“Detention” Condenses the essence of The Game, and the possibility of adaptation beyond media

This is the introductory version of “Returning to School”, a movie version that condenses the essence

How did "Detention" incorporate the horrific history of the "White Terror Era" into its story? This would give away the mystery of "Detention," so I won't go into the story any further in this article. However, if you actually play The Game, you'll understand that this work is trying to let you experience this historical background - that is, the darkness that permeates the story - as it is. This approach is the main reason why it has captured the hearts of Taiwanese players.

As the story begins, the player is thrown into an empty school on a typhoon night without knowing much about it. As you control the character and solve the mystery, you will get closer to The Truth about Fan Leixin and the school. The monochrome 2D side-scrolling screen is both spine-chillingly atmospheric and beautiful, and at the same time, it is terrifying because of its extremely flat surface. Shadowy ghosts appear in this place and attack you, which is unbearable.

The Game"Detention" trailer

Another feature of The Game is the skillful music and sound effects. It is basically quiet from beginning to end, and there are almost no jump scares (loud sounds that are common in horror), which contributes to the atmosphere of the work. I am not a big fan of jump scares, but I can safely recommend this to people who have similar preferences. I hope you will enjoy the lingering fear to the fullest.

The distinctive feature of the movie "Detention" is that while it carefully incorporates the features of The Game, it also makes modifications to make it more entertaining for the masses, as is possible with a feature-length film. What is particularly refreshing about it is that it values ​​the elements of classic horror, and does not shy away from jump scares when necessary. This is a nod to the audience that expects a so-called horror movie-like experience.

Director John Su not only faithfully reproduced the original 2D side-scrolling style, but also used his own imagination to recreate the visual appeal of "Detention." The subjective shots that immerse the audience in the world are also impressive, as if he made use of his experience working on VR films. The camerawork and composition are reminiscent of the sharpness shown by Tsutsumi Yukihiko in the 1990s. As expected from someone who is familiar with Japanese pop culture, the way he handles reality and fiction is reminiscent of the works of Kon Satoshi is also noteworthy.

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And the most daring aspect is that The Game's approximately four-hour play time has been condensed into a bold 103-minute length. By selecting and discarding elements of the story, and sometimes drastically cutting them down, this film tackles the question head-on: "What is the essence of the work 'Detention'?" The density of the tightly condensed work and the numerous narrative and visual ingenuity used in the adaptation guarantee a strength that can be described as "the ultimate introduction to 'Detention'."

What is the difference between the drama version and novelization version?