A review of the new sci-fi movie “Ghost In The Shell”
Beginning in 1989, there was a Japanese manga serial by Masamune Shirow. Then in 1995 there was a Japanese anime movie by Mamoru Oshii, said to be one of the best ever in this genre. Now we have a Hollywood remake directed by the British Rupert Sanders.
I have no familiarity with the original series or anime work, but I understand that this new film is more conventional but also more accessible – dialing down the philosophical considerations but turning up the action sequences. Certainly this is a visually stunning work which constantly reminds one of “Blade Runner” with its Asiatic urban landscape and ubiquitous advertising.
Set in the not too distant future, the technology has developed which enables a human brain (the ghost) to be implanted into a robotic body (the shell) providing a combination of intuitive thinking and physical toughness that makes the ideal weapon. Major – played by Scarlett Johansson – is the first of her kind, but she is soon involved in a mission of unexpected danger and revelation.
If we have to have a non-Asiatic actor in this role, Johannsen is perfect, following hard on the heels of her previous other-worldly roles in “Lucy” and “Under The Skin” plus – voice only – “Her”. As the sexiest cyborg since Eva in “Ex Machina” and the most gymnastic female agent since Trinity in “The Matrix”, Major is a force to be reckoned with, but also someone with vulnerabilities as glitches reveal glimpses of her past.
“Ghost In The Shell” may not be a science-fiction classic, like the aforementioned “Blade Runner” or “The Matrix”, but it is a fine addition to the genre which I thoroughly enjoyed. And it’s tempted me to seek out the anime version …