Review: Ghost In The Shell Is Better Than You Think.
- Mar 30, 2017
- 2 min read
I've never been a fan of anime or manga but I did watch Ghost In The Shell once. I thought it was alright but never really had any impact. But none of that matters because, as far as I'm concerned, an adaptation should be reviewed within a vacuum. So, here we are.
It's the future, a world dominated by cybernetics and cyber-terrorism. Here Major (Scarlett Johansson) belongs. The first of her kind, a human brain encased within a synthetic shell, she is faster, stronger and smarter than anyone else. Naturally she serves Section 9, a government run anti-terrorist unit. When a series of attacks on members of the leading robotics corporation become more than coincidence, Major delves deep into a world filled with darkness and treachery, a very different place from the neon lights and holograms she is used to.
Ghost In The Shell has both positives and negatives. On one hand it has some of the coolest visuals and one of the most interesting worlds put to screen, on the other, most of the characters are one note, the "secret" villain is apparent from the beginning of the movie and the story never really feels complete. The acting is solid all around with Takeshi Kitano's Aramaki being a stand out for me, despite his minimal screen time. Pilou Absaek as Batou is one of the cooler characters. Major herself is interesting enough though she tends to veer toward the philosophical stuff a little too much.
The action is also solid with some unique scenes scattered about. While much of it is fairly standard the way it's shot helps to make it feel fresh, as does the world in which it takes place, and what a world it is. Massive holograms dominate the skyline, augmented individuals are everywhere and it's never really focused on, it simply exists which adds to the realism.
Ghost In The Shell is a good movie, not great but far from bad. If you enjoy Deus Ex or the original source material you'll probably enjoy it. If you like science fiction in general it'll give you a good way to spend a few hours. While it does get a little slow in the middle there's more than enough interesting questions to get you thinking, even if they are never answered.
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