[projekktor id=’27568′]
Ghost in the Shell is a visual feast. Director Rupert Sanders went to great lengths to make this high-concept, live action, genre film – and his vision clearly shows in the finished product.
Set in the fictional New Port City the film follows Major (Scarlett Johansson), the first cyborg of her kind – a human brain in an robotic shell – as she oversees an elite anti-terrorism unit, Section 9. In a world where cybernetic advancement is the norm, Major is the crown jewel of Hanka the leading manufacturer of cybernetic enhancements. She is also the personal joy of the scientist who helped create her, Dr. Ouelet (Juliette Binoche). Dr. Ouelet is determined to see Major reach her full human potential urging her to look within to her soul, or her ghost, and guiding her to be more than just a machine. When Major learns she wasn’t the first cyborg created by Hanka and one of her predecessors, Kuze, is now targeting Hanka scientists, she questions her existence and looks to discover the truth about her human past.
Disclaimer: I’ve never read the manga, and I haven’t seen any Ghost in the Shell animes, so I went into the live action experience with fresh eyes. But, I also can’t attest to how faithful of an adaptation the film is. Given the established fan base and the outrage over the casting of Scarlett Johansson as the (previously Japanese) lead character, Major Motoko, that’s probably very important. Controversy aside, Johansson excels as the lead – not only can she handle the action but her portrayal of Major is incredible. She captures the nuances of an engaging human mind trapped within a prosthetic frame.
I loved the use of language in the film. The futuristic New Port City looks like Tokyo merged with a digital circus. Cohabited by many races, creeds and cybernetics enhancements, New Port City brings multiculturalism to the forefront. The use of language in the film showed just how multicultural the city really is. Aramaki (Takeshi Kitano) leader of Section 9 only communicates in Japanese while most other characters opt for English and yet everyone understands one another. The cast is stacked with international talent (France’s Binoche, Japan’s Kitano, Denmark’s Pilou Asbæk) who speak in their native accents (if not language) which furthers the development of the city and the state of the world it thrives in.
The story of Ghost in the Shell is often compared to The Matrix (1999) and it’s clear that the film wanted to reach that level of innovation when it came to production design and effects. The incredible effects are paired with high octane action. After a bit of preamble about the creation of Major (a stunning display of CGI) , we see her in action as she dives off a hotel roof and crashes into a party that has been taken over by terrorists. The ensuing narrative is largely just an excuse to bounce from one fight scene to another, which is actually fine. The required plot points that establish and keep the story accelerating are thrown at you like punches, hard and fast. While some information can get lost in the scuffle, the speedy pacing doesn’t allow for too much confusion.
What the narrative truly lacks is character development. Major is the only character who is given any true depth. Kuze (Michael Pitt) is a foil of Major so his development comes in part with hers. While members of the Section 9 team are relegated to one or two word descriptions, Aramaki: Japanese badass, Ladriya: female, Han: anti-cybernetics, Ishikawa: pro-cybernetics, Saito: has bazooka, Batou: likes dogs. Okay, that’s unfair to Batou (Pilou Asbæk), who is the only member of the force (aside from Major) to get any sort of character development and once again that’s largely due to his relationship with her. Batou is Major’s foul mouthed adrenaline junkie partner, who does in fact like dogs, His importance lies mostly with how he brings out the humanity in Major which is major to her development. Given the lack of character development it’s actually quite remarkable that the acting is really good. Johansson proves she has the drive, skill and presence to lead a franchise of this magnitude. Asbæk excels as a lovable rogue and Binoche brings three-dimensionality to the mad scientist archetype.
Sanders and his creative team raised the bar in creating New Port City and the live action world of Ghost in the Shell. The action is pulse pounding and the visuals are a feast for the eyes. Stunning effects, an intriguing premise, and fast paced action, make Ghost in the Shell a film worth experiencing on the big screen.
Reviewed by Vithiya Murugadas.
