Scarlet Review: A Gorgeous, But Uneven Work Of Art

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Scarlet is the newest movie from acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda, known for films like Belle and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. It’s a fresh take on the story of Hamlet, but with a twist: the main character, Scarlet, dies before she can get her revenge. As she struggles to reclaim her chance, she begins to question whether revenge is truly the right path.

Although Scarlet won’t be widely available in English until early 2026, it will be screened at film festivals in late 2025 to qualify for awards. For those lucky enough to see it early, Scarlet is clearly another beautiful film from director Mamoru Hosoda, though the story isn’t always as strong as the visuals.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

PROS CONS
Incredible visuals and music from start to finish. 3D visuals not as fluid as they could be.
The characters are highly engaging when they’re written well. Main characters fluctuate between being boring and insufferable more often than not.
The handling of the movie’s themes are preachy and all-around boring

Why Mamoru Hosoda’s Latest Film Is A Visual Masterpiece (For The Most Part)

When the initial trailers for Mamoru Hosoda’s Scarlet were released, many fans expressed concern about the switch to mostly 3D animation. Historically, 3D animation hasn’t always looked good in anime, and the trailers showcased some awkward movements that didn’t seem to align with Hosoda’s goal of creating a fresh animation style.

Thankfully, the final result is much better than many fans expected. The 3D animation allows for incredibly detailed visuals that would be difficult to achieve with traditional methods, and the overall computer-generated animation is beautiful, making it some of the best CGI seen in anime recently.

The biggest issue is how the 3D and 2D animation styles clash. Initially, the 3D afterlife scenes seem meant to highlight the strangeness of the story when compared to the 2D Earth scenes. However, the movie doesn’t consistently stick to one style, and sometimes even mixes both within the same scene.

While the 3D animation in the film is well-done, the 2D animation is noticeably superior, particularly when they’re shown side-by-side. Beyond the dragon and some backgrounds, much of Scarlet doesn’t seem to need 3D animation, making the director’s choice of visual style somewhat unclear.

Scarlet’s Characters Are Its Biggest Strength And Its Biggest Weakness

The actors are really at the heart of Scarlet, though the results are a little uneven. The characters borrowed from Hamlet are enjoyable, particularly the hilariously wicked portrayal of Claudius. And Scarlet herself is a compelling protagonist, with a satisfying journey as she deals with her past and grows as a person.

Despite a promising setup, Scarlet doesn’t quite live up to expectations. She’s introduced as a strong, vengeance-driven fighter, similar to characters like Batman or the Punisher, but the story repeatedly has others rescuing her, making her seem weak and helpless. This is especially disappointing considering the typically empowering and independent female characters created by director Mamoru Hosoda.

The supporting character, Hijiri, adds to the film’s problems. It’s frustrating that Scarlet constantly needs rescuing by a man, and Hijiri’s constant lecturing about violence comes across as self-righteous rather than helpful. While the movie attempts a clever twist with this near the end, it doesn’t fully redeem the character’s earlier behavior.

Scarlet and Hijiri have good moments as a pair, but too often their scenes together fall flat, especially when they’re meant to be interacting. Because they’re the main characters and have the most focus, this makes the movie feel fragmented and uneven.

Scarlet Doesn’t Know How To Make A Tired Message Fun To Watch

I have to say, while Scarlet has potential, it’s ultimately let down by a confusing story and weak delivery. The core idea – a hero resisting the pull of revenge – is a good one, and there are moments that really shine. Seeing Scarlet break down when she realizes a happier life is possible, and how she finally resolves things with Claudius, those scenes effectively explore that theme. But overall, it doesn’t quite come together.

The main issue is that the story around this central idea isn’t well-executed. While the character Hijiri is present, the plot often feels like it’s simply lecturing about the benefits of peace, even in situations where fighting might be necessary – like when Scarlet’s life is in danger. The story does eventually address this, but getting to that point is frustrating and slow.

Scarlet’s character doesn’t quite land because she’s not a strong fighter. The movie keeps telling us she’s driven by revenge, but it’s hard to believe, since she rarely actually wins fights or gets the upper hand on anyone. It leaves you wondering what she’s even avenging.

Revenge plots are a familiar trope, and while they can be effective, they need a compelling reason for the protagonist’s transformation and plenty of engaging content. Scarlet doesn’t quite deliver on either of those fronts. Though the ending offers some satisfaction, it’s not enough to make up for the slow and uninteresting journey to get there.

Mamoru Hosoda’s Latest Film Needs To Be Watched, Despite Its Flaws

At first glance, Scarlet faces a lot of challenges. Though the movie is beautiful to look at, its characters are uneven and underdeveloped, and a weak story makes these flaws even more noticeable. This could easily leave even a dedicated fan of Mamoru Hosoda’s work feeling disappointed.

Despite its flaws, Scarlet delivers moments of genuine emotional impact. Even when the story feels shaky, the film’s earnest attempt to grapple with its complexities remains captivating, much like other works by director Mamoru Hosoda.

While Scarlet probably won’t be as widely popular as anime films like Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle or Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc, it’s a genuinely touching and enjoyable movie despite some imperfections. If you’re looking for a heartfelt film, it’s worth checking out when it’s released this February.

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2025-10-22 22:11