2012 Asian Film Festival of Dallas - Ace Attorney

Takashi Miike’s live-action videogame adaptation feels more like an old-school murder mystery than any salute to your Nintendo system. It takes place in a Japan where crime rates are so high that the court system has moved to a new fast-track process where the prosecutors and defenders must make their arguments in three days before a judgment is leveled.

Into this realm strides Phoenix Wright (Hiroki Narimiya), a relatively new lawyer whose friend and colleague is murdered one night, an obvious innocent charged with the crime. Phoenix, considerably out of his depth, takes on the case, which spirals into numerous trials that not only reflect back on a decades-old crime, but also pits him against two of the most renowned prosecutors in the court’s history: Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saito) and Miles’ unbeaten mentor, Gou Karuma (Ryo Ishibashi). In between trials, Phoenix and his ragtag team seek out the evidence they need while also delving into that earlier crime.

ACE ATTORNEY is a great change of pace for Miike after the Kurosawa-esque 13 ASSASSINS, balancing intrigue, drama, mystery, danger and humor, all highlighted by uniquely animated hairstyles and cries of “Objection!”

THE AFFD is very proud to present the Texas Premiere of ACE ATTORNEY as our Opening Night presentation. This screening is presented by McDonald’s.