Last Friday MIG attended a very special event. The first screening of Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva which took place at the BFI, South Bank. Professor Layton the famous puzzle solving, British gentleman with his famous top hat, has transferred from gaming screen to big screen in an epic adventure. But has it been successful?
The film based on the best selling DS game, which sees players follow and help Professor Layton, with his trusted apprentice Luke – solve mysteries. To solve these mysteries you are confronted with various brainteasers, the series has been so successful that to this day it has sold nearly 5.5 million copies, worldwide. To date there have been four games released in Japan, with two of these games appearing over on these shores. Hopefully, if Nintendo are nice to the fans, we will soon see the third arrive over onto these shores, by the end of the year.
The new animated film is set after the events, which occur in the third game. The third game is basically a prequel to the first two, telling the tale of how Professor Layton and Luke first met. So the film is also a prequel of sorts telling the story of Luke’s first big case with the Professor. In the film we are also introduced to the Professors first assistant Remi, a heroine in every way who loves to take photos, a sleuth in her own right. We get properly introduced to Remi during the third game, along with Inspector Grosky of Scotland Yard. An Inspector with the craziest hairstyle you will ever see, he provides some great comedy moments, which, will remain with you forever more.
Not to spoil too much of the film for you, the basic mystery surrounds immortality and the fabled legend of an ancient kingdom Ambrosia. One Jenis Quatlane invites the professor and Luke to an opera. A friend of the Professor’s, Jenis has a small problem. A year before her best friend died, now a seven-year-old girl has appeared. Claiming to be the reincarnation of her best friend, she has been reborn; she has the power of immortality. Soon though it becomes quite apparent that there’s more to the opera than meets the eye and so one of the Professors biggest mysteries gets under way.
The animation is simply wonderful and beautiful to behold, the characters jump from the screen. The CGI has been beautifully created, whilst managing to retain the games look and atmosphere perfectly. If you know the games you will instantly recognise everything in the film. Layton and Luke look great on the big screen. The script is wonderful, the story captivates. There’s plenty of little twists to keep you guessing right till the end and as mentioned earlier there’s quite a few comedy moments, making you chuckle as you finish watching the film. The soundtrack is breathtaking, matching the films theme perfectly, I have to say its one of the best scores I’ve heard in a film for ages.
The other part I really enjoyed, which has to get a mention. The puzzles themselves are presented in such a way that you try and solve them yourself. Each time a puzzle appears on screen there is also a time limit in which the cast is given to solve said puzzle. This gives you the viewer ample time to try and guess the answer before it is revealed on screen. I found this great fun, getting the audience to try and solve the riddles before the Professor is a great little addition.
If your new to the series, haven’t played the games before, don’t panic. Rather than expecting you to know whom the main characters are, you get introduced to the cast of characters as if they were new. Everything is explained right at the beginning making this easily accessible for everyone out there. Something I wasn’t really expecting but is a brilliant move. I’m pretty sure that after watching the film, there will be a few more copies of the game sold. After the film I spoke to an anime expert, Jeremy Graves of the Anime Chronicle Podcast. He was new to the series; never having played the games he agreed that the film was instantly “accessible” to everybody. Giving the film a big thumbs up.
This film has once again proven that if the concept and franchise from a game is taken and done right, then the transition to the big screen can be a great success. This film is a masterpiece, a film that will appeal to everyone. Perhaps Hollywood should begin to take some notes from Anime!
Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva is being launched by Manga Entertainment in the UK this September. It will be available on DVD and blu-ray formats. Although the screening was with English subtitles, they are working on an English dub with the original cast from the games.
