Artist/Actors: NEWS
From: WHITE album LE DVD
Release Date: February 25, 2015
Honestly, MR. WHITE is the first film/short film by a Johnny's group that I've watched so I have no point of comparison. But I can say that the short film could have more potential if the financial effort is done. The story is good (looking past the cliche part--there's a section for that later), the costumes are good, considering the story is cyber-themed and it involves kids; and NEWS' acting skills are quite polished already. The only major setback is the production, I think they got too cheap on that... Whereas a more costly production could make the film very satisfactory.
Why is this important? The majority of the filmviewers are NEWS fans, of course, and we can't really complain about this film because it's the first time the four of them did a thing like this, together. But the group has a lot more to showcase as actors, and the individual contributions (such as Shige's story-writing and Massu's costume-making) could've been maximized. There's much passion and hardwork in NEWS' part. Yet they get less than they deserve. The slacking is not to be blamed on them, really.
In one word, MR. WHITE is: Exciting. The transformation is not so apparent--even in that Ghostbusters-like suit and apparatus they're pretty much like themselves, only geared towards an entirely different mission. And that's what makes it exciting, the rescue mission that need no exaggerations (um, flying capes and extraordinary strength) which would make it absurd, in my opinion, if they used that instead.
The storyline is common. Shige might have had other ideas (vampires and such? LOL) but this was easy and probably less complicated to do. Actually, I like it, because of the Internet theme + children. It's a very good contrast to the recently released KAGUYA in which NEWS showed their sexiness and maturity against an age-old backdrop (a folklore). This time, it's very modern to somehow futuristic, and refreshing because of the costumes and the action scenes that show a new character to the group.
Still on the storyline, if it is typical, the overall plot is not. I very much appreciate the concept used--children are downloaded into the internet, for the purpose of extracting their imagination, using it as energy and foundation for building evil on the Internet. A mind-opening theme that stresses the importance of young people, and the capabilities of the modern technology. The existence of MR. WHITE and Team White, in my interpretation, are not to totally oppose this kind of technology but to take away its negative effects.
At first I have doubts on the costumes. When I watched the whole thing it eventually made sense; it fits the story and the song MR. WHITE itself. Still, I can't help but think of Ghostbusters... But aren't theyWeblack busters too? ★
Scene by scene review:
