Movies: Death Note 2 - The Last Name

Everyone loves a good sequel especially when the first movie boasts an ending which left viewers wanting for more.

My pals and I were fortunate enough not to miss any part of the show as we swallowed our bowls of ramen in haste at a nearby Japanese restaurant & got to the theatre just in time.

It has been 2 months since we last saw the movie adaptation of this Japanese bestselling manga series. And like its predecessor, this sequel contains a few pleasant surprises.

Picking up from where the first movie left off, Yagami Light plotted & made use of his girlfriend's death to enter into the investigation team so that he could get to meet (and of course to eliminate) L. A battle of wits between these 2 young geniuses begins as the search for Kira finally comes to an end.

While the first movie impressed with its pacing and interesting characterization, the sequel appeared a little slower and more preachy during the 140-minute screening. One could say that this is understandable as there is a need to develop the individual characters and justify their motives. However, their actions and intentions such as how the female news presenter got rid of her rival, are rather predictable that this actually drags down the pace of the show. Furthermore, it would be more interesting if the animated "shinigamies" could have more roles to play in this show as both Ryuk & Rem's characters can be further developed to have some rivalry as well.

Though some sequences of the movie may appear 'draggy' to the more impatient viewers, exploring notions of moral righteousness, sacrificing for the greater good, and the idea of giving everything up for love. These messages are well relayed and provide food for thought to viewers during some of the more unnecessary conversational scenes.

Apart from the pretty actresses in the film, the lead actors Tatsuya Fujiwara and Kenichi Matsuyama did pretty well in their respective roles as Kira and 'L'. I was a little surprised to be able to find some humour in 'L' in some scenes such as the part where he confessed to Misa that he was actually a fan of her.

Overall, this movie has a good plot. Despite the 'not so good' comments that I made, I will still recommend people to watch it as a form of entertainment during this festive season. As for those that who wished to explore more into the manga series, the Japanese animation is available at Live-evil for download.