L: Change the World (2008)

A spin-out sequel to the popular Japanese thriller. This time it focuses on the character "L."

Director:

Hideo Nakata

Writers:

Tsugumi Ôba (story and characters), Takeshi Obata (story and characters)

Stars:

Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Sota Aoyama, David Bueno

Cast

Credited cast:
Ken'ichi Matsuyama	...	L
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sota Aoyama	...	Detective Matsuda
David Bueno	...	Scientist
Shunji Fujimura	...	Watari
Tatsuya Fujiwara	...	Light Yagami
Mayuko Fukuda	...	Maki Nikaido
Narushi Fukuda	...	Boy
Sei Hiraizumi	...	Dr. Koichi Matsudo
Shigeki Hosokawa	...	FBI Agent Ray
Renji Ishibashi	...	Shin Kagami
Yûta Kanai	...	Tamotsu Yoshizawa
Yûki Kudô	...	Dr. Mikiko Kujo
Tim Man	...	Scientist
Bokuzô Masana	...	Asao Konishi
Thomas J. Melesky	...	Arms Dealer (voice)

Storyline

A spin-off of the popular Death Note films, 'L: Change The World' focuses on the legendary detective L as he uses his final 23 days to solve crimes all over the world. When a young girl and boy come to him for aid, L is soon faced with what may be his most difficult case yet: stopping a group of corrupted scientists from spreading a lethal virus throughout the earth.

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Plot Keywords:

character name in title | 

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Taglines:

The final death note showdown!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros [Japan] Warner Bros. [Japan]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese French Italian Thai English

Release Date:

9 February 2008 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Death Note 3

Filming Locations:

Bangkok, Thailand

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$35,227,275

Company Credits

Production Co:

Horipro, Nikkatsu Pictures, Nippon Television Network (NTV)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

(at around 2h) The robot that L gives Near at the end of the movie is the same robot that is shown in the anime series that belongs to Near.

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Goofs

(at around 12 mins) When a helicopter gunship fires a rocket at a pickup truck and destroys it, it is clear that at least one of the 7 round rocket pods is full, in spite of the helicopter firing both pods earlier.

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Quotes

Maki Nikaido: Why do you only eat sweets?
L: Sugar is an essential energy for the brain and...
Maki Nikaido: Over eating is bad. You'll die.
L: You could be right
Maki Nikaido: And you should straighten your back too.

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Crazy Credits

After the credits there is a scene showing L sitting on a chair eating chocolate. He then turns around and walks off. It then says L Lawliet rests in peace.

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Connections

Followed by Death Note: New Generation (2016)

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Soundtracks

I'll be waiting
Song by Lenny Kravitz

User Reviews

If you are a fan of L's eccentricities, you'll love it. Otherwise....

First off, a note to the Death Note fans who have only enjoyed the anime/manga series: This movie is a sequel to the two live-action Death Note movies. The two movies follow an alternate ending to the Death Note anime/manga storyline, and this movie follows up to that. Therefore, if you don't know the movie ending, then you'll be left scratching your head where this movie fits in the timeline.

Another note to the people who are expecting another epic battle of wits between L and a new Kira and/or a new Shinigami (Death God): This movie does not have it. At all.

Light, Misa, and Ryuk only make a brief appearance, pretty much to recap and wrap up a small loose end from the previous movies, and that's it. This movie is about a whole new case, unrelated to Death Notes and Shinigamis. There is a reason why the words "Death Note" are not in the title of this movie. This is likely going to be a major sticking point to most fans of the Death Note franchise.

Not helping is the fact that the new case and the storyline (and the way it's told) isn't really much to write home about. The villain is supposed to be a super-genius of L's ilk, but we never get the kind of duel of the minds we've come to expect from Death Note. And for all the threat that the villain poses, the movie simply doesn't feel that suspenseful. In fact, one "horrific" death scene just ends up being unintentionally comical. As a crime thriller goes, this is a mundanely written and directed work. If such aspects are what you will be watching this movie for, you are going to be seriously disappointed.

So what should you be watching this movie for? L being L (and the actor Ken'ichi Matsuyama's top-notch portrayal of him), and L making human connections with children.

Does that description make you roll your eyes? If so, then this movie is definitely not for you.

But if you are the kind of person who enjoys L's eccentricities -- and maybe even finds him flat-out adorable for those qualities -- then you are absolutely going to love this movie. The director Hideo Nakata has said that he wanted to show L's previously unseen "human side" with this film, and in this respect, he delivers in spades.

I watched this movie at Los Angeles Anime Expo 2008 in an auditorium with 1000+ people, and I got a huge kick out of this movie. Fans were giddily screaming when L did one of his signature eccentric moves, oooh-ing and awww-ing when L showed his tender side, and hollering "YEAH!!!" when L made a triumphant heroic entrance. Grand joyous time was had by all.

To me, this movie was the perfect homage to L and his fans. And as such, I'm giving this movie an unabashedly inflated score of 8/10. If I were to rate it as a straightforward crime thriller movie, I might go as low as 4/10.

This movie is strictly for the fans of L's eccentricities only. Everybody else can safely skip this movie.