'Ghost in the Shell' Review
07:48
Directed by Rupert Sanders
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Takeshi Kitano, Michael Pitt, Juliette Binoche
It's amazing how much controversy this film has gained over the last year or so. We all know about whitewashing and how this film incorporated Scarlett Johansson as it's lead character Major - an Asian character in the 1995 anime film that Sanders' live action instalment is based on. All of this feels a bit of a big fuss over nothing but it is a big problem in Hollywood at the moment, and we see it more and more frequently. But aside from this obvious whitewashing, the problem with this film actually resides with how this film wants to expand and develop into a big franchise without thinking, instead of focusing on what the original set itself out to be.
The film is set in a dystopian world (very much like the one in Blade Runner) where mankind is literally connected with technology - cyborgs roam the streets and everyone is plugged in. Major, a robot with the mind of the former human she used to be, is an agent who seeks to destroy cyber criminals for her creators. A living weapon, Major discovers that her creators have been lying to her about her past, forcing her to go on the run and seek out who she really is.
It's a plot we've seen time and time again, and that's where the film falls - it is extremely predictable. Even if you haven't seen the original film, you'll know exactly where this film wants to be and where it will go. This really makes the film boring, and amid the mediocre action scenes there really isn't anything to get you excited. The formula it takes with the structure of plot is almost like every espionage/spy film you've seen, or at least it was for me. And the film ends about half an hour earlier than I thought it would, which wasn't a bad thing for my boredom, but was the only unpredictable thing in the film. It ends way too quick, and leaves a lot to be desired.
There are some neat effects in the film, some of the backdrops looks very impressive, well, from far away. When the camera propels from an aerial shot of a speeding car and flies down to get closer, the effects are noticeable switched to practical and looks pretty bad. I noticed this happening quite a lot and it was quite distracting. Having said that, some of the practical effects on the actors are really good and quite detailed. It makes change to see them instead of your typical CGI moments.
The music I also have to compliment, it's very Blade Runner again, which is fine as it really fits into this world and really touches on and resembles some of the music in the original film. The techno/synth score play really well with the actual sound of the film as well, and nothing sounds significantly out of place.
The acting and characters have a lot to answer for however. Now they're not bad performances, they're more just... meh. Batou is pretty good in this and likeable, having a bright side to him among the rest of the gloomy characters, and I have to compliment Pitt's performance as well as the main cyber punk 'bad guy' of the film, Kuze. But it's really Johansson's performance that is lacking here - it feels like anyone could have done her job here, and it's disappointing. She's done this type of character many times before and it just gets stale. I feel like she was the best way to market this film with her name alone, but she really doesn't do anything outstanding and for me, was boring to watch. She's too robotic, yes, I know what that sounds silly, but she takes that way too literally. 'But she's a robot Sam, she's not supposed to have a big personality!' What about the replicants from Blade Runner? Undeniably the best characters in the film, and Roy Batty is one of the most human 'robots' I've seen in film, and Major posses a human brain, so surely she can carry this over and feel a bit more interesting? Maybe it's a matter of an opinion. She just drags with the rest of the film for myself unfortunately.
And the film just doesn't really ask the questions the original did - what does it mean to be human? It feels as though it's missing that core ingredient and doesn't play with many ideas and really feels uninspired. It's a damn shame too, because if this is to become a big franchise, I need something to keep me going on and enjoying it. I like ambiguity, but it doesn't have this at all. This film isn't as bad as it could have been, but still really falls flat as a bland live action adaptation.
The Good
+ Some impressive visuals at times
+ Sound and music is impressive and fits the tone well
The Bad
- An uninspired concept
- A boring and predictable narrative
- Some effects don't land
- Johansson's Major
4.0/10
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