Ghost in the Shell (2017) Review!!

Synopsis – In the near future, Major is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world’s most dangerous criminals.

My Take – This is the kind of society we know live in where being overcritical means displaying a sense of intelligence, yes, I am referring to the large negative reception this Rupert Sanders‘s American adaption of the beloved Masamune Shirow‘s illustrated manga has received, from its casting of Scarlett Johansson in the lead, apparently a white-washing ploy, followed by accusations of the heady and lofty themes of the original manga & films being watered down or general dismissal of the film as simple eye-candy and nothing more, plus not a lot of people bothered to see in the first place as the film earned just $19 million domestically (in the US) in its opening weekend, coming in third behind the still-running Beauty and the Beast and the surprise smash The Boss Baby. That crash came despite the fact that the latest version of this very successful Japanese multimedia franchise was gifted with an estimated $110 million budget, a major star, a teen- baiting PG-13 rating, and a nearly 3,500-screen opening weekend, alas nothing helped. I kinda get it though, the original 1995 film is arguably considered as one of the most beloved anime films of all time by purist even though it has been 22 years since its release, while I did not think the original film was great, it sure did have some thought provoking ideas. Personally I always thought remaking Japanese manga/anime for an American/English speaking audience has always been a risky idea, as anime films always tend to stretch reality to create larger-than-life characters, with outfits and events that translate to a cosplay reality that is, if not jarring, completely impractical and somewhat corny, well I guess that has been a part of its charm, but not only is Anime known for its distinct look, but also for methods of story-telling that do not fit the North American paradigm, plus, who can forget the terrible adaptations in the form of 2008’s Speed Racer, 2009’s Dragonball Evolution and 2010’s The Last Airbender (To be honest who can blame them?), hence the prospect of bringing an adaption of this world to life sounds too good to be true and daunting, to say the least. However, I went in with an open mind and found myself very much enjoying the film.

The thing that pleased me the most is that the new screenplay and story very intelligent blends aspects from the original film & its other source material to create something good. Instead of just appeasing fans of the original, this film decides to clip its own nuts and wants to be seen on a broader spectrum, by throwing in some heavily edited fight sequences, a PG-13 rating and an awesome Scarlett Johansson, we have perhaps the best live-action remake of an anime. Is this a perfect film? No. Some story elements were simplified to appeal to a broader audience and I would have done some scenes and dialogues differently. But overall it is a solid film in the Sci-Fi genre. The atmosphere, effects, music and aesthetics are stunningly beautiful! You can still feel the heart and soul of the original 1995 film. The story is there – slightly changed but still thought provoking. There are many scenes where you can really see the amount of work that was put into making this film – tiny details in the background, the aura of Hong Kong and other locations where this film was shot and just the overall look and feel. I really think it’s also fair to say that the film doesn’t deserve even a fraction of the hate it’s received and it’s a great bit of fun. The story follows Major aka Mira Killian (Scarlett Johansson), who in the near future has become the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash and later cyber-enhanced at Hanka Robotics to be a perfect soldier. Now working as an anti-terrorist operative for Hanka Corpertation’s half government sector known as Section 9, Major works together with others like Batou (Pilou Asbæk) to thwart various attacks and protect the public and Section 9’s benefactors. However, after an assassination droid murders a doctor working for Hanka Robotics, Major and her partners are forced to face a new enemy Kuze (Michael Pitt), who draws them into a deeper and more troubling conflict than they could have ever imagined. Let me be honest, if you are a diehard fan of the Manga or the anime then I think this incarnation might not be to taste. It does borrow sequences from the 1995 film but thank god it is not a Watchmen style recreation in the sense for a page to page remake. The world building was incredible and the film for me very much has its own atmosphere which I was not expecting but thoroughly enjoyed. Focusing on the Major’s origin story, those familiar with the original stories will immediately spot some deliberate inconsistencies, this film also follows the criminal actions of a major corporation and Section 9’s attempt to capture a terrorist hacker. The Major has at least 2 other origin stories in the anime, so this is likely a choice by the producers to bring the original to a new audience and by the end of the film the two plot lines converge while the Major’s identity is brought in line with the Anime. The original series features themes of identity, what it means to be human and what separates man from machine? In this film, these themes are dealt with rather well in my opinion, but probably could have done with a deeper investigation. This film feels as if it barely scratches the surface of its subject matter, but also this could have been the intention so that sequels can follow. The world of Major is vast and the theme of identity is one which can be delved into much deeper, thus the need for sequels is apparent, as evidenced by the sea of source material this film had at its disposal. Yes it’s simplified but it makes you think! It’s not a dumb Hollywood action flick, it asks many important questions the original asked, it misses some but it adds a new twist here and there too. The “villain” is not as good as the anime one (in my opinion) but it’s a pretty solid one and a lot better than what we get in most films nowadays. I’ve been told this character appears in the anime series (I haven’t seen them) so perhaps he’s not inherently worse than anime film one but just supposed to be a different character altogether.

Anyway the “villain” made you asks questions and that’s the important part. The original anime poses very complex and painful questions to the viewer. Questions about what it means to be a Human? Where is the line between the human mind and the artificial intelligence? What is the soul and does it really exist? It’s unlikely that all of these questions can be answered unequivocally with a brilliant film or anime. But the original anime leaves a deep impression after viewing. You’ve been thinking about what you saw for days and nights. Look for answers to questions that can drive our civilization crazy. Is it possible to say the same about the film? Unfortunately no, the film leaves a deep impression, but more with the help of an absolutely stunning visual style and fear for the main character. The strengths of the film lay in its excellent casting and top-notch visual direction, which both contribute to crafting and maintaining a constant sense of entertainment and intrigue. The strengths of the film lay in its excellent casting and top-notch visual direction, which both contribute to crafting and maintaining a constant sense of entertainment and intrigue. Visually, the film is top-notch, full of lots of little details that bring the world to life. It does a great job of not just presenting a futuristic world, but offering a particular view of a futuristic world. It mirrors sci-fi films from the 80s and 90s, and what their view of the future was, more than ours. For instance all the cars are modeled sports cars from the 80s and 90s, like you would see in those kinds of films back then. Even fashions and hairstyles have that almost future-90s look. In this regard, I can only assume that the film is at least very visually faithful to the original, while also looking good enough for modern audiences. The city scapes are breathtaking, full of imaginative, holographic advertisements jumping out from buildings and walls, roads are interconnected highways full of ‘futuristic’ looking cars, and the robotics themselves are perfection of design and execution. My biggest complaint about the film though is that these ideas are only hinted at and flirted with. They’re never given much focus or developed much. Even in the film we got, I could tell there was more between scenes that had been cut for whatever reason. Major has a tender moment with a prostitute, touching and examining her face, but it’s never given much weight and is never touched upon again. When Major goes to investigate her past, a nice elder lady just lets her into her home and offers her tea without cause or reason to. She’s apprehended by the company, but she doesn’t put up any kind of fight and just lets them take her. In each of these instances it feels like there was more there, more motive, development and reason behind what we see, but are never shown. As such, the film feels like it’s over as soon as it’s started. The big climax at the end feels less like a climax and more as build-up to the climax, giving the end a little bit of an unsatisfactory edge. Casting controversies aside, every role is well-cast and extremely well-played, and every player fits their part near- perfectly. Scarlett Johansson makes for a very compelling and troubled protagonist, and she does quite a bit with the role. Supporting roles played by the likes of Michael Pitt, Takeshi Kitano and Juliette Binoche are quite good and make for a great ensemble and special praise goes to Pilou Asbaek in his excellent role as Major’s closest friend and human connection, he’s just fantastic in the part. On the whole, ‘Ghost in the Shell’ is an enjoyable psychological sci fi thriller which despite some lack of depth is worth a watch for its excellent visuals.