Mamoru Hosoda’s Scarlet brings together stunning animation, great action, and engaging storytelling to deliver a compelling tale well worth the experience.
Scarlet
Directed By: Mamoru Hosoda
Written By: Mamoru Hosoda
Starring: Mana Ashida, Masaki Okada, Koji Yakusho
Release Date: February 6th (IMAX), February 13, 2026 (Expansion)
After having witnessed her father’s (the King) execution thanks to a sinister plot to unseat him, Princess Scarlet ends up dedicating her life to exacting revenge. Through years of rigorous training, she’s honed herself into a formidable fighter with a singular purpose: killing her Uncle who stole the throne.
Ostensibly Scarlet is a more fantastical take on Hamlet, though the connections are far more tenuous than the description of the film (and how it’s been marketed) implies. That said, the basics of the story is about a Princess growing up to take revenge on the people who murdered her father, the King. So it takes those iconic elements of the classic play, but puts a pretty big twist on them; giving it a fresh approach that feels decidedly unique.
Namely, things take a big turn when her attempt at retribution lands her in a surreal “other-world.” Not Heaven or Hell, but a kind of purgatory wherein time behaves differently and the souls of the dead wander. They seem to lead somewhat normal, albeit hard, lives as they scavenge for resources and endure deadly roving bands of raiders (dying in this place is the ultimate ending; vanishing into nothingness). Think of it like Mad Max – The Afterlife, with everyone hoping to one day ascend to the “Infinite Lands.”
Caught in this wasteland, Scarlet learns her quest for vengeance isn’t over, as her Uncle now rules over this place. With the help of his highly skilled enforcers, they block the entrance to the Infinite Lands, and use it as leverage to control the masses. Along with the aid of an unlikely ally, Hijiri, a medic from the future (e.g. our time). He believes in caring for, and helping, everyone; even those who would seek to do him harm.
As the pair journey together, fighting off her Uncle’s men (who grow increasingly more dangerous), they must confront their own ideas on the meaning of life and the importance of accepting our faults/limitations. And of course there are oodles of great fight sequences packed with gorgeous, grand-scale animation, solid voice performances, and even an unexpected musical sequence that nearly brought me to tears.
At its core, Scarlet is about life. Despite taking place almost entire in the “afterlife” setting, the driving themes in the story puts the focus on the importance of living. Not just surviving, not just putting one foot in front of the other—although that’s necessary sometimes—it’s about truly living. Finding purpose in the mundane, and the joy that comes with helping others.
It hammers on the idea that living for others is intrinsically tied to our own perspectives. Not simply for some promise of a better afterlife, but because it’s the right thing to do. And doing the right thing can bring the fulfillment that makes life worth it.
To say Scarlet was a pleasant surprise is very much an understatement. It’s an absolutely incredible journey that manages to be equally haunting and beautiful in its messaging, while remaining engrossing throughout its run time. It manages to feel like an epic fantasy, while still delivering on an intimate, character-driven story. To put it simply, it fucking rules and I found myself eager to see more from this world they’d crafted. Whether it be a sequel or simply watching it again, I needed more.
That’s not to say Scarlet is entirely without faults. Just that its so impressive all around, they’re easy to look past. The biggest issue the film has is that there are times where it needed just a little bit more exposition; namely in the world-building department.
There are hints at a larger war brewing in the other-world over the entrance to the Infinite Lands, but the characters just kind of stumble into it. There are also times when characters jump from one scene to another that leaves you wondering how they got there. Nothing too huge, but it feels like you can sense the scenes cut that would have filled in the gaps.
This makes some of the scenes, and events, feel jarring. Almost like you’ve missed something. I have a strong feeling these moments had to do with keeping the pacing quick/tight. And again, the rest of the film is so damn enjoyable, these quibbles don’t impact the overall heart of the story and message it gives.
