Dive into the mesmerizing yet turbulent realm of 'Scarlet,' where director Mamoru Hosoda boldly transplants Shakespeare's timeless tragedy 'Hamlet' into a fantastical anime afterlife—raising eyebrows and sparking debates about ambition in animation!
Imagine a Japanese filmmaker whose stories whisk you away to dreamlike dimensions, blending heartfelt emotions with stunning visuals. Hosoda has crafted some truly extraordinary films that plunge deep into imaginative, otherworldly settings. For instance, his 2018 masterpiece 'Mirai' follows a young boy grappling with jealousy over his new baby sister. In a twist of domestic time-bending magic, he encounters her as a grown teenager right in his backyard garden. This encounter kicks off a series of delightful yet profound journeys through time, where he meets relatives from various life stages, fostering a beautiful new empathy and understanding.
Then there's 'Belle' from 2022—a poignant tale of a young girl scarred by personal tragedy who discovers emotional release in a vibrant virtual world. I absolutely adored it and rated it among the year's finest films, and honestly, it might just be the ultimate cinematic exploration of the digital age and our online escapes. Either way, its soul-stirring musical climax stays with you long after the credits roll, a symphony of catharsis that's hard to forget.
But here's where it gets controversial: Hosoda's latest creation, 'Scarlet,' pushes his creative genius to dizzying heights, yet it stumbles in execution. Picture this—a medieval princess named Scarlet, portrayed by voice actress Ashida Mana, witnesses her father's brutal murder by her treacherous uncle Claudius (voiced by the legendary Kôji Yakusho). In a desperate act, she dies too, only to awaken in an vast, eerie purgatory known as the Otherlands. This surreal limbo, inhabited by spirits from every era, becomes her stage for seeking revenge.
Now, anyone can agree that adapting 'Hamlet'—that iconic Shakespearean drama of betrayal, madness, and moral dilemmas—into a Japanese anime set in a bizarre underworld is a wildly bold move, far beyond the usual animated fare. Unlike many cartoons or even live-action blockbusters that often lack depth, 'Scarlet's' issue isn't a shortage of imagination; it's an overwhelming surplus. Hosoda, a talented animator who once worked at Studio Ghibli on projects like 'Wolf Children' and 'Summer Wars,' excels at weaving visually intricate anime universes infused with existential themes handled with innocent earnestness. Yet, in 'Scarlet,' this abundance—be it the ornate designs, intense emotions, or sprawling scale—becomes its undoing. It's a forgivable misstep, really, because if you're going to falter, let it be through sheer audacity in reimagining a literary giant like 'Hamlet.'
And this is the part most people miss: the film's ambition shines brightest in its thrilling opening. Set in 16th-century Denmark, we see Scarlet helplessly watch as Claudius falsely accuses her father of treason and has him executed. Fueled by rage—no ghostly apparition spurs her on, as in the original play—she attempts to avenge him. But Claudius outmaneuvers her with poison, sending her to the Otherlands. This infinite, barren expanse teems with lost souls and roving bandits, a place where inhabitants linger briefly before vanishing into oblivion. Whispers of a heavenly staircase abound, and Scarlet's quest leads her to ally with Hijiri (voiced by Okada Masaki), a compassionate modern-day paramedic who dedicates his afterlife to mending others' wounds, even her enemies'.
That said, 'Scarlet' can feel aimless and sluggish at times. Even nods to Hamlet's minor characters like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear, but if the Otherlands symbolize Scarlet's tormented inner world, the clash between revenge and redemption comes across as overly simplistic amidst a whirlwind of chaos. Hosoda attempts to add depth through Hijiri's personal history, adapting Shakespeare's timeless conflicts to modern sensibilities, but it doesn't fully resonate.
Remember how Hosoda cleverly fused 'Beauty and the Beast' elements into 'Belle' for a mix of awkward yet insightful moments? 'Scarlet' aims to connect Hamlet's ancient woes to contemporary issues, a grand experiment that talented directors like him should embrace. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite land, though the visuals are often breathtaking and the passion unmistakable. Hosoda proves he's still a filmmaker who can soar to operatic peaks; take Claudius's dazzling death scene, for example—a feat of animation considering he's already deceased.
'Scarlet,' distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, hits limited theaters this Friday and expands February 6. It's rated PG-13 for violence and bloody imagery, available in Japanese with subtitles or English dubbing, and clocks in at 112 minutes. I give it two stars out of four.
What do you think? Is Hosoda's over-the-top ambition in 'Scarlet' a noble risk worth forgiving, or does it undermine the essence of 'Hamlet'? Could this adaptation spark new interest in Shakespeare for anime fans, or does it dilute the play's genius? Share your thoughts in the comments—do you agree that visual excess can sink a story, or disagree that it's better to dream big and miss?
