Disclaimer: it is pretty obvious that the anime is far better than this movie. It is arguably one of the best animes/mangas ever written. But this movie isn't actually as bad as many people make it out to be either. So just keep that in mind.
Once you realize that this movie was supposed to be a different take on the whole Death Note story it is actually quite enjoyable. Yes, many of the characters from the anime are missing in the movie. But that was to be expected. It would've been impossible to incorporate all of them into a movie of this length.
I think that all the die-hard Death Note fanatics need to suspend their disbelief and just accept that this movie wasn't intended for them. None of these live action movies are. I have seen dozens of them and every single time people complain that it wasn't canon or too simplified. As if it's actually possible to comprise an entire series into a movie. Give me a break.
About the cast; some of the performances were really solid. L's acting e.g.. I can see how some people complained about the "whitewashing" but I think that they just don't get it. There is already a Japanese live action movie about this anime with an all- Asian cast. This is supposed to be a more Western approach to the story hence the white cast. I think people need to respect the vision of the director on this one.
Once you realize that this movie was supposed to be a different take on the whole Death Note story it is actually quite enjoyable. Yes, many of the characters from the anime are missing in the movie. But that was to be expected. It would've been impossible to incorporate all of them into a movie of this length.
I think that all the die-hard Death Note fanatics need to suspend their disbelief and just accept that this movie wasn't intended for them. None of these live action movies are. I have seen dozens of them and every single time people complain that it wasn't canon or too simplified. As if it's actually possible to comprise an entire series into a movie. Give me a break.
About the cast; some of the performances were really solid. L's acting e.g.. I can see how some people complained about the "whitewashing" but I think that they just don't get it. There is already a Japanese live action movie about this anime with an all- Asian cast. This is supposed to be a more Western approach to the story hence the white cast. I think people need to respect the vision of the director on this one.