Ace Attorney (逆転裁判, Gyakuten Saiban, lit. "Turnabout Trial") is a 2012 Japanese courtroom drama and comedy film, directed by Takashi Miike and based on the Capcom video game Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.[1] The film stars Hiroki Narimiya, Mirei Kiritani, and Takumi Saito. It made its premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam on 1 February 2012 and was released in Japanese cinemas on 11 February 2012. The US premiere was made at the Hawaii International Film Festival in April 2012. Miike has stated there are plans for an international release with both dubbing and subtitles available for each specific region.[2]
| Ace Attorney | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Takashi Miike |
| Written by | Takeharu Sakurai Sachiko Ōguchi |
| Starring | Hiroki Narimiya Mirei Kiritani Takumi Saito |
| Cinematography | Masakazu Oka |
| Music by | Kōji Endō |
| Distributed by | Toho |
Release date |
|
Running time | 135 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
| Box office | US$6,145,000 |
Plot
The court system, burdened by the massive amount of crimes being committed, introduces a new trial system: The Bench Trial System. Both prosecution and defense face each other in open court, and have three days to make their case before the judge renders a verdict.
Rookie defense attorney Phoenix Wright is thrust into the limelight after the murder of his mentor, Mia Fey. The accused murderer is Mia's younger sister, Maya Fey, who comes from a family line of spirit mediums. Wright faces off with childhood friend and rival prosecutor Miles Edgeworth on the case. After some cross examination of a witness and interpretation of evidence at the crime scene, Maya is subsequently found Not Guilty of the crime.
After getting Maya acquitted of the crime, Wright helps to defend Miles after he is accused of the murder of an attorney (Robert Hammond) at a lake. Evidence and witness testimony (mostly hinging on a mysterious boat renter at the lake) suggests that Miles is the killer of Hammond. But the case takes an unexpected turn as Wright unravels a related 15-year-old mystery concerning the DL-6 case, which focuses on Miles' father Gregory Edgeworth. Gregory was found murdered in the court's basement evidence locker room; Yanni Yogi, a Court Bailiff, is initially accused of murdering Gregory Edgeworth after discovering Gregory allegedly tampering with a gun used as evidence in a case. He is coerced into pleading not guilty by reason of insanity by Hammond in killing Gregory with the gun. The DL-6 case ultimately destroys Yogi's life, where he resorts to living as a hermit renting out boats at a lake. A package arrives to egg Yogi to take revenge, namely setting up the murder of Hammond by Miles. Yogi confesses to the ruse in open court, but Miles surprisingly admits he murdered his father, not Yogi.
The admission by Miles focuses new attention on the DL-6 case. Wright manages to prove in court that Miles did not kill his father and uncovers evidence that Prosecutor Manfred von Karma had committed perjury and killed Gregory Edgeworth. However, key evidence in the form of the gun that Gregory thought was tampered with and killed with is missing to prove this theory. Mia Fey's notes on the DL-6 case and a timely discovery of the bullet that killed Gregory hidden in a clock statue of The Thinker, which was used to kill Mia after she took the bullet evidence, help proves von Karma's crime and unravels the mystery. He is subsequently arrested for the crime of murdering Gregory Edgeworth.
On the 4th day of the trial, Miles is found not guilty of all crimes. Wright vows to help defend Yogi of his crimes, while Maya returns home.
A sideplot in the film covers the childhood between friends Wright, Miles, and Larry Butz. When Wright is accused of stealing money, Miles rises to defend him, along with Butz. This event is cited by Wright to Maya as the reason why he became a lawyer. However, the incident remains "unsolved" for many years until a timely prodding by Maya near the end of the film reveals Butz stole the money to buy a plastic model.
Cast
- Hiroki Narimiya as Ryuichi Naruhodo (成歩堂 龍一, Naruhodō Ryūichi)/Phoenix Wright
- Mirei Kiritani as Mayoi Ayasato (綾里 真宵, Ayasato Mayoi)/Maya Fey
- Takumi Saito as Reiji Mitsurugi (御剣 怜侍, Mitsurugi Reiji)/Miles Edgeworth
- Rei Dan as Chihiro Ayasato (綾里 千尋, Ayasato Chihiro)/Mia Fey
- Shunsuke Daito as Keisuke Itonokogiri (糸鋸 圭介, Itonokogiri Keisuke)/Dick Gumshoe
- Akiyoshi Nakao as Masashi Yahari (矢張 政志, Yahari Masashi)/Larry Butz
- Ryo Ishibashi as Go Karma (狩魔 豪, Karuma Gō)/Manfred von Karma
- Akira Emoto as The Judge (裁判長, Saibanchō)
- Mitsuki Tanimura as Natsumi Oosawagi (大沢木 ナツミ, Ōsawagi Natsumi)/Lotta Hart
- Takehiro Hira as Shin Mitsurugi (御剣 信, Mitsurugi Shin)/Gregory Edgeworth
- Eisuke Sasai as Yukio Namakura (生倉雪夫, Namakura Yukio)/Robert Hammond
- Makoto Ayukawa as Masaru Konaka (小中 大, Konaka Masaru)/Redd White
- Kimiko Yo as Maiko Ayasato (綾里 舞子, Ayasato Maiko)/Misty Fey
- Fumiyo Kohinata as Kotaro Haine (灰根 高太郎, Haine Kōtarō)/Yanni Yogi
Soundtrack
The music for Ace Attorney was composed by ja, known for scoring other films by Takashi Miike. For the soundtrack, Endō chose to utilize various themes by Masakazu Sugimori from the original video game and re-arranged them for an ensemble consisting of strings, oboe, clarinet, horn, trumpet, and a choir. Additional background music was also newly composed. The soundtrack was later released on CD to tie in with the movie.[3] The film's theme song, "2012Spark", was composed and performed by the Japanese male rock group Porno Graffitti.[4]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Court Begins (Cinema Ver.)" | 0:44 |
| 2. | "Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2001 (Cinema Ver.)" | 3:34 |
| 3. | "Cross-Examination ~ Allegro 2001 (Cinema Ver.)" | 3:22 |
| 4. | "Negligence" | 2:03 |
| 5. | "Attachment Order" | 1:08 |
| 6. | "Breaking Into a Residence" | 1:18 |
| 7. | "Imprisonment with Work" | 1:11 |
| 8. | "Aggravated Escape" | 0:55 |
| 9. | "Suspension of Execution of the Sentence" | 1:19 |
| 10. | "Necessary Measure" | 1:16 |
| 11. | "Evidence" | 1:32 |
| 12. | "Testify Associate Judge" | 1:27 |
| 13. | "Upper Instance Court" | 1:10 |
| 14. | "Kidnapping" | 1:23 |
| 15. | "Attempts" | 0:46 |
| 16. | "Youth" | 1:46 |
| 17. | "General Period for Payment" | 1:14 |
| 18. | "Investigation ~ Core 2001 (Cinema Ver.)" | 1:58 |
| 19. | "Maya Fey ~ Turnabout Sisters' Theme 2001 (Diva Ver.)" | 1:26 |
| 20. | "Pursuit ~ Cornered (Cinema Ver.)" | 5:32 |
| 21. | "Fine" | 2:18 |
| 22. | "Article 30" | 2:14 |
| 23. | "Neighboring Right" | 2:24 |
| 24. | "Acceptance of Stolen Property" | 1:39 |
| 25. | "Robbery" | 0:50 |
| 26. | "Insults" | 1:17 |
| 27. | "Gambling" | 1:20 |
| 28. | "Arson of Inhabited Buildings" | 1:40 |
| 29. | "Theft" | 1:54 |
| 30. | "Obstruction to Flood Prevention" | 0:46 |
| 31. | "Unjust Enrichment" | 1:43 |
| 32. | "Fanfare" | 1:11 |
| 33. | "BWV 245 (Bach)" | 2:38 |
| 34. | "The Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo (Cinema Ver.)" | 1:22 |
| 35. | "Maya Fey ~ Turnabout Sisters' Theme 2001 (Choir Ver.)" | 2:35 |
| Total length: | 60:55 | |
Release
The movie made its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam on 1 February 2012[5] with a release in Japanese cinemas on 11 February 2012.[1] The film made its US premiere at the Hawaii International Film Festival in April 2012.[6][7]
Reception
The movie earned over US$1,547,000 in its opening weekend, grossing over US$6,145,000 during its theatrical run.[8]
Reviews have been mixed to positive. Richard Eisenbeis of Kotaku praised the movie, calling it "the best video game movie ever."[9] Jay Weissberg of Variety referred to the film as a "dull production" that was "criminally long and generally lacking in [Miike's] playful visual hyperbole."[10] Wilma Jandoc of the Honolulu Star Advertiser lamented that the film could not easily translate the sillier aspects of the game into the movie, but contended that a viewer not privy to the video game series could be entertained if they focused on the more mystery/crime side of the movie and ignored the sillier parts.[11]
Home video
The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 22 August 2012 in Japan,[12] and on 17 April 2013 in Australia.[13] In Germany, the film was released by Koch Media on DVD and Blu-ray on 14 June 2013.[14]
References
- ^ a b 逆転裁判. eiga.com (in Japanese). eiga.com. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
- ^ Fletcher, JC. "Miike: Ace Attorney movie being localized for worldwide release". Joystiq.com. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
- ^ "Gyakuten Saiban Movie Original Soundtrack". vgmdb.net. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
- ^ "Porno Graffitti to Perform Ace Attorney Theme Song". animenewsnetwork.com. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
- ^ "Director Miike: Ace Attorney Film Will See Int'l Release". Anime News Network.
- ^ "Hawaiian Film Festival Screens Ace Attorney, Always: Sunset on Third Street '64 Films". Anime News Network.
- ^ "ACE ATTORNEY - 2012 Spring Showcase". Hawaii International Film Festival.
- ^ "Gyakuten saiban (Ace Attorney) (2012)". boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ Richard Eisenbeis. "Ace Attorney Is the Best Video Game Movie Ever (Take That, Hollywood!)". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ Weissberg, Jay (29 January 2012). "Ace Attorney". Variety. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ Jandoc, Wilma (13 April 2012). ""Ace Attorney," the review: Turnabout perception". Honolulu Star Advertiser. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ http://honto.jp/netstore/pd-dvd_85096456.html http://honto.jp/netstore/pd-dvd_85096457.html
- ^ "Ace Attorney". Madman Entertainment. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Blu-Ray)". amazon.de. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
