[Once Upon a Crime Review Netflix] Enjoy intricate murder mysteries in Fairy Tale!
Once Upon a Crime
Summary
In summary, this is a work that takes a good novel and adapts it into an Original Netflix film that fits perfectly into the style of Japanese entertainment. It takes Fairy Tale and transforms it into a murder mystery that seamlessly integrates with the original story, while also injecting a fresh narrative direction that reflects the contemporary era. It is filled with witty humor and sharp satire, even if it concludes with a somewhat formulaic ending.
Overall
7.5/10User Review
( votes)Pros
- Fairy Tale and transforms it into a murder mystery.
- Based on a renowned Japanese novel.
- Blending dark humor with the classic style of old-school mythology.
- Crafting a complex and engaging murder case.
- Japanese actors seamlessly fit into Western roles.
Cons
- Very few scenes.
- The ending still follows a very common formula.
Once Upon a Crime Netflix’s original Japanese film follows the story of Little Red Riding Hood, who becomes a detective solving mysteries in a fantasy world
Once Upon a Crime Review Netflix (No Spoilers)
Little Red Riding Hood (Kanna Hashimoto) embarks on a journey and serendipitously encounters Cinderella (Yuuka Araki) after both their dresses are magically transformed by a fairy. Together, they head to a dance party. On the way, their carriage accidentally runs over a man, killing him. This marks the beginning of a mysterious murder case in the enchanting fantasy world
This is an adaptation of the classic mystery novel by author Aito Aoyagi, set in a world of fairy tales and fantasy that everyone is familiar with. It features Little Red Riding Hood, who possesses detective abilities, as she tracks down criminals committing crimes in the fantasy world. This story serves as the first case in Cinderella’s world, with a narrative that unfolds sequentially but introduces unexpected deaths occurring during a horse-drawn carriage ride to a prince’s dance party. Within the dance party is a pivotal scene in solving the mystery, and the story continues to connect, leading to the glass slipper, each element cleverly woven into a complex murder case. Little Red Riding Hood’s character is reminiscent of Kindaichi or Conan, but in the guise of the adventurous Little Red Riding Hood, who has a penchant for traveling and seeking adventure. Ultimately, it’s a tale of various murder mysteries in the world of fantasy.
However, apart from the intriguing investigative scenes, what truly stands out in this story are the cleverly placed comedic elements that satirize the world of classic fairy tales from bygone eras. These elements were often prevalent in the culture of that time. For example, Cinderella’s immediate infatuation with the prince, even though they have never met, and the comical aspects of the time-limited spells cast by the fairy godmother add humor to the narrative. The prince who already secretly loves someone else but disappears, and the excessively beautiful world of fantasy, where only the beautiful people are allowed to attend the dance party, all contribute to the humor. These comedic pearls are delivered with a sharp edge, invoking laughter every time and encouraging viewers to think critically along with the humor.
The actors themselves, even though they are Japanese, played this role convincingly. Even though they are of Asian descent, they wore Western-style dresses without feeling awkward. Kanno, who played as Little Red Riding Hood, looked innocent on the outside but had some bad woman moments hidden within. cinderella, portrayed by Yuuga Araki, perfectly embodied the beautiful girl, even though there were some overacting moments in the Japanese entertainment style
The CG special effects in the fantasy scenes are well-suited for the movie’s streaming format. The dialogue follows a detective movie style for most of the film, which means it doesn’t rely heavily on big, extravagant scenes. Due to the limited budget, there are only a few major scenes, with the primary one being the dance.
A weakness of the story lies in its rushed conclusion towards the end, where it hurriedly wraps up the entire narrative in a typical detective movie fashion. The dialogue scene towards the end, where they reveal who the culprit is, feels overly simplified, even though there are some surprises. It’s a conventional, formulaic ending, When compared to the overall narrative development that had deviated from the norm.
In summary, this is a work that takes a good novel and adapts it into an Original Netflix film that fits perfectly into the style of Japanese entertainment. It takes Fairy Tale and transforms it into a murder mystery that seamlessly integrates with the original story, while also injecting a fresh narrative direction that reflects the contemporary era. It is filled with witty humor and sharp satire, even if it concludes with a somewhat formulaic ending.