To forgive is to be free, as being shackled by revenge will consume you and harm yourself further.
After almost 3 years since the release of Belle (2021), renowned Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda returns for another amazing film. From the similar approach he did with his previous film Belle, which was inspired with the western fairy tale, Scarlet is an open nod to the western Shakespearean novel Hamlet, which makes this movie revolve around the plot of revenge.
Synopsis
After failing to avenge her father’s murder, Princess Scarlet wakes up in the “Land of the Dead”. In this world full of madness, she must take revenge on her sworn enemy. If she does not avenge her nemesis and reach the “Endless Place”, she will become “nothingness” and cease to exist.
The film was set in 19th-century Denmark where war was a common occurrence and monarchies are on the top of the caste and families struggle for power and the crown. Scarlet witnessed the demise of her own father from the hands of his own uncle with his conspirators and also met her demise from the same person that took his father’s life. In the “Otherworld” she has fought against being consumed by nothingness to exact revenge against her own uncle, Claudius.
The Plot
The film focused on Scarlet and her journey in the Otherworld, where she started with her struggles and her still present burning desire for revenge against her uncle Claudius, whom she heard was also in the Otherworld. Gathering materials from whats left of other people who were consumed by nothingness, she geared up for the long journey she needs to traverse and happened to bump into Hijiri, a paramedic from the present era, who denies that he is in what he perceives as the purgatory because he knows he didn’t passed away.
Technicalities
The visuals for Scarlet was overall amazing from start to finish. Like from his previous interviews, he has openly shared that he took the step to blend different styles to give Scarlet unique visuals. From the visuals of the 19th century, to the fictional Otherworld setting, and the present era, it has indeed complimented each scenes well. At some point the blend of 3D and its 2D backgrounds made me remember a game cutscene due to the sharp outlines of the characters during their fight scenes. Large scale movement of hordes of warriors and people made it look like a film from the LOTR franchise which made these scenes powerful and intense. The official theme song “Vastness” performed by Ashida Mana was also a very emotional song that fit the mood at the end of the movie which made it even more satisfying.
Overall Verdict
While there are parts that were confusing at first and moments you would question what was happening, each transition of the scenes made themselves clear a bit later, thought-provoking as one would say. Though there are some plot elements that remained questionable till the end, those same elements has brought satisfaction to the development of the story albeit it could have been explained later on before the story concluded.
The development of Scarlet and Hijiri through their journey to find the “Endless Place” was also good as it is. It was kind of worrying that their development would be out of touch due to one scene midway, but its pacing was just right till the end and did not looked forced or awkward.
While forgiving is the main theme of the story, another word rings that goes well with it entirely, “freedom“. As we progress with life we forgive to be free of those memories and thoughts, but we will never forget each lesson that passes: “To forgive is to be free, as being shackled by revenge will consume you and harm yourself further.“
SetsuAni would like to thank Columbia Pictures Philippines for the opportunity and invitation to be one of the first to watch Scarlet here in the Philippines, on the 09th of December 2025.
Scarlet is now showing in exclusively on SM Cinemas nationwide.
Photo Credits: “Columbia Pictures”
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