As long as you're with me, you won't feel scared
This movie adaptation was overall very solid. While it did have to cut several minor plotlines and at least one major one from the manga due to time constraints, I liked the writers' choice to rework the script in a way that preserved the feeling of the original while giving themselves enough wiggle room to abridge and condense some of the more complex subplots without sacrificing the overall internal logic of the story.
The characters remained consistent with their original selves and the actors nicely captured the despair these lonely people were feeling, as well as their clumsy and desperate attempts to find connection with someone who understand them. The dialogue in particular was well utilized to explain important concepts while keeping the plot moving in a cohesive direction—while the first half of the movie can be confusing for people who haven't read the source material, I found that the second half tied the plotlines together rather nicely and provided enough context to help the viewer along, granted you aren't watching this in the background while focusing on some other activity.
My favourite aspect of this adaptation was the production quality, though. The photography and lighting were especially well done, giving a sharp and somber feeling to the movie that perfectly fit with the mystery/suspense plotline. The scenarios, while mostly made up of dingy streets and half-empty buildings, actually enhanced the gritty aesthetics of the story, as did the understated costume design. The editing was also very consistent, and it managed to balance the many different threads of the story without losing track of how all the subplots fit together or making the pace feel stilted or overly scattered.
Also, I want to emphasize that the BL aspects of this story are mostly unspoken and hinted at throughout the movie, so don't go into this expecting it to have any on-screen discussion or even resolution. Just like in the manga, the storyline related to the curses takes precedence and you have to read between the lines to infer the main characters' romantic entanglement. But make no mistake: the whole exorcism plot is a thinly veiled metaphor for their relationship, both romantic and physical, and you can see how it develops through sexual innuendos, casual touches, and one or two insane life-long promises (was it casual when they called each other their fate???).
Lastly, a fun fact: Akutami Gege, the author of Jujutsu Kaisen, is a fan of Yamashita-sensei's work and used some of the plot points from The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window as an inspiration for his own series! You can see it more clearly in the manga as it delves into curse manipulation and curse users, so I recommend checking it out if that interests you.
The characters remained consistent with their original selves and the actors nicely captured the despair these lonely people were feeling, as well as their clumsy and desperate attempts to find connection with someone who understand them. The dialogue in particular was well utilized to explain important concepts while keeping the plot moving in a cohesive direction—while the first half of the movie can be confusing for people who haven't read the source material, I found that the second half tied the plotlines together rather nicely and provided enough context to help the viewer along, granted you aren't watching this in the background while focusing on some other activity.
My favourite aspect of this adaptation was the production quality, though. The photography and lighting were especially well done, giving a sharp and somber feeling to the movie that perfectly fit with the mystery/suspense plotline. The scenarios, while mostly made up of dingy streets and half-empty buildings, actually enhanced the gritty aesthetics of the story, as did the understated costume design. The editing was also very consistent, and it managed to balance the many different threads of the story without losing track of how all the subplots fit together or making the pace feel stilted or overly scattered.
Also, I want to emphasize that the BL aspects of this story are mostly unspoken and hinted at throughout the movie, so don't go into this expecting it to have any on-screen discussion or even resolution. Just like in the manga, the storyline related to the curses takes precedence and you have to read between the lines to infer the main characters' romantic entanglement. But make no mistake: the whole exorcism plot is a thinly veiled metaphor for their relationship, both romantic and physical, and you can see how it develops through sexual innuendos, casual touches, and one or two insane life-long promises (was it casual when they called each other their fate???).
Lastly, a fun fact: Akutami Gege, the author of Jujutsu Kaisen, is a fan of Yamashita-sensei's work and used some of the plot points from The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window as an inspiration for his own series! You can see it more clearly in the manga as it delves into curse manipulation and curse users, so I recommend checking it out if that interests you.
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