April 1, 2017 -- I saw, and reviewed, the 1995 animated version of Ghost in the Shell, but never read the original 1989 Masamune Shirow comic book (AKA seinen manga) series upon which this movie is based. Based on what I've seen, this is a visually impressive remake with decent character development.

Scarlett Johansson trades in her skin tight Black Widow leather outfit she wore in Marvel movies for another skin tight Spandex-type costume in this wild science fiction story about a hybrid being called Major with a human brain inside a manufactured body. Johansson plays Major, a deadly mercenary working for a counter terrorist organization, Public Security Section 9.

This story is filled with cool gadgets like brain implants allowing brain to brain thought transference, artificial bodies, adaptive camouflage suits, enormous 3D holographic advertising projections, insect-like armored vehicles, etc. There are dazzling futuristic streetscapes of Tokyo showing both the promise of technology and the seamy underbelly of poverty, crime and people wasting away in virtual reality oblivion, similar to opium dens.

The story is a pretty basic tale corporate corruption, human experimentation on runaway teens, making them into military-grade enhanced human/android weapons, with the usual corruption, conspiracy and coverup overtones. Like Robocop (the 2014 movie) Major discovers that her true identity has been erased, replaced by false memories. She begins a quest to find her human past. She discovers the dirty secret her corporate masters don't want her to know.

Her Section 9 partner, Batou (played by Pilou Asbæk of “The Great Wall”) is an interesting character. He obviously has feelings for Major, but their friendship seems to be mainly professional and Platonic on the surface. Batou is a fearsome warrior with great strength and skill. He also has a soft spot for stray dogs and he also has a good sense of humor.

Section 9 Chief Daisuke Aramaki (“Beat” Takeshi Kitano of “The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi”) is another interesting character, an incredibly tough and principled old bird who doesn't take guff, or threats, from anyone. He describes himself in one impressive battle scene as an old fox.

Major crosses paths with a renegade hacker named Kuze (Michael Pitt of “I Origins”). What she finds out from the tortured Kuze puts her, and her fellow Section 9 operatives on the kill list of a powerful company which determines they are a threat to company goals and profits.

This visually impressive film from director Rupert Sanders (“Snow White and the Huntsman”) and writers Jamie Moss and William Wheeler, takes time to develop some characters and to explore the concept of humanity beyond just the body and mind. What is called a ghost in a shell is really more like a soul in a shell. This film rates a B.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2017 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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