Ghost in the Shell (2017) User Reviews (1,050)

Empty, but great looking

[neil-476 · 7/10 · 14 May 2018]

It is the future. In an unnamed far East city, a young woman's brain is transplanted into an artificial body by Hanka, a company specialising in cybernetic enhancements. A year later, now dubbed Major, she is an operative for Section 9, a semi-official law enforcement body combating cyber-crime. But fragmented memories of her earlier life lead her to try to find out who she was and what happened to her.

This American adaptation of Masamune Shirow's manga is an interesting mixture of success and failure. It looks absolutely spectacular. It captures the manga-style look of a stylised Japanese-flavoured future incredibly well. The DVD/Blu-ray will reward re-watching in slow motion for the many tiny details, like the word "Police" on high-viz jackets cycling between red and blue. The film is packed with visual invention.

The action sequences are also excellent. They blend fluent martial arts with smart camerawork, greenscreen, and physical sets, and do so seamlessly. I have one criticism: much as I like Scarlet Johansson's *rse, rear views of her running don't do her any favours.

We know the story, unfortunately - it's the same story as Robocop. The origin is dealt with in an efficient prologue, and doesn't interfere with narrative flow. But although the trimmings are fresh, the story holds no real surprises.

The performances are all fine, although I don't think the film will feature in next year's acting Oscars. Juliet Binoche plays an important, but underwritten, character and is completely wasted.

But is ScarJo right? I don't think so. She has done enthusiastic PR for the film, but that's not enough. She's there to generate box office results, of course. It's seen as a role like Black Widow, and she will surely put bums on seats internationally. But I don't think this should have been colour blind casting. Although an artificial body can be any race, I think the film would have looked right with an Asian actress.

Through much of the film, Miss Johansson wears a skintight bodysuit. Perhaps this is a CGI motion-capture suit. In either case, it makes her look strangely completely naked and not naked at all. At the same time.

The part of the story which is intended to make you care is Major's search for her past. But, if I'm honest, the film didn't make me care very much. For a story which is about a soul - the Ghost - in an artificial body - the Shell - the film ironically has very little soul of its own.

If you are a geek - let's face it, if you are reading this then you probably are - then of course you should see it. If nothing else, you will geek out over the visuals. If you like something a bit deeper - well, maybe you'll get more out of it than I did. And a review is only one person's opinion, so go and make up your own mind!

Solid 7-star. Very good.

[Exsosus2 · 7/10 · 15 April 2018]

The film plays like a six, in that the story line is good but maybe not top-notch, but the ending is spectacular, and by spectacular I mean better than your average excellent film out there.

So this is a seven to me, and recommended to all my friends and family.

Ghost in the shell

[skullfire-48012 · 7/10 · 23 April 2019]

If you have watched the original, this will leave you wanting. Watched as it is, dismissing the original, it still seems rushed, but, not as terrible an outing as some have said, in my opinion.

Visually Engaging Adventure

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 9 July 2017]

In the future, human organs are enhanced by the cybernetics technology developed by the powerful Hanka Robotics Corporation owned by Cutter (Peter Ferdinando). Dr. Ouelet (Juliette Binoche) is the responsible for the development of the secret project 2571 of a full mechanical body to be connected to a human brain. She uses the brain of a young woman (Scarlett Johansson) that lost her parents in a cyber attack as subject of a prototype. One year later, the woman is ranked Major and has joined the Section 9, an anti-terrorist division commanded by Chief Saisuke Aramaki (Takeshi Kitano), working with agents Batou (Pilou Asbæk) and Togusa (Chin Han). She needs to use a medicine to help the integration of her brain with the mechanical body and has no recollections of her previous life. When Section 9 hunts down the terrorist Kuze (Michael Carmen Pitt), Major learns secrets about Hanka and the experiment she was subjected. What will happen next?

"Ghost in the Shell" is a visually engaging adventure based on the Japanese manga and animation. The vision of future in the big city is scary, visually polluted with excessive billboards and humans blended with human enhanced. Unfortunately the characters are not well developed and the Japanese Major is now Caucasian. Scarlett Johansson has great performance as usual and despite the above flaws, the film is entertaining. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Vigilante do Amanhã: Ghost in the Shell" ("The Tomorrow's Vigilant: Ghost in the Shell")

Good simple science-fiction

[aheaven2005 · 7/10 · 8 March 2021]

Good science-fiction in an eclectic future where technological enhancement is now part of the human body. The cast does a good job and the effects are impressIve. Great Atmos soundtrack that really shines all around you and put you in the middle of the action.

High Hopes - not too bad/ fun watch

[mikeshelp · 7/10 · 7 May 2018]

Loved the anime original, watchable MOVIE adaptation. Good action. (Yeah sequel could be done)

It is beautiful to look at...that's about it.

[trublu215 · 4/10 · 29 March 2017]

Ghost in the Shell is arguably one of the most beloved anime films of all time. Approaching nearly 22 years old, the original film still holds up as, not only a great film, but a thought provoking one too. Fast forward to 2017, we're introduced to the CGI spectacle that many believed was going to be the first great live action adaptation especially when the first trailer was released. Instead of appeasing fans of the original, this film decides to clip its own nuts and wants to be seen on a broader spectrum. Throw in some heavily edited fight sequences, a PG-13 rating and Scarlett Johansson, we get 2017 Ghost in the Shell...and it is downright painful at times.

The film is, more or less, a shot for shot remake at times and then other times it tries to do its own thing. Truthfully, Rupert Sanders' erratic direction and Jamie Moss' lackluster adapted script make this a very hard film for a fan to watch. While it may be easily looked over because of the wonderful use of CGI and cinematography, under the surface the film is superficial and very idiotic at times. Scarlett Johansson as Major is a major miscast (no pun intended). She is wooden and feels like she is sleepwalking through this role. While it is clear that after Lucy and The Avengers, Johansson is wanting to be an action hero icon. She is a tremendous actress in every way but it is hard to buy her as Major.

Overall, this film is yet another remake that misses the mark. Walking out of my screening, I kept hearing the comparisons to the remake of RoboCop from a group of people. I must say, this was an accurate comparison and I couldn't have made a better comparison even if I tried. The film suffers from blatant studio meddling, a poor script, and a very erratic director, much like that remake. These are three things that are too hard to ignore. Hardcore fans of Ghost in the Shell will probably be massively disappointed by this blatant cash grab. The young teenagers might get a kick out of the action sequences and CGI but the adults will be left watching the original for their enjoyment.

Surprisingly Good

[peterfmodel · 10/10 · 8 August 2017]

As a Ghost in the Shell fan I expected the worst and based on the initial reviews I was expecting to be proved correct, however after watching it by preconceived bias was blown away. It was a good movie, not as good as the original 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie, but that bar is so high few movies would qualify. Scarlett Johansson was almost perfect in the role, the only issues was she lacked the "Dirty Harry" confidence of the original movie. However in this movie she was only beginning her career, while in the 1995 movie she was an old timer who was ending her career, so that can be explained. The technique of having Aramaki speak Japanese worked, although he mumbled too much and I originally though he was speaking mandarin. I gave up trying to understand his Japanese and simply read the subtitles instead. When I saw Togusa for the first time, that fact he was Japanese confused me. For those who watch Japanese anime, almost everyone looks like a Caucasian, so I was use to that look. However once I realised why I was confused it all worked very well, as if I was watching an all-Japanese cast anime movie, such as Black Butler (which is also excellent). The only real issue was too much was being covering in the movie; it was too fast and lacked the feeling of the original 1995 movie as a result. You could easily resolve it by extending the movie and if I owned the rights that is what I would do, perhaps create two movies from the material. That way you could capture the slow motion and surreal scenes of the original movie, such as when Motoko rises up from the water. As for the controversy about race, we are not dealing with any type of objectivity. I simply ignored any of those comments as those who make them clearly lack an understanding of anime. Saying that it was good the movie was set in Japan and Aramaki reported to the prime minister, rather than the president. 優れた In summary, a good movie with excellent potential, which could have been done better and which could easily be reworked to remove the major issues outlined above.

What a Pretty Cyborg!

[ini_ynti-22457 · 7/10 · 20 March 2018]

As a fan of Scarlett Johansson, I was back then astonished for not knowing that Scarlett Johansson had a new movie. Until a friend posted the trailer of this movie on her Facebook. So, thank you, friend.

When I saw the trailer for the first time, I was overwhelmed by the cinematography. The colors are so beautiful and so bright. And then I saw Scarlett as a cyborg, I couldn't wait any longer to watch the movie. Her expression and appearance was totally convincing. So cold and flat, like a poker face.

Finally I could watch this movie last month. And well, I never thought this movie would be so "slow" and "quiet". So many technology and science terms I didn't familiar with. And suddenly there was a rumble in a restaurant which I didn't know what that was all about. The point is, I couldn't grasp the plot in one sitting. I think sci-fi is a puzzling genre for my brain, lol.

Over all, I really adore the cinematography of this movie. Imagining the future would be exactly like what I've seen in this movie. The ads on the walls look so real and technology and science getting more advanced than today. Anyhow, I didn't get why the shape of cigarette doesn't get any change at all? It just looks the same as today. The foods and the utensils are no different. I think there should've been some differences to make the future reality of this movie much more convincing.

Although it's a bit boring, because it made me sleep a little, the ending of this movie's so absorbing. My eyes got teary seeing Major try to save her friend from the past by sacrificing her own self. It was so touching. Maybe the anime version of this movie is more engaging. If it's not, no one would have wanted to adapt the anime into movie, right?

But the ghost didn't rattle much...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 4 May 2017]

I am only vaguely familiar with the Manga upon which this 2017 live action adaptation is based, so I will not be comparing it to those.

Major is the first of her kind, a truly unique individual consisting of a synthetic body outfitted with a live human brain. This combines the enhanced functionality of cyborg with the ability of free thought and will. She is to become a perfect soldier in the war on cyber-criminals.

Right, well the story was adequate enough, although it was a bit too mundane and simplistic, almost to the point where it bordered on being too generic. The events that took place throughout the course of the story offered no surprises, as it was quite predictable. And given the premise of the movie, then you already knew the outcome of the movie from the very beginning.

As for the acting, well I will say that they had some good enough talents to portray the characters and roles, and it was essentially Pilou Asbæk who carried the movie. Personally, I don't understand why they opted for Scarlett Johansson for the lead, because she is not a particularly versatile actress in my opinion. And in "Ghost in the Shell" she put on a very bland and emotionless performance. It was a real shame that Michael Wincott didn't have a bigger role in this movie, because he could definitely have added a lot to the movie.

What made this movie watchable was the impressive display of special effects and CGI. It was just overwhelming, especially because there was so much of it in almost every single scene. So if all those holographic images in the cityscape becomes a reality, it will indeed be a colorful future that we greet.

I wasn't particularly impressed with "Ghost in the Shell", and the myriad of special effects were hardly enough to make due for a lack of interesting storyline. As such, this was but a mere mediocre movie experience for me. I doubt that it is a movie that I will be returning to watch a second time.

top notch action sci fi

[dutchchocolatecake · 10/10 · 2 April 2017]

Let me just say for starters that this is a real review written by someone who actually watched the movie, and someone who has actually watched the original Ghost in the Shell movie several times before the live action movie came out, along with Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State society. The live action movie delves even deeper into the story lines in the Ghost in the Shell franchise, and combines elements from all the stories to create a fantastic action sci-fi that is both intellectually and visually stunning.

I'm typing this qualifier because the majority of the other reviews about this movie look like outrage reviews written by people who didn't even see the movie and are just abusing IMDb's review system to promote their own political viewpoints. They aren't interested in actually seeing the movie or giving a thoughtful review about it. They are only here to trash it and this is why IMDb took down the forums in the first place. I know my review will probably get a bunch of thumbs down because people only care if I agree with them rather than whether I wrote a good review or not.

With that out of the way, the accusations of white washing are dubious at best. The Major in the anime was in a white looking cybernetic body even though she had a Japanese name. I base this opinion on the fact that in the original movie there are characters drawn specifically to look Asian and if the Major were Asian then she would be drawn that way. The creator of Ghost in the Shell has come forward to say that he was impressed by both Scarlett Johansson's casting and her acting abilities. If she's good enough for the creator of this movie then who is anyone else to keep arguing against her?

The argument that a character having a Japanese name means that character is Asian is also questionable. I went to school with Asian Americans with white names either because they were adopted or because their families had fully assimilated into American culture. If I were to make a movie about one of them, should I cast a white person to play them simply because they have a white name?

For those who haven't seen it or are discouraged from seeing it because of other people's bullying: I suggest that you don't let anyone else stop you from seeing this movie or enjoying it. I had concerns that it might not be good because there are elements of animation that just aren't translatable to live action. I am pleased to say that I was wrong and this movie took my breath away with both visuals and a story line that delves into who the Puppetmaster is and what his motivations are. After seeing this movie I am interested in finding the television series that goes along with the movies I already have. If a movie can make people interested in the source material then it's done it's job IMO.

Scarlett Johansson made an excellent Major. I could tell she worked hard and studied the original movie closely to mirror the Major's mannerisms and behavior. As for the complaints that the movie didn't delve deep enough into philosophical things, I don't think the original movies did much of that either. Nothing was ever fully explained and the viewer was left to puzzle out their own answers. These are the kind of movies that you have to watch with your brain engaged rather than being passively entertained. The movies aren't meant to be a replacement for formal study of existential philosophy. They are meant to pose a hypothetical scenario with hypothetical reasons behind it and the viewer is supposed to draw their own conclusions.

I do have a few complaints about this movie, but they are fairly trivial considering the movie as a whole. This review is getting long and I only have a thousand words so I won't go into my own complaints that aren't really relevant. Overall though this movie is worth putting money down to see and that's what matters.

I love this movie, really underrated one

[chera_khalid · 7/10 · 29 September 2023]

Ghost in the Shell (2017), a cybernetic ballet of stunning visuals and philosophical musings. Scarlett Johansson's portrayal of Major was captivating, embodying the essence of a cybernetic being grappling with identity. The film editing embraced the high-tech aesthetic, seamlessly blending action sequences with moments of introspection. The movie's strength lies in its visual spectacle, transporting the audience to a dystopian world that feels both futuristic and eerily familiar. While the narrative occasionally stumbled in fully exploring its existential themes, the music added a haunting layer that complemented the film's atmosphere. Cinematography plunged us into a neon-soaked cityscape, capturing the beauty and complexity of a world where humanity and technology intertwine. At 7/10, Ghost in the Shell is a cyberpunk visual feast that sparks contemplation on what it means to be human in an increasingly digital age.

Terrible. Just Terrible.

[truemythmedia · 3/10 · 29 May 2019]

I've seen this movie twice. The only reason I watched it a second time is that I reviewed the original anime and felt like I had to review this one too. I didn't want to watch it. You shouldn't either. If you think this movie looks cool, watch the 1995 "Ghost in the Shell" instead. If you want to watch this because Scarlett Johansson is in it, watch "Under the Skin," instead.

I liked it

[diadectes58 · 7/10 · 7 October 2017]

Just finished watching this movie on DVD. I got it from the local library today along with three others. I watched it first as I thought it would be rubbish; it wasn't. Not sure why all the bad reviews. I thought it was a good story and was well done. I knew nothing about the subject before I watched the movie so it was all new to me. I liked the way the main character developed (a bit like Robocop) and thought the supporting cast good. Do not get me wrong: the film is not great, but I was entertained and did not have to fast forward at all (always a bad sign) and I rewound quite a few bits to watch again (always a good sign). It's fantasy of course and definitely silly in parts. The CGI is poor in parts too. However, overall I liked it and would definitely watch it again.

Disappointing

[Gordon-11 · 30 March 2017]

This film tells the story of an android which is built to be a warrior. She is dedicated to stopping and eliminating dangerous cyber criminals, but through exactly this process, she discovers her true identity and questions her existence.

The poster looks really cool so I have high hopes for this film. Unfortunately, I was thoroughly bored by it. A person sitting behind me admitted the whole way through as well. The problem with the story is that it starts off looking really cool, but soon seems to have run out of money for computer graphics. Choosing to shoot many parts of the film in run down parts of Hong Kong doesn't enhance its glamour or appeal. I know this aspect is staying true to the original anime, but since they are changing so much of the story, they could have made the whole thing more glamorous. The mix between simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Japanese and even Korean texts on street signs is simply dizzying.

The story is not very engaging for me. It doesn't convey our explain the plot points well. I find myself hoping it to end, and I thought it was way longer than the 97 minutes of runtime. One thing that is good is Batou, he gives off the fearless warrior vibe which is vital for this film. I am disappointed by this film. I thought it would be stylish and intelligent, but it isn't.

All the sex-appeal, none of the heart.

[gborkhataria · 6/10 · 9 August 2018]

Clearly, the design team are talented and this film is indeed a visual spectacle, but the director clearly doesn't understand why the anime was special. This barely touches on the core themes of the original, it is hollow, beautiful, but hollow.

Wait, just the Shell? But what about the Ghost?

[asifahsankhan · 6/10 · 5 April 2017]

These are the sorts of consciousness-expanding questions that have animated the "Ghost in the Shell" franchise for more than two decades. The world of GITS is part futuristic action movie and part philosophy lecture, in which artfully constructed animated action sequences serve as vehicles for investigations into the nature of consciousness. It's a showcase for what top-notch animation can do — one that the new movie never quite manages to match.

However, it might take a few months—or maybe even a few years—but eventually, Scarlett Johansson's Ghost in the Shell will have an afterlife. The live-action adaptation of the Japanese classic is a complete Cyber Bore, narrative-wise, but for those who gush over big- screen artistry, there's plenty to get lost in: the opulent, expansive CGI visuals; the gorgeous Clint Mansell/Lorne Balfe score, pulsing and plunging like a Tangerine Dream nightmare; even Johansson's stoically acrobatic performance, which proves once again why she's one of the most in-demand action-film stars in the world. It's one of those films destined to be salvaged by the web, where the movie's defenders will advocate for it via frame-grab sprees or the occasional sub-Reddit threads. Ghost will find its followers.

In the here-and-now, though, Ghost in the Shell is an all- encompassing embarrassment, the kind of movie you might not want to admit you watched—and which, judging from the box office, not a lot of people bothered to see in the first place. The film earned just $19 million domestically in its opening weekend, coming in third behind the still-running Beauty and the Beast and the surprise smash Oh Look, Alec Baldwin Is a Talking Baby, I Guess That's Cute to Some People? That crash came despite the fact that the latest version of Ghost—which is based on the long-running manga and anime series—was gifted with an estimated $110 million budget, a major star, a teen- baiting PG-13 rating, and a nearly 3,500-screen opening weekend. In what's been a notably healthy box-office year, Ghost should have shellacked the competition.

But on the internet, Ghost has been a dud-in-the-making since at least January 2015, when Johansson's casting was first confirmed. The news set off a two-year-long preemptive outcry on the web, where online petitions and thoughtful Twitter threads addressed the film's whitewashing and cultural appropriation. That's been a point of contention with several works from the last year, including Doctor Strange, The Great Wall, and Netflix's Iron Fist, but Ghost in the Shell's transgressions were perhaps the most deeply felt: Here was a landmark piece of Japanese pop-culture—one whose what- does-it-mean-be-human? ideas and hacker-trash aesthetic had already been co-opted by US-produced films like The Matrix and AI—being re- imagined with a white American lead actress and an English director (Snow White and the Huntsman's Rupert Sanders). It didn't help that, a year before its release, rumours surfaced that the filmmakers had tested digital effects that would have allowed certain performers to "shift their ethnicity" so they could resemble Asian characters. By the time the film opened on Friday, it had shifted from "problematic" to full-on off-inducing: Wait, didn't we all agree this was a bad idea?

The overall result is a movie that's all borrowed parts, with no depth or connection. The layers never quite come together to form something more. It wants to be a movie about the search for consciousness, but, unlike its source material, it doesn't have a soul.

Choices Were Made...Dumb, Dumb Choices

[matthewssilverhammer · 5/10 · 6 April 2017]

Christians, Muslims, Republicans, Democrats, gay, straight, black, white; we all agree on one thing: people who say "the book is better" are the worst. Well, bring your hate to me: 2017's Ghost in the Shell doesn't hold a neon-candle to its 1995 progenitor. Some of the intrigue, entertainment and beautiful sci-fi visuals hold over nicely, but where the original is a potent and mind-bending trip of sci-fi thoughts and action, this new one is awkwardly broad, surface-y, and plain sloppy. Like all artificial-intelligence stories, it's about what makes someone "human", with Johansson playing a cyborg with a human brain ("ghost" in this world) searching for the originator of a deadly virus. Blade-Runner-like in many ways, it's a grimy world full of bright lights and mysterious characters. But where the original holds tightly to its effectively enigmatic nature, this one unnecessarily expands on backstory, spells-out themes, rolls-out unearned platitudes and projects emotions to such an extent that you wanna yell at the screen, "We get it! This is all REAL important!" At the center is Johansson. Her casting should be no surprise as she is currently a premier action heroine. However, she faced backlash after many saw her casting as the next in a long-line of Hollywood whitewashing Asian characters (Aloha, Great Wall). Ghost in the Shell has a fairly understandable explanation for her look, and even uses it thematically. However, that casting mixed with the frustrating plot changes point somewhere less noble: insurance of a franchise. Ultimately, the bare bones of sci-fi greatness are covered by insecurity, bringing us a dumb-down version of a great product.

Amazing remake, but not worth the IMAX ticket price

[StrayFeral · 10/10 · 31 March 2017]

This is review for the IMAX version of Ghost in the Shell.

I just saw "Ghost in the Shell" at the local IMAX theater. I expected stunning 3D cinematics and so on and so on. Basically the bar was set way too high, as this is one of the two super-cult mangas of the 90s (the first one being "Akira" 1988).

Well, in short - the movie is great! Worth every cent seeing it on a big screen.

Now in detail - I probably had to first see again the original, so I could compare them, but I didn't. Maybe for good, as I watched the movie without way too much expectations and honestly enjoyed it. Stunning visuals - yes, great music - yes, great play - yes, Takeshi Kitano - YES, YES, YESSS!! (Who does not love Beat Takeshi?? :) Yes - and Scarlett Johansson. Well, she's great too, but can't beat the Beat ;)

The only two things I do remember from the original are the first scene and the last scene, and these two do match, as of my memories. The other thing is the music - the hypnotic vocal theme. The music of the current version is great, but no match. It's just different. However, they included the original theme as well, just it's in the end credits.

The only problem with this movie is the IMAX version - honestly, it does not worth the price of the IMAX ticket. Just there is nothing really worth seeing in the IMAX version! Yes of course - great picture quality, but hey I go to IMAX for stunning 3D visuals, not just great picture quality and "Ghost in the Shell" 2017 version is simply not enough 3D-enhanced for IMAX, so don't bother yourself going in there, unless you are just a fan of IMAX. In the last 5 years there was just one movie not created for IMAX, but really stunningly 3D-enhanced for IMAX and that was "Dr.Strange" 2016. No other movie IMAX version really got me so much, as "Dr.Strange" for IMAX. "Ghost in the Shell" 2017 looks great on IMAX, but not so great to worth the money for. At least my opinion.

Oh and one more thing I didn't liked - no post-credits scene. Not that the original had one I remember of, but just letting you know there is nothing to wait the end of the credits for, unless you are one of these fans who wants to read the small notes.

Good thing is - they mentioned that the soundtrack is going to get released, so check it out! It is not as stunning as Daft Punk's music for the second "Tron", neither "Stranger Things", but still it's great. I would give it like 8/10.

So final words - go see it! But in case you can't see it on IMAX - don't be sorry.

Superficial - looks good but not much substance, trailer is the best part

[comps-784-38265 · 6/10 · 30 March 2017]

What I liked:

futuristic Japan, Scarlett Johansson

What I didn't like

Pretty much everything else, the lack of any real plot, predictable ending, pretty mindless violence on the whole.

Mz Johanssons character is supposed to be of a Japanese girl, unlucky enough to have been an unwilling brain donor for transplant.

Why did they create a body of western Caucasian ? She was 'made' to act as a counter terrorism 'robocop' in futuristic Japan.

A strange 'white wash' presumably just to accommodate Ms Johansson rather than a lesser known but more plausible Asian actress.

Summary: I did wonder why the trailer showed Mz Johansson apparently naked. I realise that it is just to entice the unwary into the cinema by adding a little titillation. The plot certainly offers nothing in the way of titillation. Spoiler alert - you don't see anything, its a sort of plastic robo skin suit

Whats puzzling, is why she strips off down to her skin suit, every time she has to dive off a building or kill someone ?

I digress, the plot in summary

In the future cybernetics have advanced so much that they can put a human brain into a manufactured (but lifelike) body. Our heroine is the first of these. Apparently her family were killed by terrorists and she so badly wounded, they could only save her brain. So they transplanted it into a manufactured robot body, which looks amazingly like Scarlett Johansson !

She's becomes part of a counter terrorism unit (doesn't really explain much about this) to kill bad guys. Why a few westerners are in futuristic anti terror forces in Japan is also a bit of a puzzle. Shades of oriental female robocop.

There is a big high tech corporation, (like in robocop). Some arch baddie is murdering top corporation scientists & management and extracting secret data about the corporation. The unit is sent to find out who it is and track them down.

Turns out Mz Johansson wasn't the first guinea pig for a brain op, There were many others who did not survive. But one did and he's out for revenge. The corporation took his life and body away from him and then botched a brain transplant.

She finds him, and discovers not only she wasn't the first there were some 98 killed for experimentation. Oh and her memories were implanted and fake.

She discovers she was a runaway girl, they abducted as brain transplant fodder. She has a pretty boring meeting with her actual mother all though neither seems aware of the relationship.

The other guinea pig causing all the trouble was her boyfriend. He was abducted with her and was an earlier brain transplant experiment gone wrong.

The big corporation owner, realises Ms Johansson may be a problem (because she has discovered the truth) and sets out to have her 'eliminated'. Bit like in Robocop

Mz Johansson triumphs, the big corporation owner receives his just deserts, and that's it. She just strips off into her plastic naked suit anytime she needs to dive off a building etc.

Basically this films a vehicle for Ms Johansson, acting like agent romanoff, (killing people)

However, now in robocop mode and stripping down to her plastic suit 'naked' suit every so often to kill people.

Looks good but is rather boring and unsatisfying. Watch once and never again. 6/10

My fear was validated.

[badoli · 4/10 · 30 March 2017]

I was afraid the U.S. live version of one of my beloved classics might not turn out good and sadly it happened exactly the way i expected. I was slightly surprised in what glory it fails.

Pretty much everything semi-important of this movie works amazingly well. The visuals are fantastic, the effects are great, the atmosphere is beautiful and the music is very good. But in the central points of what made the original hauntingly beautiful, this one lacks: Instead of a delicate view at what it means to be human, this movie rather goes for a weak action plot. The screenplay does a mediocre Matrix impression. The dialogues are just blunt and miss the grace and sensibility of its 20 year old reference. I stopped caring after 30 minutes.

As such the action scenes don't carry any weight and all the citations from the original anime come across as hollow and weightless. Which is a shame, as they are executed great! What a waste. I really wanted to like this movie, but it hardly anything but another well made yet ultimately boring action flick.

So Scarlet portrays an Asian?

[mmcgee282 · 10/10 · 1 April 2017]

This movie was shot for Imax.In the non anamorphic wide screen ratio of 1.85.1 it fills the whole Imax screen and the 3D does the job to bring you into the story with dimension and perspectives.That A-hole Cutter,played by Peter Ferdinando reminds me of a politician despise that's in our government.It seems like Scarlet is wakes up in an operation table that she was in an explosion from a boat coming to futuristic Tokyo,with her parent gone.They saved her mind ,but they build a new body.It take s place in the future with humans half robot and there is a very few real ones .In 3D it looks great too.She's told that she is a police women out to look for terrorist.It seems a bunch of sale men and at a geisha house with robot geisha ,who all of a sudden turns against them and kills them Scarlet and her assistant,played by Pilou Asbaek,boy what a name!who looses his eyes in an explosion and has it replaces with robot eye lenses, to search for the murderers.There boss,played by Takeshi Kitano ,speaks Japanese only with titles.One of the d.r.'s who created of the half human half robot ,played by Juliette Binoche,I thought was Isabella Rossalini.The action in just come out of the screen,there were surprises that just scared me when it happened that I screamed.After so many shootings and explosion,she finally catches up with the murder only to discover that he was screwed up half human half robot failure and he was getting back at the corporation for deforming him .She confronts Binoche about this and discovers that they had murdered about 98 people ,I think,to finally be a successful with Scarlet and that other scenario was just programmed in her brain.Cutter wants her destroyed now,but, Binoche helps her escape with the truth about her past.The scene where she united with her real mother ,who is Japanese,I don't know who the actress is, I think it could of been Kaori Momoi ,is heart warming .This is when Scarlett later discovers that she was a part of a activist group,led by the murderer,played by Michael Pitt,that felt that technology was taking over too much of society and they were all arrested by cutters police and murdered to create half human androids.Now Scarlett has to Battle Cutter who get his just deserts.Wonderful movie and with the Imax and 3D affects, great.04/1/17

cool looking world

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 19 September 2017]

In the near future, people seeks enhancements by cybernetics. Mira Killian (Scarlett Johansson) wakes up to be told by Dr. Ouelet (Juliette Binoche) that she had survived a terrorist attack. Her mind or ghost has been transferred into a robotic body shell. Hanka CEO Cutter convinces her to join a counter-terrorism team. A year later, she's Major in Section 9 working with Batou and Togusa. They are pursuing a villain called Kuze (Michael Carmen Pitt) who reveals a shocking truth about their existence.

This is a cool looking world. The visuals are awesome but the plot is weak in comparison. It starts with the great spider geisha and the HK inspired cityscape. Johnansson is doing her robot acting. While it may be fitting, it keeps her from fully engaging with charisma overwhelmed by the tech magic on the screen. The meandering story is a simplistic Bladerunner. The forgettable plot leaves me cold. It probably should have started with the memory of her barely surviving the terrorist attack. It would have opened the movie with a great action sequence and also concentrated on the concept of memories by zeroing in on that event. Some slow motion is cool, but too much slow motion drags the pacing down. There is no intensity in this movie. It is missing its soul or quite frankly the ghost.

Rating: C+

[msbreviews · 5/10 · 6 August 2017]

I didn't watch the original anime film. The truth is, even if this is a remake, it should stand on its own with no needed comparisons to the original, something I usually don't quite follow (I tend to watch the original film in order to understand better the remake, reboot, live-action adaptation, whatever). However, I do know about the huge influence that Ghost in the Shell (1995) had on great movies from the past and I also understand that it's one of the best anime movies ever made, based on most fans and critics' opinions.

With that in mind, this version of Ghost in the Shell it's definitely far from that. Its story goes from interesting and captivating to a boring, slow-paced film with surprisingly just "ok" action scenes. The concept of the whole film is really something amazing: Major searching for answers (does she have a soul? Is she human? Is she a cyborg? Are there more like her or is she really different?) and the visually stunning world (that's definitely where the budget went to) are key elements to the film ... In concept ... Execution-wise, well, not that much.

Scarlett Johansson does a great job and her character has a compelling backstory, as well as Kuze (Michael Pitt), who I think could have been more explored. Batou (Pilou Asbaek) is also a great side-character and an excellent partner for Major, I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes with them together (action-wise and not). The soundtrack is what astound me the most, it's really memorable and I have it on my Spotify playlist already. It's amazing.

The big problem with this film is its execution. Rupert Sanders isn't able to moderate the pacing with the character development scenes, therefore a dull, boring and uneventful second act comes to life. The action that the trailers show are really the best that the movie has since the rest is super choppy. I don't understand how an actress as Scarlett Johansson, who does most of her own stunts and choreography in the Marvel universe, isn't able to perform a sequence without dozens of cuts between (bad director?).

Furthermore, the "villain" feature of the movie isn't that great either. They try to put up a twist at the beginning of the third act and switch things a bit ... It didn't work. I can't really go in detail, but it's a failed try to boost up the film and end it with a thrilling finale.

All in all, Ghost in the Shell has an excellent concept that is badly executed. The story itself is interesting and deserves the beautifully captured CGI that gives birth to a whole new stunning world, as well as the amazing soundtrack. Scarlett Johansson is as compelling as her character (I honestly don't understand what's the "whitewash" problem that Hollywood keeps trying to fault movies for) and the supporting cast also does a great job. Execution-wise, the movie faults due to its slow-pace which brings the whole film down to an extremely boring second act. The action is disappointingly directed and the villain should have been a lot better.

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Japanese books brought to life on the big screen.

[TxMike · 20 August 2017]

Update November 2019: Now two years later I re-watched this movie, this time on BluRay, and enjoyed it, most of it seemed new, the visuals and sound track are great and the futuristic story is interesting. It is somewhat discouraging to see the many praising "10" reviews or equally the many "1" or "2" reviews saying this movie is trash. Neither extreme is accurate, the movie is well-made and entertaining for anyone with a mind open to being entertained.

Original 2017 comments: My wife and I watched this at home on DVD from our public library. I have been seeing trailers for this movie for a time now and have been anxious to see it, plus I have been a Scarlett Johansson fan since her 1998 role in "The Horse Whisperer."

In the way of background, back in the late 1980s and the 1990s a series of books were published in Japan, Ghost in the Shell, known in Japan as Mobile Armored Riot Police. The "ghost" refers to the soul that people have and "the shell" refers to taking a person's surviving brain, with soul, and transplanting it into a sophisticated robot "shell".

Set in the future, in an unnamed Japanese city, in this movie Scarlett Johansson is introduced to us as "Major" and she works for the fictional counter-cyber-terrorist organization Public Security Section 9. We later find out her full name is Major Motoko Kusanagi.

As the movie opens we see Major on what looks like an operating table, she is having difficulty processing who she is and where she is. She is told that of her family she is the lone survivor of a boat disaster and they were able to save her brain and "ghost" and she now has a new "shell" of a body. She simply assumes they are finding a way to save her.

However later she finds out she has been deceived, she is part of a broader experimental program to create agents like her. Yet she is a special agent to fight cyber crime. I enjoyed the movie for the Sci-Fi aspects of it but the movie isn't always easy to follow and is filled with guns and shootings, too much big guns and shooting, as it seems most movies like this have these days. The characterizations are well done as well as the visuals and sounds.