'Ghost In the Shell' A Review

Ghost In The Shell is a scifi action film about a near future where humans are enhanced by cybernetics and robots are commonplace. Hanka Robotics, the world's most advanced technology copropration, have put a human brain(ghost) in a completely synthetic body(shell). This experiment Major Mira Killian(Scarlett Johansson) is working as a counter-terrorism operative for the government when she comes into contact with the seemingly villanous Kuze(Michael Pitt) who is on a mission to take down Hanka.

Johansson is adequate in the role, certainly physically capable as far as the action, but fails to convey any real depth, nuance, or inner conflict that you'd expect with a character that is constantly faced with the kind of existential conundrum that is the Major's situation. She plays it almost categorically neutral, which not an overt failure, leaves a lot to be desired from the lead. Pitt is a bright spot in the cast giving the villain compelling idiosyncrasies implying more than we see. Pilou Asbæk as Batou, the Major's partner, and "Beat" Takeshi Kitano as Chief Daisuke Aramaki are both very good but are mostly foils to the Major. Juliette Binoche as Dr. Ouelet is a bit of an odd choice, she is always compelling but is underwritten and underutlized.

The production design of the film is beautiful. The cityscape, the action, the costumes, the score are all basically perfect but the main failing is the bloated narrative. So much plot is jammed into the film it fails to explore the interesting scifi concepts that make Ghost In The Shell unique. The result is polish with little substance, potential unrealized.

Entertaining but mostly shell with little ghost.

Rent It.