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    Ghost in the Shell

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    "Ghost in the Shell" isn’t bad, it’s just that the story feels dumbed down and too obvious compared to the original films. Thankfully, its strong visual identity comes to the film's rescue.

    In the future, the line between man and machine is blurry. Major Mira Killian (Scarlett Johansson) is a special agent working for Taskforce 9 on the trail of a criminal hacker so talented he can take control of people’s bodies through their cybernetic implants. As the Major gets closer to her mark, she uncovers the secrets of her past.

    If you are familiar with past iterations of Masamune Shirow's work, you’ll be pleased with the action scenes. They have been translated to live-action very well. Additionally, director Rupert Sanders, the special effects people, Jess Hall and Jan Roelfs (responsible for the cinematography and production design) have created a stunning world that looks and feels wholly original. “Ghost in the Shell” is a delight to look at. As is Scarlett Johansson, who was made for this role. She specializes in cold action heroines and is more than capable of handling the introspective moments as the Major begins questioning her cyborg existence. The entire cast, which includes Takeshi Kitano, Pilou Asbæk, and Juliette Binoche do well in their roles in fact. As I predicted, you’ll forget all about the casting controversies once you see the film.

    The disappointment with “Ghost in the Shell” is that the story had been watered and dumbed down. There are elements of the original story it present, so you get the money shots you’ve been waiting to see, but by and large it's new. The downside is that the heavy amount of time spent on self-contemplation has been replaced with a boo-ha-ha villain; an obvious threat to be eliminated. I get it. Most audiences don’t like to be confused or to have to think about a movie once it’s over, so this story is about seeing Major’s origin and shooting bad guys. That’s not necessarily bad, but it makes the film more generic, it gives it less re-watch value and ultimately, removes what made people return to the original story again and again.

    “Ghost in the Shell” is not a travesty, it’s even likely to make converts out of some of the uninitiated that see it. Will anyone who already owns or is familiar with 1995’s “Ghost in the Shell” want to add this film to their shelf? Probably not. Nonetheless, for the action scenes, the spectacular visuals (I can't emphasize enough how spectacular it looks) and the good performances, I do give the film a mild recommendation. If you’re going to see it once, see it on the big screen. The 3D is only ok, however, so that one is up to you. (3D Theatrical version on the big screen, March 30, 2017)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  1.4.2017 age: 26-35 2,866 reviews

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