In Japanese with English & Chinese Subtitles
Genre: Animation
Director: Masakazu Hashimoto
Cast: Yo Oizumi, Maki Horikita, Mamiko Noto, Shoro Saito, Nana Mizuki
RunTime: 1 hr 39 mins
Released By: Encore Films & Golden Village Pictures
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.layton-movie.jp/

Opening Day: 18 March 2010

Synopsis:

Based on the popular and award-winning Professor Layton Nintendo DS puzzle game series, this movie is set to take place directly after the events of “Professor Layton and the Specter's Flute”, in which Layton's apprentice, Luke, is investigating the concept of immortality.

Professor Layton receives a letter from the famed opera singer, Jenice Kaitly, inviting them to see her newest performance. She also asks Layton, Luke, and Remi for assistance in a mystery, saying her friend Melina went missing one year ago but returned later as a seven year old girl saying she had found the secret of eternal life. Naturally, the case fascinates Layton and his apprentices, so they head to the Crown Petone opera house. When they arrive, something is very strange: the pianist, Ozro Vislar talks of a game, and the winner will win the "eternal life." It is up to Layton, Luke, and Remi to solve the mystery of the Eternal Diva before it is too late.

Movie Review:

While most of the Japanese movies that were given the theatrical release in Singapore are derived from either Manga, TV series or Anime (or the combination of all three), Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva originated from a Nintendo DS* Puzzle video game series in which chronicles the mystery solving adventures of Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke.

The first three games were The Curious Village, The Diabolical Box and The Last Time Travel. In which Professor Layton and his apprentice were called to solve the mysteries that troubling the various location. They were given a series of puzzles and mysteries by the various residents and after solving a minimum number of puzzles, the player would be able to proceed with the story. The fourth game (The Specter's Flute) was a prequel to the trilogy of games. It explored how the Professor and Luke met up for their first adventure together. This movie, Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva took place immediately after The Specter's Flute and the ending of The Specter's Flute served as an introduction to this movie.

There's no linkage between the mysteries in the four games with this movie and The Eternal Diva is a fine place to start exploring the Professor Layton Franchise. The Professor is cool level headed puzzle solver and his apprentice Luke is a cheerful child who often acts as the comic relief while assisting the Professor. Together, the deliberating duo was invited by a famed opera singer, Jenis Quatlane to investigate a case of strange occurrence of immortality. At the performance, a masked man appeared and offered the audience a series of puzzle solving games. The one and only winner in the end would win Eternal Life while the losers will die. Needless to say, the audience became hysterical and broke out in a mass panic. But like every mystery 'whodunit' films, the gamemaster was able to helm and control the flow of the game, forcing our heroic duo and various competitors to solve the various puzzles for the grand prize of Eternal Life.

The fun part of watching Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva would be that as viewers, we get to ponder and attempt to solve the various puzzles that lie before the protagonists. It requires a degree of lateral thinking (i.e. solving problems via indirect and creative angle) that gives the brain a good workout. The film gave a certain time to play the puzzle out, therefore allowing the viewers to think about the puzzle. It also shows the different answers by various individuals and the fate that awaits them.

As this movie uses a fair amount of sensible detective works, issues arise when the main crux of this movie is based on impossible elements. These two elements especially do not merge well together. On one hand, the Professor and Luke uses smart reasoning to figure out the puzzles but when it reaches the climatic ending, the movie just throw us the ultimate improbable scenario that jarred the whole viewing pleasure. The rule that was set up through out the movie were conveniently forgotten to suit the unexpected fantasy ending and it just dimmed the whole viewing pleasure while The Professors solves mysteries that based on implausible events.

It's a pity as the hand drawn 2D animation style is a refreshing change from the recent computer generated 3D animation that been flooding our cinemas. The music soundtracks of this movie stood out as well and probably it's due to their long history of notable soundtracks in their games. The movie started off with a promising and intriguing brain teasing first half but faltered away as a general kiddy fantasy film. Unlike movies like Christopher Nolan's The Prestige, there is very little replay value in going through the Professor Layton's puzzles or reliving the wittiness of how they were designed once the puzzles were solved. Like most other riddles, once they are solved the riddles lost its value.

* Nintendo DS a dual-screen handheld game console.

** However fans would be happy to note that a second movie (with no specific links in plot) is already in the works and it's part of a proposed trilogy and pending the box office performance, a live action movie for Professor Layton might just happen.

Movie Rating:



(An awkward blend of lateral thinking and implausible events)

Review by Richard Lim Jr