Quartile rating: 5/10 · 1 rating
Light Turner finds a supernatural notebook and uses it to mete out death, attracting the attention of a detective, a demon and a girl in his class.
The Netflix adaptation strips away much of what made the original manga compelling — the psychological cat-and-mouse tension is rushed, character motivations are simplified, and Light becomes a reactive rather than calculating protagonist. Acting is uneven, with Willem Dafoe's voice work as Ryuk being a highlight but the leads feeling miscast. Cinematography has some atmospheric Seattle noir moments but is otherwise unremarkable. The ending attempts a twist but feels unearned given the thin character development throughout. As a live-action Western adaptation of a beloved manga, it covers familiar ground without adding meaningful new dimensions to the source material.