Gyakuten Saiban
Director: Takashi Miike
Release Date:  February 11, 2012
Country: Japan 

Gyakuten Saiban is quite possibly one of the most insane movie experiences I've had since I've moved to Japan. For the entirety of the 135 minute runtime, the film rarely lets up, throwing one ridiculous situation after another at its audience, paying no mind to what makes sense and what doesn't. You're not allowed to question why the hero, Phoenix Wright, is allowed to question a bird in the middle of a trial. If you don't think that's realistic, this really isn't the movie for you. 

The film follows rookie defense attorney Phoenix Wright as he works his way up from being a no name failure, to taking on one of the biggest murder cases in the past twenty years. After a series of events that change his life forever, Phoenix is partnered with Maya Fey, a shrine maiden and younger sister to his mentor, Mia Fey. Together, they attempt to prove a close friend's innocence and discover the true mastermind behind the infamous DL6 case.

If any of the above sounds familiar to you, it's probably because you played the original Ace Attorney game. Gyakuten Saiban is as complete an adaptation of its source material as humanly possible. The first three cases are all tackled in some form (cut down and changed a little bit), while the climactic Turnabout Goodbyes is featured in its entirety. Every single day of the trial is given time onscreen in surprisingly accurate fashion. To give you an idea of how closely the film plays off its source material, there wasn't a single plot point that I didn't already know. It's just that close. Your favorite characters are all represented onscreen as well; in particular Larry Butz and Detective Gumshoe had me laughing up a storm in the theater.

Gyakuten Saiban is a very funny movie. Miike understood that the source material was often times goofy and over the top, and rather than move away from that he chose to embrace it. It's never so insane that it feels childish, but it also doesn't shy from having a grown man pull off his wig and start foaming from the mouth. The cast plays this off well, going for a more cartoon-like style of melodrama instead of attempting to be serious in an absurd situation. If Phoenix is going to question a bird, we know it's ridiculous. At the same time, we also take it at face value because a man's life is on the line. It's this thin line that Gyakuten Saiban walks on when it's at its best.

Stylistically, the film makes no qualms about taking the characters from the game and throwing them onscreen. It shouldn't take devoted fans more than a second to immediately recognize everyone. I can see some critics arguing that directly adapting character designs from the game doesn't work, and while I'd agree with them normally, the tone of Gyakuten Saiban matches its content well. Visually, Miike shoots a dark film that serve to better bring out the colorful costumes of the cast, while at the same time keeping all the flourishes that the game series is known for. I remember reading that there were people who were concerned about the use of CG screens in the courtroom, but fear not. It's presented well and the movie never degenerates into lawyers tossing screens of evidence at one another as the trailer might have had you believe.

Japanese composer Koji Endo (Audition, 13 Assassins) handles musical duties, putting together a surprisingly subdued soundtrack for the film. I was concerned that the whole thing was a little bit too low key, but was pleased to find that Endo incorporated a lot of game music into the film in ways that felt appropriate. In particular, there's a piece of music that plays at the very end of the DL6 trial that got me to pump my fist. 

The film is not without its problems. I had issues with the pacing in a few spots and despite the long runtime, I felt the movie needed some more space to spread its wings. Edgeworth in particular, while very faithful to his in-game representation, needed a bit more time in the courtroom. The film is extremely well shot, but at times felt a little low budget due to primarily taking place in the courtroom. This point might be completely moot however, considering the game is similar in that respect. The humor occasionally misses the mark, which for me was made worse because I was in a theater with Japanese people, who are notorious for not making a single noise during a film. I also question how accessible Gyakuten Saiban is to someone who has never played the games. By the end of the film all the major plot threads were completely tied up, but I can see the average movie goer being put off by the weirdness of something like the Blue Badger. 

But at the end of the day those are all nitpicks. It might seem like I'm gushing, and to some extent I am. I was hopeful that Miike would hit a homerun, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned. Gyakuten Saiban is probably the last game I expected to see an adaptation of, but maybe the one I wanted the most. Despite its flaws, Gyakuten Saiban is a fun and exciting film from beginning to end.  If you're a fan of the franchise, do yourself a favor and catch this when it eventually makes its way out west. I promise you you won't regret it. I walked into the theater not sure what to expect and came out with a stupid grin on my face. If that's not telling, I don't know what is.

One last thing; don't miss the credits!

8.0 - Great. A perfectly executed film that defines its genre without resorting to cliches.