Scarlet: The Movie

Oscar nominated director Mamoru Hosada tackles Shakespeare's timeless classic Hamlet but gives it a spin for new audiences offering a gorgeous tale of love, loss and the heavy price of vengeance.

Scarlet is a pink haired princess of the kingdom of Denmark during the 16th century. Her father King Amleth is adored by his subjects, but none more so than his beautiful daughter. Scarlet's mother Getrude despises the bond father and daughter share and plots to have the king labeled a traitor with the help of his own brother Claudius. His subsequent execution sends Scarlet into a deep depression as she vows to avenge him, ultimately leading her to end up in the Otherworld. A land between heaven and hell where she must continue to fight for her very existence or face fading away into nothingness. Her father isn’t waiting for her on the other side so the only thing pushing her forward is her vengeance in the hope to one day again come face to face with her treacherous uncle and avenge the father she so dutifully looked up to.

Scarlet meets some interesting characters along the way when she finds out her uncle is guarding the way to the “Infinite Land” the next stage of the afterlife. Eventually finding an unlikely ally in a kind you man Hijiri, who is a paramedic from the future, still carrying his medic pack and an unwavering belief in his mission to help anyone he encounters, even when they clearly don’t deserve his assistance.

With the introduction of Hijiri you start to notice things about the Otherworld. It has become a central point for all of humankind as they transition into death. People from all walks of life, religious backgrounds and even times throughout history are all in this purgatory together walking this vast landscape for the final time. It is very evident that the sins of mankind follow all to the mythological place as people try their best to continue moving towards the Infinite Lands despite the very worst of humanity continuing to do exactly what they did in life.

Scarlet and Hijiri’s travels take them through some visually stunning lands that are filled with soul crushing nothingness. Through sun burnt deserts, plains and into the mountains in their quest for revenge. Scarlet is always pushing forward despite her many setbacks and the burning hatred eating away at her, she continues to fight even when clearly outmatched and broken. Action moments are used sparingly to emphasise particular moments in the story, like unfolding pages of a book. They are generally short and to the point leaving you asking questions on where it will lead to next. Very rare is there an action set piece that definitively ends.

Scarlet would have to be one of the best looking anime I have seen in recent times. It combines two very noticeable styles to great effect giving you the sense of the two very different worlds that this is set in. Traditional 2D animation is used in the overworld but it is the combination of 3D and 2D in the Otherworld that sets this apart. 3D realistic landscapes set the back drop for all scenes while an ever changing ocean swells above. The almost tattered animation style of the 2D characters coupled with the bleakness of the 3D background sets the tone for the brutality but strange beauty of the Otherworld. This combination of beauty and brutality is especially prevalent in some of the scenes involving crowds as they fight against the odds and the landscape around them.

Scarlet has taken one of history's greatest tragedies and spun it to be enjoyed by a very different audience. Hosoda has a keen ability to blend fantasy elements with the deeply emotional themes found in the original while adding enough to make it his own. I especially love one character that is the bringer of punishment to those who deserve it, I’ll let you experience that in itself. The beautiful landscapes were only passed by the beauty of the story as Scarlet learns and evolves before your eyes. Its themes of loss, revenge, hatred and forgiveness make this one to just sit and enjoy.