“The third ‘Death Note’ film ‘L: Change the World’ focuses on L’s final 23 days and showing us a new side to L that we’ve never seen before. Featuring an all-star cast and a more darker/horror type of storyline from the director of the ‘Ring’ films, Hideo Nakata.”
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TITLE: L: change the WorLd
DURATION: 129 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital, Bilingual (Japanese and English)
RATED: Not Rated. Parental guidance suggested.
COMPANY: Viz Pictures, Inc.
RELEASE DATE: August 25, 2009
Directed by Hideo Nakata
Based on the characters and story by Tsugumi Oba and Takeshi Obata
Written by Kiyomi Fujii and Hirotoshi Kobayashi
Executive Producer Seiji Okuda
Co-executive Producer by Katsu Kamikura and Hironao Ryoki
Producer: Nobuhiro Iizuka, Takahiro Kobashi, Takahiro Sato and Tadashi Tanaka
Music by Kenji Kawai
Cinematography by Tokusho Kikumura
Edited by Nobuyuki Takahashi
Casting by Takefumi Yoshikawa
Art Direction by Kyoki Yauchi
Cast/Voice Talents:
Ken’ichi Matsuyama/Alessandro Juliani as L
Sota Aoyama as Detective Matsuda
Shunji Fujimura/Ron Halder as Watari
Tatsuya Fujiwara as Light Yagami
Kiyotaka Nanbara/Brian Drummond as Hideaki Suruga
Mayuko Fukuda/Chantal Strand as Maki Nikaido
Narushi Fukuda/Michael Strusievici as BOY
Sei Hiraizumi as Dr. Koichi Matsudo
Shigeki Hosokawa as FBI Agent Ray
Renji Ishibashi/John Novak as Shin Kagami
Yuta Kanai/Kirby Morrow as Tamotsu Yoshizawa
Youki Kudoh/Cathy Wseluck as Dr. Mikiko Kujo
Tim Man as Scientist
Bokuzo Masana as Asao Konishi
Shido Nakamura/Brian Drummond as Ryuuk (Voice)
Kazuki Namioka/Richard Ian Cox as F
Kiyotaka Nanbara as Hideaki Suruga
Megumi Sato as Hatsune Misawa
Asaka Seto as Naomi Misora
Masanobu Takashima as Daisuke Matoba
Misa Amane as Erika Toda
Shingo Tsurumi as Kimihiko Nikaido
Inspired by the best-selling manga and anime series, Death Note: L, change the WorLd reveals how the legendary detective “L” spends the final days of his life. Directed by master J-horror filmmaker Hideo Nakata, Kenichi Matsuyama once again stars as L.
L has finally solved the “Kira” case in which countless criminals had died under mysterious circumstances, but sacrificed his own life in order to stop Kira, leaving himself with only 23 days left to live.
For his final case, L goes up against a bio-terrorist group trying to wipe out humanity with a deadly mutated virus. As L tries to formulate an antidote with a scientist, he must also saves the lives of two children who have no one else to turn to. Will L be able to save the world before it’s tool late? Witness the last 23 days of L.
With the success of the two “Death Note” films, a new film based on the character L was in development and released in theaters in Japan in February 2008. Taking the helm of director for this film is popular horror director Hideo Nakata, known for his “Ring” films. A goal that Nakata wanted for the film is to destroy any stereotype of L and to show his human side.
Joining Nakata are writers Hirotoshi Kobayashi (“Eko Eko Azarak: Awakening” and “Black Jack: Two Doctors in Black”) and Kiyomi Fujii, well-known Japanese composer Keni Kawai (“Death Note” films, “The Sky Crawlers”, “Ring”, “Ghost in the Shell” films, “Ranma 1/2”, “Maison Ikkoku”, “Patlabor”) and cinematographer Tokusho Kikumura (“Ju-on” films, “Cure”).
(NOTE: BECAUSE OF THE FILM’S NATURE, IF YOU NAVE NOT WATCHED THE PREVIOUS “DEATH NOTE” FILMS, THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILERS TO THE TWO FILMS)
In “L: change the WorLd”, the film takes place during L’s final 23 days. In order to take down his major nemesis Light Yagami (Kira), L (Ken’ichi Matsuyama) wrote his name on the Death Note in order to make sure that it was not Kira that was responsible for his death (this is seen in the second film “Death Note: The Last Name”).
While L and his mentor Watari work to take down Kira, one of his counterpart’s known as M is in Thailand uncovering a terrible mishap in a village that was exposed to a virus.  While, M tries to capture video of these men wearing gas masks, protective suits and military vehicles, M and a young boy managed to briefly escape. But as they have been discovered, M tells the young boy to call and give a message to Watari, while he tries to divert the attention of this unknown group to himself while the boy can escape.
Unfortunately, during this time, it was a time that takes place after the death of Kira and Watari. L knowing he has a few weeks to live, tries to help all international agencies capture their criminals but its when he receives a call from a boy (Narushi Fukuda), who has a message for Watari, L feels obligated to take care of him until he finds out what message M has given him.
The storyline shifts to a scientist named Dr. Nikaido (Shingo Tsurumi) who is giving his daughter Maki (Mayuko Fukuda) some injection shots and for some apparent reason, has her studying a chart of numbers which possibly has a hidden meaning. We learn that Maki is a loving daughter who misses her deceased mother.
Meanwhile, at the laboratories of a hi-tech facility, scientists Dr. Nikaido and Dr. Kimiko Kujo (Youki Kudoh) study the virus that was used on the villagers in Thailand and learned that there are two viruses in its roots (a combination of influenza and ebola). But knows that the creators of the virus will be unable to gain power if there is no antidote. Knowing the seriousness of the virus and that world organizations may wan to possess it, Dr. Nikaido gives Maki an order to deliver a case to a man named Watari and to go to him immediately.
While back at the headquarters, L tries to become acquainted with the boy that was rescued by M. Never really spending time with children, L is not sure how to behave around them. He learns that the boy is a mathematical genius and by showing his gentle nature, the boy entrusts him with a necklace given to him by M. L then learns that a group has unleashed a virus into a village and inside the necklace is a micro-disc that has video footage of the tragedy at the village.
We then learn that there is a man who is responsible for the virus and that he has one goal, to eliminate non-essential people from the world and to create a new world of people who matter and by cutting down on the world’s population who have hurt the planet. We learn that there is dissension with the creator and one of his underlings. The underling, a terrorist known as Daisuke Matoba (Masanobu Takeshima) has used the virus and offered them to other countries for financial gain. Never a goal by its creator, Matoba murders the creator of the virus and tells the other staff members that they will use the virus and take down countries but in order to do that, they will need to produce more and sell it to other countries and they can help eliminate their own population .Needing more of the virus, the terrorists need to go to the laboratory where Dr. Nikaido works.
While the terrorists go after Nikaido for virus, they also find out that he has developed an antidote. Nikaido is shocked of who is the ringleader orchestrating the terrorists. But when the terrorists threaten to kills his daughter, Dr. Nikaido has no choice and that is to destroy the antidote, and to prevent them from going inside the laboratory, he injects himself with the virus.
While this ensues, Maki who is hiding, sees her father die all because of a person she knows and knowing that it was a person who was once close to her. She immediately escapes and tries to do what her father instructed her to do, to find Watari.
L must now be responsible in taking care of both the boy and Maki and prevent them from being captured by the terrorist but things are not going to be easy as the person who is leading the terrorist, is his counterpart known as K.
Involved in another battle of intelligence, L alongside the help of a FBI agent named as Hideaki Suruga (Kiyotaka Nanbara), an agent who is trying to obtain a “Death Note” from L must do what they can for the time being and try to stop the terrorist but first and foremost, protect the children and outsmart L’s counterpart, K.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“L: change the WorLd” is featured in 16:9 anamorphic widescreen. For the most part, there are many scenes, especially those that take place outdoors, that look nice and vibrant. While some scenes (such as in the beginning of the film) looks as if it suffers from some low-light noise. But for the most part, the film does look good.
Audio is presented in Bilingual (English and Japanese) Dolby Digital audio and I found the best setting for me, was to set my receiver to play the audio on all channels in stereo. For those who are not exactly into reading subtitles, the good news is that the cast who did the anime series and previous two films are back again, providing the English dub for “L: change the WorLd”.
Subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“L: change the WorLd” comes with the following special features:
- Behind the Scenes and Director Interviews – (19:44) Interviews with Director Hideo Nakata and talents such as Ken’ichi Matsuyama and Youki Kudoh. Both Nakata and Matsuyama discuss the character of L and how they had difference of opinions of how L should be and Matsuyama talked about how this L was much more different than in the two previous films.
- Japanese Original Trailers – (1:42) Japanese theatrical trailers
- Official English Trailer – (1:04) The original English theatrical trailer
- Event Bonus Footage Teaser – (1:52) A message from L (dubbed by Alessandro Juliani) and a behind-the-scenes screening of the film. Also, a chance for people to win an autograph.
- Death Note Live Action Trailers – (2:07) – Trailer for both “Death Note” films.
- Death Note Anime Trailer – (2:04) Trailer for the anime series
- Viz Pictures Presents – (2:06) Trailer for films released by Viz Pictures.
Also included is a booklet with the “L Report” and a crossword puzzle.
Intriguing, gritty and violent, “L: change the WorLd” may seem it has more in common with a “Resident Evil” series over a “Death Note” series but nevertheless, I found the film entertaining and to see a different side of the mysterious character, L.
“L: change the WorLd” is one of those films that will captivate the viewer because it features the mysterious crime detective L but also at the same time, may put off the hardcore fans of “Death Note” who know that this film is not part of the original story by Tsgumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. Also, because the film is directed by the Ring’s Hideo Nakata, one must be curious about how much horror is included in this film.
First, the positives.
I absolute enjoy Ken’ichi Matsuyama playing the role of L. His character and its demeanor is quite intriguing and the fact that this third film really explores his humanity in a different level than the previous two films, it was quite interesting. Especially to see how he would live his life knowing he had only 23 days to live.
As mentioned, this film has an all-star cast. Youki Kudoh who plays Dr. Kimiko Kujo has appeared in a variety of Japanese and English films such as “Memoirs of a Geisha” and “Rush Hour 3” but the actress is also known for her music career in Japan. The film also stars Masanobu Takashima, who plays one of the ruthless terrorists in the film Daisuke Matoba. Typically, in Japanese dramas, Takashima is typically playing the kindest of characters and so it was interesting to see him play a villain. Also, Shingo Tsurumi as Dr. Nikaido is a well-known actor who has been in series such as the popular “San-nen B-Gumi Kinpachi Sensei” and films such as “The Black Angel”, “Rasen” and many others. But the most popular appearance in the film is by Kiyotaka Nanbara (of the popular comedy duo Uchan Nanchan) as FBI agent Hideaki Suruga.
The film also stars upcoming talent Mayuko Fukuda (“Kamikaze Girls”, “Doomsday: The Sinking of Japan” and “Piano no Mori”) as Maki Nikaido and we get to see appearances by “Death Note” characters Watari (Shunji Fujimura), Misa Amane (Erika Toda) and Naomi Misora (Asaka Seto).
For those familiar with Japanese cinema and dramas, this film definitely features an all-star cast.
If there was a negative, there are a few that I have to mention.
The spoken English dialogue by the character of F and even L is hard to understand and to make things worse, there are no subtitles for what they are saying. Their English is quite rough and so, I was surprised to see no subtitles for that part of the film.
As much as I did enjoy the film, the film runs quite long at 129 minutes. There were quite a few scenes that probably are non-essential and for some talent, I felt that there was a tendency to overact a scene. Mainly not with the major talents but the supporting actors and even the talent who were exposed to the virus. If anything, it definitely made the film seem a bit more campy at times.
But at the end of the film, although not as strong and suspenseful as the first film, Director Hideo Nakata definitely brings his style of horror to “L: change the WorLd”. Although “Death Note” was a film that had a significant amount of deaths, this film has actual murder scenes and for those who freak out by the sight of blood, this film definitely has quite a number of scenes that showcase quite a bit of blood.
If anything, the film kind of resembles the CG film “Resident Evil: Degeneration” (sans the zombies) and how a group of terrorists are trying to spread the virus in almost similar situation.
But despite the films shortcomings, I was definitely entertained and I did enjoy how the film explored the character of L, especially him having to drag around two kids and for himself, experiencing a side of life that he never experienced before. Also, a few surprises are in store for “Death Note” manga and anime fans when they find out who the boy is and what L has named him.
Although, the films were not close to the original manga adaptation, I enjoyed the film for giving us that different side of L. Because of his character, his mannerisms definitely made certain scenes quite humorous and for the most part, there are a good number of those fun scenes, as well a good number of gritty, darker scenes.
I’m not going to say that all “Death Note” live film fans are going to enjoy this third film but personally, despite its few shortcomings, I was definitely entertained and wouldn’t mind watching “L: change the WorLd” all over again.