Scarlet is the next animated film from acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda, who is notable for films such as Summer Wars, Wolf Children, and Belle. This new film presents an alternate retelling of the classic Hamlet.

Unfortunately, Scarlet has got to be Mamoru Hosoda’s weakest film so far. The story never does anything particularly interesting or bold with the material it draws from. The writing feels bland, the characters are underdeveloped, and the pacing is extremely uneven. One of the biggest issues is the male lead, Hijiri, who is rather irritating and takes up valuable screen time that could have been spent developing the titular character. Scarlet is clearly the more interesting character, yet the film repeatedly sidelines her in favour of a much less compelling protagonist.

The central setting of the afterlife is also intriguing in concept but disappointingly underdeveloped in execution. Visually, it mostly consists of sand and mountains, which feels surprisingly plain for a setting that could have been far more imaginative. This is especially disappointing considering the film’s opening imagery—blood seas and eerie, grasping arms—which suggests a far stranger and more fantastical world. Instead, the setting ends up feeling strangely limited.

There are also several ideas that sound fascinating on paper but are barely explored. Scarlet originates from the 16th century while Hijiri is from the modern day, which could have led to an interesting clash of cultures and time periods. However, the film never meaningfully expands on this idea, nor does it introduce characters from other centuries who might have enriched the concept.

Thematically, the film repeatedly emphasises messages about war and forgiveness, but it does so with very little nuance. These ideas are pushed so directly that there is almost no room left for interpretation, which makes the writing feel somewhat shallow. This also affects the central relationship between Scarlet and Hijiri, whose chemistry is incredibly weak and underdeveloped, making their dynamic difficult to invest in emotionally.

Despite all of these issues, I can still appreciate the film’s ambition. There are some genuinely strong action set pieces scattered throughout, and many of the character designs are excellent. Scarlet herself looks fantastic and has a striking visual presence. The voice acting is also wonderful across the board. Most notably, Mana Ashida delivers an excellent performance as Scarlet, effectively conveying the character’s pain, anger, and suffering.

Ultimately, Scarlet ends up being a very messy and uneven film. While there are flashes of creativity and strong moments throughout, the story never fully realises the potential of its ideas, which makes the final result feel frustratingly underwhelming.