Directors: Kentaro Otani, Keiichi Sato.
Cast: Hiro Mizushima, Ayame Goriki, Yuka, Midzuki Yamamoto, Goro Kishitani.
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 121 minutes.
Synopsis: An heiress who must disguise her identity is served by a demonic butler as she investigates the murder of her parents.
Manga and anime don’t lend themselves easily to live action adaptations, and even less easily into 2 hour long feature films. The plots are complicated, requiring lots of exposition, and even the simplest seeming of series often have rich mythologies. Black Butler is an incredibly popular show, and for good reason too. It has incredible and unique characters, with well paced plots, and mysteries that gradually reveal themselves over time. It’s no surprise then that this live-action feature film has a few problems getting said story to the screen, but what is surprising is how much is crammed in and how damn enjoyable the whole experience is.
With setting and period obscured, BLACK BUTLER aims for a timeless and international feel. The cast are predominantly Japanese, and the year is given as present day, but fashion and set design suggest this as taking place in an alternative reality. There’s simply too much plot to try and fit into a summary, with a lot of backstory revealed through dialogue and montages that will certainly confuse those hoping to just sit back and relax. We follow Kiyoharu/Shiori Genpo (Goriki), a young girl who must disguise herself as a boy for reason you’ll find out. She is aided by a demonic butler, Sebastian (Mizushima), who was summoned to her after she sold her soul. Together they investigate the mysteries of recently mummified dignitaries, which may be linked to the death of Kiyoharu’s mother.
Shoved into the mix are a series of wonderful characters which are translated well. They retain their comedic and more obscure charm, yet don’t come across as too cartoonish. It’s a difficult balance to get right, and it’s one that is handled well in terms of the design too. Fights are both brutal and restrained, each one meticulously crafted to show both elegance and brutality, which just so happens to sum up Sebastian rather well.
Best of all is a true sense of creativity and mystery. The film takes many elements not seen this side of the pond for quite some time. In a world where even the likes of Batman and James Bond have to be down to earth and gritty, it’s wonderful to watch a film that embraces its absurdity and intertwines it with a sinister feeling. The mystery also gradually reveals itself, and although things aren’t always as shocking and unexpected as we’d like, at least the characters earn their answers.
BLACK BUTLER will certainly upset many, and the audience may even be more niche than expected. Fans of the manga and anime will be furious at some changes, as well as elements being rushed, while those coming to the film fresh faced will have trouble keeping up with a lot of the story strands, as well as failing to understand the inclusion of certain characters and backstory. There’s no denying the incessant amount of flashbacks (even to just a few minutes before) become annoying at times, and the final 35 minutes probably could have been trimmed down to 10. But, with cool visuals, memorable characters, and a true focus on fun, BLACK BUTLER is a nice little treat, especially for those bored of grounded and gritty.
[usr=3]BLACK BUTLER is released in cinemas on 17th October.
