Directed by:
Rupert SandersCinematography:
Jess HallCast:
Scarlett Johansson, Michael Pitt, Pilou Asbæk, Chin Han, Juliette Binoche, Takeshi Kitano, Rila Fukushima, Kaori Momoi, Chris Obi, Joseph Naufahu (more)VOD (1)
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Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, "GHOST IN THE SHELL" follows Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic's advancements in cyber technology. (Paramount Pictures)
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Reviews (11)
First cinema disappointment this year. I only know Ghost in the Shell as a game, I haven't come into contact with the anime and I have no idea what the film benefits from more, anyway it's rather bland. This is hardcore sci-fi with a cyberpunk twist that won't be very appealing to many viewers, I think the film is aimed at a very narrow audience, i.e. to the average viewer who is unfamiliar with both the game and the anime, it doesn't have much to say. Scarlett Johansson was surprisingly good here, visually the fictional world has something to it, the action scenes are rather average except for the opening one (which was flawless) and the finale is unfortunately the weakest part of the film. In some places I was a bit bored, so there is no question of great fun. It was watchable, but I would skip the cinema. 60%
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The shell is there, but where is the ghost? Ghost in the Shell is a narrative action-packed summer blockbuster intended for an audience with the mentality of a 14-year-old boy raised on video games. However, its cyberpunk appearance does not hide the cyberpunk philosophy. The title invokes the idea of a great conspiracy, a mystery that will be surprisingly revealed in the end. But the plot is trivial and predictable. Furthermore - and I really don't like this - the creators try to evoke the feeling of something smarter, with a philosophical overlay. Fortunately for Sanders' film, both Matrix sequels, which are probably the most glaring example of this flaw, were two levels stupider than Ghost in the Shell. Even the visuals didn't impress me as much as the creative team intended. It is overdone and not darkly depressing enough, as befits cyberpunk. The action is too frenzied, simply tailored to the generation of computer kids. It will receive two stars from me only just barely, and they are mostly for Scarlett. Overall impression: 35%.
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Shell without the ghost. The scenography, design and audiovisual performance are excellent, the cast sympathetic, but from the complex spirit of the original, only a predictable and stenciled shell about naive souls abused by the corporation remains. It doesn't matter that the screenplay literally quotes certain ideas when there is essentially nothing left of the original meditation on "being a machine" except for a dozen revenge stories. But I could let that go. No one expects that the 180 million dollar blockbuster will suffice with wordless shots of sad facades and people's faces. But what I won’t let go is the second half and the fact that Sanders is a director with a sense of effect and smooth texture, but his style lacks the essence that would bring this nice cyberpunk wallpaper to life. It could have been worse, I agree. But it could have been better, one always realizes whenever a ghost really flashes in the movie - whether in the wobbly gait of Takeshi Kitano or the sad eyes of Pilou Asbæk. If this is what the Deus Ex adaptation would look like, I would actually be quite satisfied. But Ghost in the Shell is more than just a facade.
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The entire time I was watching, I was thinking that I’ve waited a long time for proper cyber orgies like these. But I’ve realized that apart from gorgeous animations, perfectly edited and rendered city of the future and amazing music, it’s extremely important for a movie to have a soul. And that soul is, amongst other things, created by the actors themselves. But this time, they didn’t exactly manage to do that. Pilou Asbæk and Takeshi Kitano have absolutely amazing roles, but Scarlett Johansson is so awfully stiff that the entire movie ends up being stiff. A shame.
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A more personal and therefore bolder version of what was seen in the Japanese vision. I don't need a secretive philosophy at all costs, although it hypnotized me many times in the animated Ghost in the Shell. It fascinates me with its inaccessibility, but precisely because it never lets me completely in, it still forces me to be too polite and reserved towards it. On the other hand, Mira gradually allows me to reach through all of its layers, and I am happy to meet her halfway. Action symphony and fatal conceptual crossroads have finally found each other at their very best.
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Photo © Paramount Pictures
![Ghost in the Shell - Photos - Pilou Asbæk, Chin Han, Tawanda Manyimo, 泉原豊, Danusia Samal, Lasarus Ratuere](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/161/780/161780812_7d8c04.jpg)
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