Netflix's Death Note - A Failure of an Adaptation

I haven't done a review in a while, but this film required it.  Like many of you, I've seen both read the manga, and watched the anime.  Yesterday, (08/26/17), the Netflix version of the film came out, and I watched it.  Now a live action version of Death Note had already been done in Japan that was a mostly faithful adaptation of the anime.

This film was in no way faithful.

First off, I don't have a problem with the casting, or telling the story in a new way.  I'm fine with that.  but lets first go over the problems that plague this film.

Light Turner (aka Light Yagami):  Ok, lets hit the number one issue you'll see here.  Light Turner is not the same Light from the manga.  He lacks the same bravado, the same confidence, and the god complex that Yagami had.  The light in the manga was a genius of manipulation and deduction, able to hold his own against L.  That's not what we get here.  Instead we are treated to a version of Light who is smart - that is clear - but he is whiny, not a bit manipulative, and is certainly not a match for L.  If anything, Light's depiction in this movie is by far the top reason as to why the film fails.  Lights family history is also another source point where the adaption fails.

Mia (aka Misa):  If you were looking to Light for manipulative, and confidence, well they clearly misplaced that in Light's girlfriend Mia.  It’s obvious that she was meant to be Misa from the anime/manga, and they even messed up her obsession with Light, and her own history.  In the anime/manga, Misa would never hurt light or wittingly do anything to hurt him.  While Mia does love Light, she has no qualms about what she does to him in the film.  This stands in contrast to the character of Misa who would never do anything to bring harm to Light.

L (aka...well its L):  Ok, so there is an issue with this L.  The main issue I have is how he becomes unhinged later in the film.  I also felt it unnecessary to explain his need to eat candies & sweets.  Also missing is greater exposition of L's detective skills.

Story:  Now I normally don't have issues with a story being told in a new way.  There's always a different way a story can be told.  However, the problem here is that the writer of the script for the show seems to have only read the cliff notes version of the manga, and only talked about the anime with someone who just watched a few episodes.  It’s not a flattering thing.  The movie's story follows the anime/manga far too loosely and pays no mind to the order of events.  The poor writing is also to blame for what is wrong with the characters as well.  The cat and mouse game between Light and L is nonexistent.  And the eventual ramifications of things between the two doesn't even occur here.  Also missing are a few other key characters from the anime/manga (such as Rin, the other Shinigami).

Now these are the main issues I have with the film, and they are fairly big issues.  Of course, are there any up points to this film?

1.     You'll want to watch the anime and/or original live action films instead.

2.     L still has some of his quirks, and retains some of his anime/manga personality.

3.     Light's dad is still a detective.

4.     Watari is there, and helpful to L.

5.     Ryuk is there and is actually a frightening being not of this world.  Willem Dafoe plays him and does a great job. 

So, there isn't a lot to this film that really helps to redeem it.  Netflix needs to do some more quality control of their productions as this one is going to cost them.  Simply put, you’re better off watching the anime, or finding the dubbed version of the original live action films (there's 2 of them).

Please Netflix, next time do some quality control of your scripts of people's favorite properties.  This one strayed too far from the source material and is DOA.