Death Note (2017): Justice and American Interventionism

(Originally written on the 17th of September, 2021)

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR DEATH NOTE (2017)

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A lot has been said about Adam Wingard's 2017 adaptation of the manga/anime Death Note, the general consensus is that it bastardized the original characters and themes of the original Japanese work. While many of the film's shortcomings can be linked back to studio interference, one aspect of Wingard's adaptation that many viewers overlook is the thematic significance of Light Turner as the embodiment of a modern-day United States.

Whether or not a work succeeds as an adaptation depends on how the themes and concepts of the original were successfully translated. The original Death Note follows a studious young Japanese man who, after being given the ability to take the life of anyone he sees fit, slowly becomes corrupted by power, as does his formerly pure sense of justice. Light Turner is clearly not Light Yagami, however, this is not inherently a flaw with the film. Yagami reflected the culture he grew up in: a strict society that put immense pressure on its youth to be studious and encouraged stepping over one's peers and colleagues to succeed in a bureaucratic society. Understanding that the United States has an inherently different culture, Wingard instead chose to have Light Turner be the grade-A student of American society: naive. The boy is book smart but lacks a proper understanding of how the real world operates. This is demonstrated excellently when he attempts to stand up to an older bully by declaring that him beating Light up would be considered "assaulting a minor."

The very next scene shows Light venting his frustrations about how those in power allow bad people to face no repercussions. He says this to the principal, a man in power, who is punishing Light for a crime far less serious than the crime that Light was caught trying to stop. It is this frustration that pushes him to take Ryuk's advice and test the Death Note on the same bully. Seeing Turner as the modern American reflection of the Japanese Yagami, one can also view Turner as emblematic of the United States as a people. The United States is relatively young when compared to the rest of the world and yet has been burdened with tremendous power and influence, arguably far too much for them to effectively manage. The same is true for Light Turner. After suffering an attack that personally and physically affected the lives of millions of Americans, the country became (for the most part) united in its patriotism which fueled their "War on Terror." They saw the injustices committed and how the rest of the world turned a blind eye. The American population was in full support of what they believed to be a black and white war against evil that only they were willing to fight.

Light's dynamic with Mia Sutton is also heavily scrutinized as a complete betrayal of the relationship between Yagami and Misa Amane; now having Mia emotionally manipulate Light into taking his self-appointed mission further in order to fulfil her own desire for power. The Adam and Eve parallels are very clear, however, the difference is that Light was merely being encouraged to continue what he had begun while Adam was tempted into sin by Eve. Light's being so easily swayed mirrors the American public falling into line. Light believed that he was creating a better world and the American public (soldiers included) believed that they were fighting against tyranny and Saddam Hussein's supposed Weapons of Mass Destruction. In reality, the Bush administration was sending a message to their potential enemies: that the United States was indeed powerful and should be feared.

The specific moment that made me consider this allegorical reading of the film came in the final conversation between Light Turner and his father. Similar to how the majority of Americans and their allies now view the War on Terror as a grave mistake that caused more harm than good, Light reflects on his actions and demonstrates his newfound maturity.

I thought it was simple at first: I was just going to kill all of the bad guys and the good guys would win.