Once Upon a Crime (2023) Review: A Clever Fairy-Tale Murder Mystery with a Twist

 

Once Upon a Crime (Original Title: Akazukin, Tabi no Tochū de Shitai to Deau) | 2023 | 1h 47m
Genre: Fairy Tale / Adventure / Comedy / Crime / Fantasy / Mystery | Country: Japan
Director: Yûichi Fukuda | Writers: Aito Aoyagi, Yûichi Fukuda, Tetsurô Kamata
Cast: Kanna Hashimoto, Yûko Araki, Takanori Iwata
IMDb: 5.3
My Rate: 10/10

Red Riding Hood tries to help Cinderella attend the royal ball, but instead finds herself caught up in a murder mystery that throws the entire kingdom into chaos. They must solve the case before midnight.

Warnings

Contains violence and sensual scenes.

 

Synopsis of Once Upon a Crime

Red Riding Hood (Kanna Hashimoto) is on her way to the city, but her journey is not easy. She must cross a vast forest and unexpectedly encounters an old witch named Barbara (Midoriko Kimura).

Barbara believes that Red Riding Hood's clothes and shoes do not fit the fashion standards of their kingdom. Beauty is highly valued there, and "ugly" people are forbidden from entering. Barbara tries to change Red Riding Hood's shoes with magic, but the spell fails and covers them in mud instead.

While trying to wash the shoes in a river, Red Riding Hood loses them. They eventually end up in Cinderella's hands.

Red Riding Hood meets Cinderella and decides to accompany her to the royal ball. With Barbara's help, they get beautiful dresses, while Telka (Mirei Kiritani), a beautiful witch, helps them obtain a pair of glass slippers. They travel to the ball together in a carriage with their mouse.

However, on the way, their carriage accidentally hits someone. The victim turns out to be the royal stylist, and he is already dead.

Red Riding Hood is convinced that his death was not caused by the collision. They hide the body under some leaves and continue on their way.

Eventually, the body is discovered, bringing the royal ball to a halt. An investigation begins, and all the guests become suspects. The evidence points toward Cinderella's older sister and the Prince, while Red Riding Hood tries to uncover the truth before midnight.

Will Red Riding Hood be able to find the real killer?

 

Review of Once Upon a Crime

Once Upon a Crime has a creative and entertaining premise. It takes familiar fairy tales such as Cinderella and Red Riding Hood and combines them into something completely different. That approach may cause some controversy among viewers who expect the original stories, because the characters and events are presented in noticeably different ways.

The main character here is Red Riding Hood. Instead of following the familiar story in which she is eaten by a wolf, the film brings her together with Cinderella. It is an unusual but interesting combination. The story also borrows elements from Cinderella while adding new characters, situations, and twists.

The combination works surprisingly well. The additional stories blend naturally into the main plot and create a fresh and thrilling fairy-tale mystery. At the same time, viewers who are more attached to the original Cinderella may feel a little sorry for her because of how differently her character is portrayed.

The film also includes plenty of mystery, with several scenes that keep us guessing about what is really happening. At the same time, there is still room for a little romance, along with amusing characters and entertaining situations. The plot is difficult to predict, which makes the mystery even more enjoyable.

The cast also delivers convincing performances. Both the main and supporting actors feel natural rather than stiff, which helps the unusual story work even better.

Overall, Once Upon a Crime is a fun and imaginative film that successfully mixes fairy tales with mystery, comedy, and crime. It is especially suitable for viewers who enjoy lighthearted mystery stories with unexpected twists.

 

Memorable Scene

Red Riding Hood and Cinderella try to cover up the body they have found by hiding it under leaves. Red Riding Hood's funny expression makes the scene even more amusing. Although they were not responsible for the victim's death, she still feels the adrenaline rush that comes with secretly hiding a dead body.

 

Memorable Dialogue

“People in this kingdom only try to see what is beautiful.”

 

Ending

Shocking Ending

 

Recommendation

Must Watch

 

(Aluna Uwie)