Death Note 2: The Last Name (2006)

D Note 2 continues the story from the point the first film ended. The twisty-turny battle of wills being fought between Light Yagami and the mildly eccentric L grows even more dangerous for both sides.
Misa Amane plays a pivotal role, helping put the moral nature of Light into a deeper perspective. Among other things the emotionally damaged Misa also offers up food for thought about state control and the dual natures of ambition and infatuation.
Shinigami Gelus gets hardly any screen time but evokes more emotion in a short scene than anyone else manages in over two hours.

2½ new leaves out of 5

Death Note (2006)

The Death Note is a book that causes the death of anyone whose name is written on its pages. Any fool can use it, but it takes a sharp mind to fully exploit its uses; that mind belongs to a College student, Light Yagami.
The film isn't as good as the manga or anime that preceded it, but for a TV production it does okay. The shorter running time means it lacks the depth or complexity inherent in the source, but the biggest problem is with the Shinigami (Death God). Ryuk could've been amazing, but he's rendered in a cartoonish CGI that doesn't fit with the realistic aesthetic of the rest of the film. The argument that he's supposed to appear otherworldly won’t change my mind about that. He deserved better.
It's the first half of the story only, with a cliffhanger ending, so it's advisable to already be in possession of Death Note 2 before you begin watching.

3 helpful statistics out of 5