#23 - Death Note 2: The Last Name

Oh boy, I’ve not been looking forward to this one. The sequel to the Death Note movie. Released in October 2006 in Japan it made 5.5 billion yen by the end of the year, after being top of the box office for 4 straight weeks (double that of its predecessor) it received a limited international release but clearly made enough money for the third film: L’s last days to be released. I’m not gonna be covering that film, since it’s not an adaptation of the original Manga and to be honest, doing 2 movies is torture enough anyway.

Like with the first movie, the movie I’m watching for the review is not dubbed. I have actually watched a dubbed version of the first movie and there were a few holes closed up in the dialogue. For one, Light said he hacked into the police database to understand criminals as well as work out whether their sentences were adequate, which makes a bit more sense, only a little bit but a bit none-the-less. But we’re back to 2.0 and 5.1 audios (I still can’t tell the difference)

Previously on Death Note: Light Yagami got his hands on a notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written in it, dropped by a Shinigami named Ryuk. Light uses this to kill criminals, earning the nickname Kira and then starts to kill anyone who would stand in his way whilst, in the mean-time. dropping way too obvious hints to his girlfriend, who he kills in order to gain sympathy from L and the anti-Kira task force, thus killing the likeability of the character they included an entire prologue so they could set that up. Oh and there was a character called Misa who hosted a cookery show or something, she got a Death Note at the end.

So, we’re in for a movie that’s even longer than the first one. At 2 hours 15 minutes, let’s dive into this…

We open with a flashback to the end of the last movie, with a Shinigami writing Misa’s attacker’s name in his death note. For no real reason, Misa picks up the book, seeing the guy’s name and soon the Shinigami known as Rem. Who has a male voice? Wait, they couldn’t hire a female voice actor for Rem? Why? (They didn't even use a female in the f*cking dub, what the f*ck is up with that?!)

Misa seems impressed with the Death Note once explained to her and we get the stupid State of Mississpi song (nothing against the song, just entirely inappropriate for this movie or the last one) opening credits song, as we see the rules of the death note and some flashes of the first movie.

That looks like an expensive funeral, didn't know that her family was rich

We open with the funeral of Light’s girlfriend Shiori, things happen, they’re probably not important. Light and his family arrive as we get cr*ppy exposition in front of all of them. Light lays a flower down on her coffin.

We cut to the TV studio where reporter Saeko Nishiyama reports of more criminals being murdered. There’s a pro-kira rally but L is closing in. Light is driven to the new investigation headquarters that appears to have popped up overnight. Armed with iris security, no cellphones allowed and even then it’s the weirdest looking place I’ve ever seen.

I usually choose these images for the review at random, but god this look is so creepy in this shot

L is sitting on a sofa, Watari addresses him as Ryusaki but Light immediately claims it to be a false name, explaining that he understands that Kira needs real names to kill people. L makes it clear that he still suspects Light to be Kira, citing the crucial information leaking and how he was among those watched by the first FBI suspect to die. The rest of the task force are shocked that L would still suspect him.

More news comes that the Prime Minister has announced his support of Kira and thinks he’s doing the right thing, despite the fact that he’s killed FBI agents and an innocent girl (politicians, am I right?) Things like that don’t away this quickly. In the anime there was a time jump before things were forgotten and the whole innocent girl thing was entirely new to the movie.

The Police Chief offers to fully support the task force in any way he can in order to catch Kira following this news (this is not important at all.) In the TV studio, a girl is saying that she should be doing Kira reports as she “understands Kira” and Saeko’s life could be in danger. The Producer doesn’t think she can cut it. They have received some tapes and they’ve been asked to broadcast one at a specific time.

 

Geez, can no-one come up with an interesting name for themselves?

The report starts, these tapes from ‘Kira II’ (thanks for ruining that mystery, then again it’s not like we don’t already know who it is) 3 days ago to be broadcast at the exact times. They tested the first tape privately and since its message was accurate they’re following the instructions to broadcast at the exact right time, else the entire staff be killed.

The tape begins. Proving her point by murdering a broadcaster on another channel who calls Kira a “brutal dictator” either the subtitling is poor, or someone needs to look up dictator in a dictionary. You actually have to have authority to be a dictator. Kira does not have that authority, yet. Kira II calls for anyone who supports Kira to surround the TV studio.

A Policeman (Mr Mogi) arrives at the station to protest, saying Kira has murdered millions (millions? Wow that’s escalated! Hundreds maybe but millions? Wow!) but a guy with a “bye bye birdie” T-shirt asks this question “What have the police done for us?”

Mr Mogi is then killed right outside the studio. More officers arrive and are also killed. The task force set off but are warned by L that they might also be killed. Kira II tells Kira to find her, telling him that she has ‘the eyes’ and mentioning a Shinigami, L falls off his chair from his notion. As Light’s sister raises her voice in protest, we see Misa considering killing her, but deciding not to.

Soichiro arrives wearing a helmet to hide his face, after destroying the camera he shoots the wire. You know there are probably better ways to cut the wire than shooting it. He takes Sayu into the building using his jacket to cover her face. Soichiro throws off his helmet and enters the building. One of the heads tells the studio to cut commercials as their ratings are high. Telling me that the writer doesn’t know that much about television. Commercials are how TV studios earn money. The high the ratings for a show; the more money an advertiser is likely to pay for it. Cutting commercials will lose you money, at time where you could really capitalise.

I'm Kira II, I see in cr*ppy orange filters

Soichiro bursts into the room and demands the broadcast be stopped which, upon seeing his weapon, they agree to. Soichiro contacts L and Light decides to move in. There’s no guarantee that Kira II is not an enemy (despite the entire broadcast being about how you should support him) but if he is an ally, he can kill L and Light intends to find him before L does.

A riot squad closes in on the Kira supporters. Tell me something: why is a riot squad necessary? None of the Kira supporters are doing any damage; they’re not hurting anyone and they’re not going anywhere. Light enters the studio as Misa exits. He finds his sister, upset over the death of Mr Mogi. For the record, he was barely a presence in the manga or anime but he wasn’t killed in either. His death did not serve any purpose and I can’t feel sorry for him, I had no idea who he was until now.

I need Kira! Because erm... because erm... I need Kira

Misa sees Light coming down the stairs but can’t see his life force. She knows that he is Kira. The task force meet to discuss the findings from the tape, Light offers the opinion that this is a second Kira as the whole affair was clumsily done and he killed innocent people without hesitation (gee, I know you were hesitating so much you killed your own girlfriend!) L believes that the person is inside the TV station and orders everyone there question

We see a poster “A message from Kira 50.5%” relating to the share of the populace the message was shown to, I think (why would they have that on a poster?) everyone congratulates Saeko, with the exception of the girl whose name we still haven’t found out. It was her research that lead to Kira II using this station.  And we finally find her name Kyomi, she was Light’s actual girlfriend in the anime/manga.

Another of the producers comes with another message from the Police for the station to transmit; a response from the police warning Kira II not to go near Kira, else she be used and destroyed. As the Task Force look through records of the staff at the station. Misa finally confronts Light, allowing him to touch her Death Note so he can see Rem. He takes her to the room and they talk.

Way to a man's heart is through a CD apparently

Light clearly fell asleep the last few months since he didn’t notice Misa despite the fact that’s she’s f*cking everywhere. Anyway, she wants the pair to be lovers, and get L’s real name. She doesn’t care if she’s being used (I hear feminism crying) and we see her back story. Her family was killed by a thief, who couldn’t be sent to prison, Kira then killed him, so she worships him.

Light berates her for killing innocent Police Officers (Because Light wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing, oh wait…) but they agree to be partners. Light’s first task for her is to kill L. Misa agrees so long as they date once a week. Light warns against this, as he’s already under suspicion and would have to date others but Misa won’t let him. Light threatens to get rid of her but Rem steps in saying that she’d kill Light if that happens.

Light returns to college and finds L is among the students there. With a face mask to wear in public. Misa drops by (here’s the other issue: doesn’t light losing a girlfriend before moving immediately onto another seem even slightly suspicious? At least in the anime his relationship was more an on-again-off again kind of thing) Light tells Misa to take off L's mask (another suspicious move) and she sees his face, Misa is soon swamped by fans. And bla, bla, bla

Misa departs, L departs also, allowing Light to call Misa (you’re in public, and L’s not far away, it wouldn’t have hurt to have waited) but L had swiped her phone and alerts Light to Misa’s arrest on suspicion of being Kira II, evidence having being found on the tapes. Misa is chained up in a basement room with a camera <insert your own sexual fanfiction here>

Misa is quiet into the fifth day, not eating or drinking. On the fifth day she begins to beg for her death. Unbeknownst to them, she’s actually talking to Rem. Rem goes to see Light, having made Misa give up the Death Note. She has lost all her memories of using the Death Note and that Light is Kira however, for reasons I can only describe as plot convenience, she still remembers her love for Light.

Rem threatens to kill Light unless he can assure her release. She owes that much to the Shinigami Gelus (mis-spelt Jealous in the subtitles) Rem explains that when Misa’s parents died Gelus looked out for her (for some reason, they never really made it clear that he’d fallen in love with Misa) when Misa was attacked he killed her attacker but as that’s against Shinigami law she was turned to dust and his Death Note was passed to Misa.

Rem makes the same threat she made moments ago but Light retorts that if he dies it could drive Misa to suicide. Either way he agrees to help, warning that it might take time. In a forest the next day he gives Rem some instructions and she flies away. He buries the notebook and says he’ll abandon the notebook using the words ‘throw away.’ Day 6 of Misa’s captivity approaches and she’s begging for her release.

Hey, how about we kill the boy and bury his body, no-one would know

Light enters saying that he might subconsciously be Kira without knowing about it. They decide to confine him until events can trigger his release. Soichiro is naturally upset about this and searches Light’s room to no avail. Not exactly sure what he was looking for either, they don’t know what the weapon is yet.

3 days into Light’s confinement, Light asks whether someone had been killed and no-one has. Light pretends to feel guilty about the situation. Rem meanwhile has her eyes on Kiyomi, Kiyomi discovers the pass for Saeko and decides to burn it. The Death Note then drops in front of her. Day 7 of Light in confinement Light says the code words (which really don’t fit into that sentence as translated into English) and of course he loses his memory too. He starts to protest that he isn’t Kira.

2 weeks pass from Light’s confinement, they get word of several executions but L still tells Light that there have been none. As several more criminals die, Kiyomi asks Rem why she was chosen. Rem reveals that Kira had chosen her, referencing some lines about her thinking Kira should use the media. OK, we seem to be crossing 3 plot-lines from the manga at once here, interesting. With the number of criminals dying on the rise, Soichiro suggests they start from scratch and Light and Misa are released.

Arghhhhhhhhhh!!!! A hideous monster! Oh and a Shinigami

After a criminal was killed in front of her, Kiyomi is interviewed on Saeko’s news programme. She suggests that thanks to Kira crime rate is dropping and according to a survey, over 60% of people are in support of him. One of the producers/men working at the studio congratulations Kiyomi and says she may yet become a news anchor. I can imagine Saeko is livid.

Saeko is soon run over by a truck. Kiyomi takes charge of the news show, announcing her death. Misa and Light are in a room together with Misa chained to the bed for some reason. Light finds something and heads downstairs. Light has found proof that there’s a third Kira who seems to be connected to Sakura TV and is female. They suggest that a recent replacement for the newscaster would be a likely suspect.

Does this come with Tetris? This is kind of boring

A member of the Task Force has her followed and her bugged. They see that she is writing the names of the people who died. Light suggests that to catch her, they use her evil. Kiyomi gets a call, saying that her room was bugged and they know her secret, which they’ll sell to her for ¥5million. A member of the task force, under a false alias, meets with Kiyomi telling her to transfer to a bank account on the card he provided and to not kill him else the tape be released.

She turns on the TV later on and shows the guy from the Task Force who had met is on the show preparing to reveal Kira’s name. Kiyomi prepares to kill him but it doesn’t work as he used an alias. She makes the deal for the Shinigami eyes and rushes to the studio. With her caught speeding, the police pursue and stop her. The policeman soon dies of a heart attack. Soichiro orders her to be called in for arrest.

Kiyomi enters the TV studio and sees where the broadcast should be taking place, but the place has been abandoned and she’s been set up. She’s caught and the Death Note is dropped. They all touch it, all seeing Rem. Light regains his memory claiming that all had gone according to plan. We see in the flashback exactly what Light’s plan had been.

Back in the present, Rem puts up a scene, distracting everyone so that Light could kill Kiyomi using the piece of the Death Note in his watch. (I didn’t know watches came with storage compartments) they question Rem, particularly regarding the last rule in the death note which claims that any user must continue to use it, if they do not for 13 days they will die. This clears Light and Misa from suspicion as both were in captivity for longer.

Shinigamis make the best office assistants

Light gives Misa instructions as she leaves (which they didn’t pick up on their security cameras for some reason) she finds the buried Death Note and regains her memories. She sees Ryuk and finds a message from Light. Asking her to resume executions and kill L but she can’t remember his real name. She wants to get the eyes once again and Ryuk agrees a trade, taking another half of her life force.

With the executions having restarted, L tells Soichiro that they need to investigate the 13-day rule using criminals on death row. Soichiro volunteers to oversee the experiment, accompanied by several of the Police Officers. Watari is soon to arrive with Misa, L plans to show his face providing opportunity for her to kill him. Light says that this time Misa could really die, this gains Rem’s attention. 

Rem enters an abandoned room and writes Watari’s and L’s name in her death note. She is disgusted as she realises that this was Light’s plan the entire time. L dies in front of Light and Rem sets her Death Note on fire so that Light could never use it. OK, there’s a lot to cover from the manga before the end from here, I really can’t see how they’re going to pull this off… Oh wait, they’re gonna have Light do something even more insufferable; aren’t they? How about they make him try to kill his own father? That would evil enough to end… oh no, I’m giving them ideas, aren’t I?

Burn baby burn!

Oh no! The next thing he does is write his father's name in the Death Note. Even Misa thinks that’s monstrous. Rather too soon, Soichiro returns with the Death Note and I’m not seeing where this is going, am I? Light orders the death note handed to him. Revealing his hand and that his time is up. But Soichiro does not die, revealing the case containing the death note to be empty.

He had watched and seen everything and soon the task force have him surrounded. And L is also still alive

L is still alive

L is still alive

WHAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!

They’re really trying too hard to rush this conclusion and it ends up robbing Light of one of his greatest victories in both the anime and the manga. There really should’ve been a third movie to the series dealing with the aftermath, introducing Mello and Near and having them co-opt to defeat Kira (albeit under the pretence of them working alone). Not to mention it compounds the statistic from the first movie that the more people involved the lesser the chance of success. As it stood in the anime/manga there were 4 people involved, here it’s only 2.

Having L alive also weakens the sacrifice Rem made. It seems utterly pointless in just setting a few chess pieces in motion to Light’s capture. Light also made it way too obvious that he was Kira. There was bound to be surveillance in that building (in fact there were references to that fact) and he revealed his hand to his father far too early. For that matter why were they still suspicious of him at this point? Was it just an obsessive suspicion from L?

And just to compound it, turns out that L had not been killed by Rem owing to the fact that he had previously written his own name in the Death Note, he will die peacefully in 23 days. You know, if I had to manipulate the time of my own death, I’d give it a bit longer than 23 days, maybe 53 years. Anyway, they’d replaced Misa’s Death Note with a fake, which makes you wonder why Ryuk was hovering around it and Light had written in the fake notebook.

After endless debate about what’s right and wrong. Light is cornered and he calls upon Ryuk to kill everyone in the room. Ryuk agrees to write one name, his. Funnily enough, I caught sight of the manga recently and this is more accurate than the anime was. Light dies the slowest heart attack I have ever seen, Misa drops to her knees and L decides to destroy the remaining Death Notes. Ryuk flies away out of boredom.

Never play death with a Shinigami

So, as L approaches his final days we find out that Light’s family will believe that Light was killed by Kira and Kira’s death will remain unannounced. The clock finally counts down and L passes away.

Now, you know how the first film had a pointless prologue. How about a pointless epilogue for this one. Light’s family commemorate a year since Light’s death. So does Misa and Ryuk is still out there

This film gives me rage issues!

To be honest, this film had an impossible task, there were at least 3 sagas in this movie that could’ve served as movies on their own. Giving them time to flesh out the characters, most of the task force were woefully underdeveloped and continue the story beyond this predetermined end point. The end result is a mish-mash of plots that’s ultimately a mess and not particularly enjoyable to sit through.

We're here to stand awkwardly and shout exposition

The ending once again is where I take the biggest issue; it’s hard to see how they could’ve reached a satisfactory conclusion given the time they had left. But I still ask why L was still convinced of Light’s guilt despite all the evidence proving to the contrary. That and Light’s attempts to kill his own father and then convince him it was all for the greater good came off as false this time around.

I'm Rem, and this is my pet human, Misa

Pacing once again was a primary issue, particularly in the latter half of the movie when the pacing went full throttle, leaving out particular details to enhance the pacing but ultimately leaving people confused. A fast paced movie is fine but it requires an amount of finesse with storytelling that this movie could not show, as mysteries and suspense movies tend to lend themselves to slower pacing.

The epilogue felt tacked on, none of it was needed. L’s death could’ve just as easily been the end of the movie.

Rage Rating 50%

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Images used in this review are from Death Note 2: The Last Name, Ratchet and Clank and Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time and belong to their respective owners. All images in this review are subject to fair use.