Is this Remake More than a Shell?

          The influence of Ghost in the Shell is pretty clear for everyone who’s seen it. Considered a groundbreaking anime that’s inspired the likes of the Wachowski siblings and James Cameron, it’s a movie with deep societal and psychological themes, that’s only held back by its penchant for excessive dialogue. That being said it has one of the best action scenes I’ve seen in animation.
          Rupert Sanders’ new American adaptation is pretty faithful to the source visually, but does it do enough to stand alone?
          Set in a cyberpunk future, The Major (Scarlett Johansson) is a special ops officer fighting terrorists for the government. In a world where people improving themselves through cybernetic enhancements is common, the Major is unique, being a fully synthetic person save for a human brain. After a series of scientists are murdered, the Major tracks down the criminal genius behind them, along the way discovering a conspiracy relating to her past.
          Though this film retains a lot of the style and atmosphere of the original, it changes the story pretty significantly in a number of places. The mystery is streamlined and much more closely connected to the Major, her journey stemming out of a few plot points we’ve seen in similar movies. Secret pasts and fabricated memories are concepts not new to A.I. fiction and this film doesn’t handle them badly, just not in a particularly interesting way. Certain important ideas like the nature of ‘ghosts’ isn’t given enough focus in favour of a plot and concepts easier to follow. This is not entirely a bad thing though, as it differentiates this movie, and the story we do get is engaging, just not ambitious enough. The movie does a great job emphasizing the connectiveness of this world, almost a cautionary tale on the current rate of technological progression. The humanity vs. machine conflict appears here as well. However it also sidesteps one of the more fascinating characteristics of Ghost in the Shell in its philosophy and the discussion of gender and sexual identity. Those themes are still present just much less explored. Perhaps it’s a side-effect of the rating drop to PG-13 which also disallows some of the more intense violence and nudity (however it does get away with the incredibly skin-tight suit the Major wears).
          Scarlett Johansson’s casting was a huge subject of controversy when it was announced, which is understandable. There’s an explanation in this movie though and regardless, she plays the part fine. She doesn’t imbue the Major with a lot of emotion or personality, but then that was true of the original character, and you could argue this makes sense for a cybernetic person. They are called shells after all. She relates the conflict of her character’s being and curiosities rather well and is a fairly likeable protagonist. Pilou Asbæk plays her partner Batou and is pretty good as far as that character’s concerned. Michael Pitt, Takeshi Kitano, Peter Ferdinando, and Juliette Binoche round out the cast, each giving decent performances but more or less playing archetypal roles with the occasional great moment. 
          The visuals in this movie are spectacular. The world of Ghost in the Shell is in some ways a general cyberpunk environment, but it has character to it. Clearly it’s lifted from numerous animes of this genre but with a sprinkling of Blade Runner and it makes for a very compelling world. The technology also looks striking and unique, from robotic geisha girls, to the holographic projections, to mechanical spider-tanks. And as for the aesthetic, it really tries to replicate the original. The aforementioned action scene, in a flooded slum, is played out here using a lot of the same shots, and though it’s not quite as impressive it still looks good. The opening sequence is the same, showcasing the evolution of the synthetic body, and it too looks exceptional. The action scenes are overall well choreographed and none of the CG looks too bad, with a couple exceptions. There are a number of slow motion effects carried over from the anime that are sometimes tedious, but generally inoffensive. And I’d cut them some slack given this was the property that inspired that gimmick in The Matrix. Almost in response to the whitewashing controversy, this movie makes a point to keep as much of a Japanese context as possible. This extends to the music as well which is beautifully ominous and tonally perfect, favouring electronic synthesizers and a very melancholy air of mystery.
          Ghost in the Shell has a few narrative problems and a degree of derivativeness, and it’s not as ambitious as it could be, but it’s still fairly interesting, ably performed, and terrifically scored. The world is masterfully realized and the visuals a marvel. But it won’t win over everyone. It’s a slower paced, less exuberant sci-fi film than a lot of audiences are used to. I suppose in the end, it’s as good as the original Ghost in the Shell, which I feel is a fine but not great movie. It’s enough I think, to satisfy fans and with any luck, attract new ones.