Scarlet Review: Hosoda's Ambitious Hamlet Reverie Soars, Stumbles

This Scarlet review starts with a bold idea: take a Shakespearean revenge tale and send it into the afterlife. Mamoru Hosoda writes and directs this Japanese animated fantasy, released in 2025. It is ambitious, often beautiful and not always focused.

Scarlet Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Scarlet plot follows a medieval princess whose father, the king, has been murdered. She plans to take revenge, but her attempt fails. She wakes up in the Land of the Dead, a harsh and strange world.

There is a ticking clock. If Scarlet does not finish her vengeance and reach the "No End Place", she will become "Void" and vanish completely. Early on she meets Hijiri, an idealistic young man from the present day, and the two begin a journey together.

The film is loosely inspired by Hamlet. Names such as Claudius and Cornelius will ring bells for anyone who knows the play. Even so, Hosoda uses the framework to ask a different question: can anger ever lead to a life worth living?

What Works in Scarlet

The central idea is the film's biggest strength. Pairing a grieving, furious princess with a gentle modern idealist gives the story a clear emotional push and pull. Their clash of outlooks drives the best scenes.

Hosoda also mixes genres with confidence. You get sword-swinging action, fantasy spectacle and a touch of romance in one package.

• Bold concept: a revenge story set in a world where time itself is running out.

• Thematic weight: bitterness, forgiveness and the cost of hatred sit at the centre.

• Scale: the Land of the Dead feels vast, strange and worth exploring.

If you enjoy animation movie reviews that aim for something larger than a simple adventure, this one has real ambition.

Scarlet Cast and Performances

The Scarlet cast is led by Mana Ashida, who voices the title princess. She carries the character's rage and fear, and she makes the quieter moments land as well as the fierce ones. Masaki Okada voices Hijiri, giving him a warm, earnest tone that contrasts well with Scarlet's sharpness.

Koji Yakusho voices Claudius, the film's looming antagonist. Yutaka Matsushige (Cornelius), Kotaro Yoshida (Voltemand) and Masachika Ichimura (Amulet) round out the voice work. The performances suit the heightened, mythic tone, even when the script gives some of them little room.

Where Scarlet Stumbles

The main complaint among early viewers is the storytelling. One reviewer on TMDB called the structure linear and straightforward, and that fits a journey that sometimes feels more like a series of stops than a gripping build.

The loose link to Hamlet can also work against it. The film borrows familiar names and plot beats, but it does not always use them to deepen the characters.

The mix of action, fantasy and romance is another risk. Some themes arrive with heavy emphasis, while some supporting figures stay thin. At 112 minutes, the pacing may test viewers who want sharper momentum.

Audience reaction has been warm but not rapturous. TMDB users currently give it 6.9 out of 10, which feels about right.

Is Scarlet Worth Watching?

Yes, Scarlet is worth watching if you value ambition and imagery over a tightly plotted story. It is not Hosoda's most polished work, but it takes real creative risks, and that counts for a lot.

It works best as a mood piece with a strong central theme. The relationship between the two leads gives the journey heart, and the idea of a vengeance that can erase you keeps the stakes personal. Go in expecting a thoughtful fantasy rather than a pure action ride.

The film arrives with a PG-13 rating, so it suits teens and adults more than young children. If you like adult-leaning action movie reviews with an arthouse streak, add it to your list. For more on the cast and crew, see the Scarlet page on IMDb.

Who Will Enjoy Scarlet

• Fans of Mamoru Hosoda who want to see him try a darker, mythic tale.

• Viewers who like anime-style fantasy with big ideas about revenge and forgiveness.

• Anyone curious about a loose, imaginative take on Hamlet.

Those after fast, simple action may find it slower and heavier than expected. For something adjacent, browse our fantasy movie reviews.