It’s always a struggle to capture the fun of a video game in its cinematic adaptation. Film is still considered a more prestigious medium, so it frequently drains absurdity and color from its source material. A franchise likeAce Attorney, which trades entirely on ridiculous characters enacting sincere murder investigations, would seem difficult to adapt. Luckily,Ace Attorneyhad a director with an almost religious devotion to keeping things unhinged.
The great Takashi Miike is a controversial figure. He’s an absurdly prolific filmmaker, with his name on over 100 projects encompassing several genres and mediums. His 1999 filmAuditionis still countedamong the scariest horrormovies ever made. His commitment to tastelessness got his episode ofMasters of Horrorshelved. Takashi Miike is simultaneously a bizarre and brilliant choice to directAce Attorney, and it worked out as expected.
What is thePhoenix Wrightseries of games?
TheAce Attorneyfranchise has been one of the most popular franchises in its strange niche gaming genre since its debut in 2001. The games are technically visual novels with more gameplay than that term usually implies.Visual novels are typicallystories told with text boxes and art galleries. They might offer a few narrative choices, but they aren’t known for interactivity. TheAce Attorneygames are courtroom dramas that require players to pay attention to the dialogue, gather clues, investigate crimes, interrogate witnesses, and zealously defend their accused clients. In most games, the player takes the role of Phoenix Wright, an upstart defense attorney who doubles as a homicide detective. Though the premise sounds intense, and the defendants are almost always charged with murder, the characters are almost always absurd and cartoonish. Its headymix of goofy anime comedyand brutal homicide investigation has made it iconic over two decades.
What is theAce Attorneymovie about?
Ace Attorneycovers the second and fourth cases from the original 2001 game. Humorously, the film concocts an explanation for the franchise’s absurd approach to courtroom proceedings. The bench trial system forces prosecution and defense attorneys to face off in open court and resolve all cases in three days. Phoenix “Nick” Wright is a fresh-faced defense attorney recently employed at the Fey & Co. law firm. He recentlywon his first case, getting his best friend Larry Butz off the hook for a murder he didn’t commit. He wins with the help of his mentor, Mia Fey. Butz is so grateful he gets Mia a statue of Rodin’s The Thinker as a gift. Mia is tragically bludgeoned to death with the statue later that night. A note found at the scene implicates Mia’s younger sister, a spiritual medium named Maya. Nick agrees to defend Maya out of respect for Mia and the desire to find her killer. His opponent is Miles Edgeworth, a brilliant prosecutor and Nick’s childhood friend. Nick proves that photojournalist Redd White killed Mia. Maya becomes Nick’s new assistant, and he takes over Fey & Co.
Nick hears Miles has been arrested for the murder of another attorney, Robert Hammond. Though he and his friend have opposed each other, Nick is sure Miles would never kill anyone. Wright convinces Edgeworth to hire him as his defense attorney. The prosecutor is Manfred von Karma, Edgeworth’s mentor, who hasnever lost a case. As Nick investigates the case, things get complicated. Nick struggles against disappearing evidence, renegade witnesses, and a conspiracy in the courtroom to save his friend.
How doesAce Attorneyend?
Wright discovers that aman named Yanni Yogi killed Hammond. Yogi was involved in the death of Edgeworth’s father, Gregory. He pleaded insanity to avoid a murder conviction, but the charge ruined his life, causing his wife to take her own life. Yogi claims he got a gun in the mail with instructions to exact his revenge on Hammond. After his confession, Miles is free to go. He states that he killed his father years ago, prompting a new investigation. Wright proves that Miles couldn’t have killed his father and discovers evidence that Gregory caught von Karma committing perjury. He can’t find the murder weapon, but he accidentally breaks the Thinker statue. It contains notes Mia wrote about the case and the bullet that killed Gregory, incriminating von Karma.Edgeworth is cleared ofall charges, and von Karma is arrested. Wright and Edgeworth continue their careers, now as friendly rivals.
On the curve used to grade video game movies,Ace Attorneyis one of the best. It’s a pure translation of the source material’s absurdity and presentation. Few directors would have had the courage to bring the colorful characters, bizarre plotlines, and ridiculous hairstyles to a feature film.Takashi Miike was the right choicefor the material.Ace Attorneyis one of the most faithful video game adaptations ever released, but it’s also a compelling courtroom comedy. It’s not exactlyMy Cousin Vinny, but there’s nothing else quite like it.
