Japanese Reviews Projects Reviews The Takashi Miike Project (102/111 complete)

Film Review: Ace Attorney (2012) by Takashi Miike

Because of the rising amount of felonies, the number of trials has also increased all over Japan, resulting in a drastic change of the judicial system. Instead of a traditional trial in the new bench trail system, prosecution and defense face each other in an open trail and have three days to present evidence as well as cross-examine witnesses before on the last day a sentence is made. Young attorney Phoenix Wright () is a very ambitious, but inexperienced attorney when he takes over his second case: the defense of Maya Fey () who is the prime suspect for the murder of her sister Mia (). During the trail, Phoenix also has to face his childhood friend Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saito) who is the prosecutor, an infamous figure among his colleagues since he has never lost a case in court.

However, as the trial proceeds, Wright finds out the true extent of the case, which is only a puzzle piece within a plot that reaches back to Mia's past, to a case involving Miles' father. With new evidence new questions arise and Wright has to master a great challenge for his skills as a lawyer. Luckily, he has Maya, a spiritual medium, as well as many other friends, such as the determined Detective Gumshoe (Shunsuke Daito) and his loyal friend Larry Butz (), at his side.

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At first glance, “” seems like contract work for Japanese auteur . Even though he has directed movies for other companies and for television, for example, “Visitor Q”, as well as remakes, such as “The Happiness of the Katakuris”, no one would deny that these productions still carry the distinct signature of their director. In the case of “Ace Attorney” the film is based on a video game-series by Capcom, initially released for the Game Boy advance in 2001. Considering the rather huge ups and downs when it comes to the quality of video game-adaptations, there is always a risk of transitioning narratives and characters from one medium to the other. However, while we will not discuss whether Miike's adaptation is faithful to the source material (I have not played the video game myself and therefore cannot answer that question), we will certainly see how “Ace Attorney” fits right in with the body of work as well as the themes of one of Japan's greatest artists.

Even though the film is bound to certain aspects of the material – especially in terms of visuals and characters – Miike and cinematographer seem to be very comfortable in this particular environment. At its core a courtroom drama, the visuals of the courtroom itself have a very distinct video game-appeal, which is emphasized by the at times a bit overacted comedy or the big screen announcing “Guilty” or “Not Guilty” at the end of a trial. The exchange of pieces of evidence as well as every interrogation is presented as a battle between two opponents, much like a beat'em-up game, in which each one if constantly under pressure. While this is certainly not a classical courtroom drama, “Ace Attorney”, nevertheless, emphasizes the stakes in each trial, the fate of the client, the reputation of each lawyer and the need to fight for what is just.

The reason why this specific spin on the genre works is also due to the cast. While the ensemble cast as a whole works quite well when it comes to balancing the drama and the occasional comedy within the script by and , Hiroki Narimiya deserves a special mention in this regard. While his costume and hairstyle may emphasize the exaggerated theatrics of his performance, there is also a believable motivation for justice and ambition at the center of his character, making his interpretation of Phoenix Wright quite captivating. Takumi Saito also gives a good performance as Wright's childhood friend and adversary in the scenes the two share together while seasoned actor Ryo Ishibashi has some memorable moments as Miles' mentor.

In the end, “Ace Attorney” is a very enjoyable courtroom drama and possibly, as many reviewers already said, one of the better video game-adaptations out there. Supported by great performances and visuals, this film provides great entertainment and drama as well as some of the most memorable courtroom arguments you have ever seen.

About the author

Rouven Linnarz

Ever since I watched Takeshi Kitano's "Hana-Bi" for the first time (and many times after that) I have been a cinephile. While much can be said about the technical aspects of film, coming from a small town in Germany, I cherish the notion of art showing its audience something which one does normally avoid, neglect or is unable to see for many different reasons. Often the stories told in films have helped me understand, discover and connect to something new which is a concept I would like to convey in the way I talk and write about films. Thus, I try to include some info on the background of each film as well as a short analysis (without spoilers, of course), an approach which should reflect the context of a work of art no matter what genre, director or cast. In the end, I hope to pass on my joy of watching film and talking about it.

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