There are a number of films making their way to the big
screen these days that are either remakes or sequels to other popular films.
Most become franchise films, movies that can turn into a series of films based
on consumers being familiar with the title and thus ensuring that there are
people ready to line up and buy tickets. Some view this as a good thing, others
hate it. It all depends on how familiar you are with the original and how much
it means to you.
Such will be the case when GHOST IN THE SHELL starring
Scarlett Johansson comes out soon. Some will be drawn to it seeing the visuals
on display in the trailer and some will come because they are fans of
Johansson. But a certain number of those patrons will be there because they are
fans of anime and the original telling of this story that was released in 1995.
If you are unfamiliar with it then now is the time to pick up the original as
Anchor Bay is releasing the original film with special packaging this week.
For those unfamiliar with the term anime it is a Japanese
animated motion picture that is geared towards adults more so than children,
often based on manga or Japanese comics, again aimed at adults. GHOST IN THE
SHELL was one of the most popular at one time and ranks highly among the fans
of the genre.
The story revolves around a counter-cyberterrorist group
known as Public Security Section 9 and its best agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi.
Major is not an ordinary agent though. She is a cyborg, mostly machine but part
human as well. The term ghost refers to this as it refers to what others would
call her soul, the human part of her that has been integrated into this body
she now uses, enhanced with biomechanics.
This first story revolves around Section 9 trying to track
down and capture someone known only at the Puppet Master. The Puppet Master
essentially hacks into various people who have been cybernetically enhanced and
then using them to commit various crimes, most often connected with stealing
information and secrets from the government. Once he finishes with them he
drops his connection leaving behind someone with no clue what is and isn’t real
in their minds any longer.
As Major and Section 9 track down the Puppet Master they
think they’ve caught their man, sort of. What they have is the remnants of a
cyborg that he has transferred his ghost into. But before they can discover
just what is really going on another section moves in to retrieve the cyborg.
Even then things change as the Puppet Master finds a way to avoid capture and
reach out the Major at the same time. Whether she will reach out to find what
is really going on or not isn’t revealed until the last portion of the film.
The movie is a visual feast for the eyes with so much to
look at that you’ll never want to take your eyes off the screen. Displays of
the world of the future mingle with non-stop action sequences that make you
wonder how the live-action film will be able to repeat what you see here
(though clips so far look like they may have it down). The closest I can come
to describing it is to suggest the film BLADE RUNNER and the cityscapes found
in that film.
While watching the film you find yourself so caught up in
the story that you’ll soon forget the fact that this is an animated feature. It
draws you into the story that well and holds you there, rooting for the good
guys, trying to figure out just who the real bad guys are and wondering when it
comes to robots down the line will they possess a soul or not? Since they are
created by man, can that be a possibility? This is one of the best science
fiction films in years because it isn’t just about the technology on hand but
what lies beneath as well.
As I said it is geared towards adults to expect nudity and
extreme violence to be found. Nothing lewd but it is there. For this reason I
wouldn’t recommend it for children. But for adults this is a movie worth
seeking out and for science fiction fans one worth adding to your collection.
Click here to order.
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