Ghost in the Shell (2017)

User Review

• 

  TheReelBurke

  7 / 10

  This film is visually stunning, the stunning set pieces, cityscapes, and CGI brought Masamune Shirow's world to life and immersed the viewer in it from the moment the film started. The film has the same slow burn deliberate pacing as the original film and the anime. There are not as many action sequences as you might expect from a sci-fi action in today's market. And though while short they are effective with some of the sequences being almost shot for shot transplants directly from Mamoru Oshii's animated film. Scarlett Johansson captures the look and feel of The Major even down to her mannerisms from the original film. Pilou Asbæk as Batou brought a humanity to The Major though their relationship. There were also a few differences from the anime that add layers to the Major that improves character development of the Major and allows us to connect to a cyborg emotionally. Clint Mansell's score is phenomenal combining new music with hints from Kenji Kawai's score from the animated film.
  
  The biggest flaw with this film is that it dumbed down the concepts from the anime. It doesn't dive into the deep existential questions tackled in the anime. By giving Kuzo a physical body, the psychological themes don't have quite the same impact making the film feel a little too "safe." The only other real issue I had with the film was that in was a little long. Expanding the hour-long animated film into a two-hour live-action required the adding of some content and they added a little bit too much and could have been about fifteen minutes shorter.
  
  Ghost in the Shell is the best American live-action anime adaptation we've gotten so far. The visuals and music were engaging and immersive. Story add layers to the characters that are impactful and offer something new to viewers familiar with the original source material. While the film is not as deep and the anime starting with a somewhat black and white sense of morality by the third act it begins to blend morality into it into shades of gray. It may feel derivative to some viewers that don't realize that the original source material inspired films such as The Matrix. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this film.

  Like?

  1 member likes this review.