Ghost in the Shell Review

     Ghost in the Shell is yet another big screen treatment of a beloved property, becoming the first big budget manga comic/anime film adaptation we’ve seen. I had no prior knowledge of the original material. Despite this, Ghost in the Shell looked interesting. The only thing worrying me, were the early lukewarm reviews.

     I’d say the reviews online are somewhat justified. The first hour of this movie is a complete mess. The only thing that kept me engaged was the visuals. The world building is definitely what this film thrives off of. If you like the visuals in Blade Runner, you get more of the same here. Aside from that, the first half is pretty uninteresting. The plot doesn’t seem to go anywhere and I felt like I was watching a compilation of separate, unrelated action sequences. The other problem is that they aren’t that memorable. The main issue in the first hour, is its weak through line. You get no sense of what the overarching story or theme is. In terms of the performances, Scarlett Johansson is a great actress but I didn't like her in this role. The dialogue isn’t believable and she doesn’t deliver her lines well. I think she was trying to sound somewhat robotic to fit the role but it came off badly.

     I was struggling getting through Ghost in the Shell. Then, about an hour into it, I started to get interested. The main focus of the plot shifts completely but I think it’s for the better and probably is what the whole movie should have focused on. The later section resolves much more around Scarlett Johansson’s struggle to find out about her past and discover her place in the world as an AI machine. That’s when this movie drastically starts to pick up. Other recent films and TV like Ex Machina and Westworld have dealt with similar issues but I think Ghost in the Shell tackles it with a different level of depth and complexity than those. That’s not to say it’s a better or worse movie. It just handles that particular theme very well and that’s what drives the last part of the film. 

     The movie took another small dive down during the final battle scene. Instead of what could have been an emotional confrontation between creator and creation, you get an unmemorable robot battle.

     There are a few more positives of Ghost in the Shell, including the music and some characters. Comparing it once again to Blade Runner, it has a similar score that fits the tone of its setting. Aramaki, played by Takeshi Kitano, is by far the best character in the movie. I’d be interested in seeing something that just revolves around him.

     Ghost in the Shell has a weak start and a pretty strong finish. Unfortunately, the first half really drags it down. It introduces some unique and interesting elements but doesn’t follow through on all of them. There’s a lot to like but there are some big negatives. 6/10