Ghost In The Shell
BBB
(out of 5)
A robotics company has a breakthrough in artificial intelligence technology when the melding of a human brain with an artificial body results in a successful combination (played by Scarlett Johansson), a moral human consciousness with great use as an infallible warrior. After barely surviving the assassination of one of the senior members of her corporation, Johansson finds herself seeking a mysterious villain who seems to have a laundry list of scientists to kill, but where this takes her is deeper into the secrets of her own past. Adapted quite closely from the anime film of the same name, this beautifully shot science-fiction adventure is an easy but unimpressive indulgence, gorgeous in its every neon-hued frame but not exactly brimming with memorable conflicts; I’d love to say that the story of an Asian consciousness being placed in a caucasian shell was a comment on future technological identity politics, but I hesitate to accuse this film of being as thoughtful as it is amusing. Johansson is strangely uninspired and uninspiring in the role, it’s surprising that the actor who pulls off her Avengers and Lucy characters with such impressive ease seems uncomfortable and unsuited to the action heroine role here, and it doesn’t help that her plight isn’t particularly interesting. As a mindless sibling to Blade Runner, however, this is a pleasure to view, with supporting performances by Juliette Binoche and Michael Pitt that are enjoyable spots of brightness.
Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks, Reliance Entertainment, Shanghai Film Group, Huahua Media, Arad Productions, Steven Paul Production,Amblin Partners,Grosvenor Park Productions, Seaside Entertainment, Weying Galaxy Entertainment
USA, 2017
Directed by Rupert Sanders
Screenplay by Jamie Moss,William Wheeler, Ehren Kruger, based on the comic The Ghost in The Shell by Masamune Shirow
Cinematography by Jess Hall
Produced by Ari Arad, Avi Arad, Michael Costigan, Steven Paul
Music by Lorne Balfe, Clint Mansell
Production Design by Jan Roelfs
Costume Design by Kurt and Bart
Film Editing by Billy Rich, Neil Smith
Cast Tags: Adwoa Aboah, Allan Henry, Anamaria Marinca, Andrew Morris, Andrew Stehlin, Bowie Chan Wing Wai, Chin Han, Chris Obi, Daniel Henshall, Danusia Samal, David Johnson Wood,Emma Coppersmith, Erroll Anderson, Hannah Tasker-Poland, Jacqueline Lee Geurts, Luafutu, Joseph Naufahu, Juliette Binoche, Kai Fung Rieck, Kaori Momoi, Kaori Yamamoto, Kate Venables, Kirt Kishita, Lasarus Ratuere, Makoto Murata, Mana Hira Davis, Matthias Luafutu, Michael Pitt, Natarsha Orsman, Pete Teo, Peter Ferdinando, Pilou Asbæk, Rila Fukushima, Scarlett Johansson, Shinji Ikefuji, Takeshi Kitano, Tanya Drewery, Tawanda Manyimo, Vinnie Bennett, Xavier Horan, Yutaka Izumihara
