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Ohhh yes! A dream! I like that. Dreams are places you can have fun, right? It's all in your mind, so why not enjoy it?
~ Ryuk.
Humans are so... interesting.
~ Ryuk's last words, also the final line in the movie.

Ryuk is the overarching antagonist of the 2017 Netflix original supernatural crime thriller film Death Note, which is very loosely based on the Japanese manga and anime series of the same name by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

He is a Shinigami death god who seeks to deliver the Death Note to a new owner, then stay to watch what happens, as in the case of Light Turner, who comes into possession of the Death Note during the film. As opposed to his original incarnation, which served more as comic relief, this version is much more sadistic and takes pleasure in the death and mayhem he causes.

He was portrayed by Willem Dafoe, who also played Raven Shaddock in Streets of Fire, Eric Masters in To Live and Die in L.A., Bobby Peru in Wild at Heart, John Geiger in Speed 2: Cruise Control, Max Schreck in Shadow of the Vampire, the Green Goblin in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy and Spider-Man: No Way Home, Armando Barillo in Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Nikolai Diavolo in 007: Everything or Nothing, George Deckert in xXx: State of the Union, Lord Cob in Tales from Earthsea, Rat in Fantastic Mr. Fox, J.G. Jopling in The Grand Budapest Hotel, Jack Lassen in The Simpsons, Thomas Wake in The Lighthouse and Clement Hoately in Nightmare Alley.

Biography[]

Like the rest of his species, Ryuk was born in ancient times in the Shinigami Realm, tasked with killing humans whose time was up, and delivering their souls to the afterlife.

Ryuk is first seen encountering Light Turner (the movie adaptation of Light Yagami) after the latter found the Death Note and later gets him to write down the Kenny Doyle's name into it causing him to be decapitated by the ladder on a truck. Ryuk later appears when telling Light more about the Death Note in his room, telling him not to be concerned with the Note's rules when he finds warnings about trusting the Shinigami.

Afterwards, Ryuk is seen in various other scenes floating around in the background, usually commenting on Light and Mia Sutton's attacks being reported on the news and later on how he likes Mia's way of thinking. After several FBI agents commit suicide under the influence of the Death Note, Light accuses Ryuk of killing them, and he, while eating several apples, does not confirm of deny what he did. Once Light threatens to write his name in the Death Note, Ryuk mocks him by stating that his name has four letters and the most that anyone had ever gotten to was two.

When L suffers a mental breakdown and gets the police to search Light's house after discovering that the latter was committing the murders, knowing they will find the Death Note, Ryuk mockingly laughs, stating that, when he finds the Note a new owner, Light Turner will be the first name he recommends. However, the Death Note was actually safely taken by Mia to ensure this didn't happen.

During the film's climax while Light and Mia were on the Ferris wheel Light begs Mia not to take the note which she promises not to, however Mia takes it from him anyway, much to his dismay since he had written her name in should she have taken it, with both Mia and Light's name in the note Ryuk proceeds to tear apart the Ferris wheel in order to kill them both, Light attempts to save Mia and himself from the fall however they both fall with Mia ripping out his page to save his life.

Light then lands safely in the river while Mia lands on a flower stand and dies instantly. Light was put into a coma and the Death Note was retrieved, upon being discovered Light explains mostly everything to his father whilst L breaks into Light's house and discovers the names of all of the FBI agents murdered by Light and Mia on a discarded page of the note, with revenge in mind L proceeds to write Light's name onto the page. Light then sees Ryuk laughing in the corner of his hospital chamber as he comments on how interesting humans are.

Reception[]

Despite the 2017 movie adaptation of Death Note getting mostly negative reviews, Willem Dafoe's portrayal of Ryuk has been praised by fans, and is considered one of the few good things about the movie. Similarly, Ryuk's original English voice actor, Brian Drummond, expressed his support towards Dafoe's casting as the character.

Gallery[]

Images[]

Videos[]

Trivia[]

  • Unlike in previous adaptations where Shinigami simply kill using their Death Note, this version shows that Shinigami actually go out and physically cause the events that lead to the kill.
  • Unlike his original incarnation who ate apples completely, this Ryuk shows a wasteful side to eating apples, throwing them when all but a core remains.
  • Throughout the film, Ryuk is the only character to appear shadowed, or obscured in some way (even appearing blurred out when he formally revealed himself to Light), minus a few moments, thus, leaving a general silhouette of his overall look; this likely an adaptation of how, in the original manga, Shinigami can only be seen by those whom have touched a Death Note.

External Links[]

Navigation[]

           Death-note-logo-png-5 Villains

Light and His Allies
Light Turner | Mia Sutton | Ryuk

Others
L | Antony Skomal | James Brode | Kenny Doyle

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