Eric Stevenson This is a movie based on what some people consider to be the best anime of all time, second only to "Cowboy Bebop". Well, One-Punch Man's gotten a huge rating as well. Anyway, I would have given this a perfect score if not for one thing. I thought the CGI on Ryuk looked really fake. For a character that spends a lot of time in the movie, that can be distracting. This is still excellent. I have heard a lot about the "Death Note" franchise and from what I've heard, this is a very faithful adaptation. I wish I could consider this a great live-action adaptation, but as something based on a manga, it might not qualify. All the characters look just like their manga counterparts. The best aspect is probably how realistic it is. I can totally see this sort of outcome happening in real life if a magic book like the Death Note really did exist. It does make you wonder why he doesn't kill dictators. ***1/2

Sofia Foidl I really enjoyed this movie. There were some slight differences between the movie and the anime, like Raye's last name, where Light finds the Death Note, and not using Near or Mello (which could be understood if they didn't want to make another sequel). The English Dub of this movie is the original cast in the anime, which I really liked and got use to the voices from the anime. They picked great actors and the effects were good. Mastuda in the English Dub is my favorite, he's hilarious. I love how every scene with L, he's always eating candy or something sugary. Plus it was really cool how they used computer effects to make Ryuk come alive as a Shinigami. Overall, this movie is great with bringing us into the life of Light and L in their battle for justice. Besides some differences, the movie comes close to being similar to the anime and the manga. So for those who liked the anime, you'll enjoy the Death Note movie as well.

innocuous I might have given DN a few extra stars if it could stand on its own, but it can't. In spite of what anyone else says, this movie will only appeal to those who are already fans of the manga. Unlike most reviewers, I was completely unfamiliar with the source material and simply thought that the plot sounded interesting. About 30 minutes into the movie, I turned to the person watching with me and said, "This has GOT to be based on a comic, anime, or manga of some sort. The technique and the poor story make it obvious." And that continued to be true throughout the rest of the film. It's simply a film version of a manga, and the film suffers because of it.I went ahead and took a look at the manga after I watched the film. Given the choice, stick to the manga.One of the most disappointing things about the film is that there is little or no room for any sympathy for the main character, Light. I was hoping that there would be some moral ambivalence, that he might question what he's doing and the methods he's using. Nope. He's evil, right from 10 minutes into the film. This makes him a much less interesting character.Overall, skip this film unless you just have to see the live-actor version of the manga.

thommy741 First of all: I'm not a huge fan of animes. It has been a coincidence that I've started watching "Death Note" after a friends dragged me to watch it and man, this is true story-telling! All those characters, even the more fantastic ones, feel fascinating and refreshing. True, there are some Japanese cliché's but even those appear infrequent and besides the letters and the Japanese names it all could have happened somewhere else. On the other hand side, there is no plot which is more easy and complex at the same time. There are two genius kids, hunting each other and chasing each other until the very end, where the plot even gains speed until the very end (yes, you've heard right: This anime is truly complete which means that you can watch the whole story without begging for the end later on!). Psychological games, twists ans turns keep the plot from getting boring even once. A masterpiece and you couldn't ask for more! Watch it, you won't regret!