittiger/Netflix.

Overall Verdict: Not Worth The Hype

It might be just hot off the presses, but “Death Note” already needs to be shelved.