The 'Not-So-Critical' Critic: GHOST IN THE SHELL

The 'Not-So-Critical' Critic: 

on GHOST IN THE SHELL (2017, 107 minutes, PG-13)

The Quick of It -

Hollywood continues their exploration in live-action anime films.  Of them, GHOST IN THE SHELL requires a higher level of attention since there is a strong fanboy following, and they’d have no problem rioting and setting the Hollywood sign on fire.  They would rather watch the world burn, trust me.  I am not sure if this film totally pulled it off, so keep your head down and no vacation stops to Hollywood.

The casting was terrific.  Scarlett Johansson is always a safe bet.  She leads the cast as Major, a potential evolutionary step for their futuristic technology in cybernetics.  She is saved after an accident, but only her brain is salvageable.  Research scientists place her brain in a cybernetic body, a ‘shell’.  They believe this to be the future of human evolution, as the soul, the 'ghost’, can transfer to new bodies, progressing beyond the frail human form.  She is placed in Section 9 as a weapon against terrorists and major criminals.

Pilou Asbaek, of LUCY, A HIJACKING, and R, plays Batou, a well-placed compliment to Major.  Keep an eye on him, but not those weird goggle eyes.  He is going places.  Asbaek has a certain charm that people will come to crave.  The rest of the supporting cast doesn't get much attention beyond progressing the plot, but the potential was there and their acting did not disrupt the flow.  I find this is a constant problem with story arcs that expand well beyond what a movie can offer time-wise.

I will say my favorite character is Takeshi Kitano (of THE BLIND SWORDSMAN: ZATOICHI and the BATTLE ROYALEs) as Aramaki (as 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano).  He is the man in charge of Section 9.  He didn't have a large part but you just knew his calm reserve is only a facade.  He is like the Hulk... "always angry".  You find out he is a 'clever fox', a total bad ass in governmental etiquette and on the streets.  I would like to see a movie about his rise to power.

Unfortunately for me, the sense of uniqueness for GHOST IN THE SHELL is somewhat lost as the storyline is similar to other films, such as AEON FLUX, betrayal at its heart.  The eye candy for cybernetic enhancements and the epic cityscapes push it far above the others futuristic imaginings with its rich and highly detailed setting.  But, there are no surprises as to how this story develops or concludes.  Director Rupert Sanders, only other major film being SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, does this genre justice visually, but a tired plot is still just a tired plot.

Grade: B-