In 1995, acclaimed anime director Mamoru Oshii adapted the best-selling manga series “Ghost in the Shell” into an animated feature film.
Now, with an increase in Japanese awareness in the mainstream media, Rupert Sanders, the director of “Snow White and the Huntsman” has brought the Japanese staple stateside in a live action adaptation. Is this film just a hollow shell of the original?
The film tells the story of Major, a human whose brain was placed inside a robotic shell after a terrible accident, who now fights for an anti-terrorist group called Section 9.
Major, portrayed by Scarlett Johansson, is a cold force of nature, who wants to figure out her past and why she was placed in the shell.
Problems are everywhere, but first, the positives. This is a visually stunning film, full of great flair and a very cool looking cityscape. The effects blend seamlessly with the human actors and not once is there a scene that features dodgy CGI or questionable green screen effects.
Famous Japanese actor “Beat” Takeshi Kitano also shines in his role as Major’s superior, Chief Daisuke Aramaki. Music is solid and done well. Not all of it is great, but the opening and closing themes are memorable and it punctuates the action nicely.
Everything else is bad. Scarlett Johansson is wooden and lifeless as Major. Pilou Asbæk as Major’s friend Batou is also lifeless and charmless. The entire cast just falls flat. The writing is also abysmal, leading to long stretches of boring scenes and a muddled plot that never fully explains what is happening.
Those initially invested in Major’s plight will most likely find themselves disinterested by the time the film concludes, as the last third act is poorly paced and generic. This goes for the action scenes as well. While there are a lot, none ever stand out and the entire film ends up feeling like a generic sci-fi action film by the end.
“Ghost in the Shell” fails to be even a decent turn off your brain action film, as it does try to get its loftier ideas about humanity and identity across, but they never fully manifest in a satisfying, or even coherent way.
There’s being ambiguous to tell a mysterious story that your audience must piece together and then there’s just not telling them basic story and plot details.
Boring and lifeless, “Ghost in the Shell” may have pretty visuals, a cool soundtrack and one good performance, but it can’t make up for an incoherent plot, poorly written characters, generic action scenes, and a metaphor that is continuously beaten over the audience’s head.
“Ghost in the Shell” could have been great. Instead, it’s just soulless. 1.5/5
Photo Courtesy of Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Reliance Entertainment, and Ara Productions.
