Ghost in The Shell review

Director: Rupert Sanders
Running time: 106 minutes


Ghost in The shell is based on a Japanese Anime released in 1995, it's considered to be one of the best of its kind. I have only seen it once, which was only a few months back and I was astounded by it without really falling in love with it. The animation and the philosophical ideas are to be commended and the music is top notch. I would highly recommend it.

This reiteration has taken ideas from the original anime and its subsequent sequels. Set in the near future where humans and cybernetics are intertwined with one another, a terrorist group is hacking into the minds of 'Hanka Robotics' employees, the world's leading augmentative technology developers. Trained to deal with this situation is Major Mira Killian (Scarlett Johansson) who is part of Section 9, an anti-terrorist group funded by the government. As the story progresses, the Major learns more of her mysterious past.

Much like the anime original this live action version is visually stunning, the clash of darkness with the neon colours of the cityscapes really captures what a future city will come to look like. From above it's dazzling and somewhat beautiful, while on the ground it is grimy and dangerous. However, I couldn't help but feel the city was a bit desolate, there's never really any feeling that the city is populated with many people, nothing seems lived in, which was not the case in the original, where the surroundings were woven into the story as well as just being a backdrop.

The action is fine if a little unspectacular and surprisingly sparse, Johannson is clearly a great action star who has an alluring on-screen presence. I am not sure if she is the best fit for this role but her performance is passable, she simply lacks the mystery and intrigue of the Major in the original anime. The supporting cast aren't much better, everything is monotone and by the numbers, no one really stands out and none of the characters have much in the way of development. Pilou Asbaek is impressive as Batou, the character's chemistry with the Major is believable and I cared about their plights during the movie. Beat Takeshi makes little impression as the Chief of Section 9, the same can be said of Michael Pitt as Hideo Kuze, the villain lurking at the heart of the story.

I have only seen the original anime once, so while I understand it's philosophical challenges and meaning, I have never really thought much of it outside of its own face value. But the messages of this film really came home to me, I understood what it was trying to say to me even if there is little depth to the characters, and if that message is not particularly original or conveyed with much complexity.

It was always going to be tough for a Ghost in the shell to live up to the lofty heights of the original anime, and while it never achieves it, I think it's a valiant effort, and if you take away the sluggish second act, I came away more than satisfied. It is better than I feared but never comes close to its potential. I would recommend going to see this film.

Verdict- 3.25/5