Ghost in the Shell: Hmmm …

15th August, 2017

You know, I HAVE to confess to having had the night off, tonight.

You’d possibly worked that out, hadn’t you?

After all, I’ve only been complaining about the way my work hours go up and down like a yoyo, for some time.

This week?   Sees me on very short hours: but next week, sees them going back up.

Leaving me with little money, later … 

But plenty of time, now.

Unoccupied time.

Time I can watch a TV show: although I’ve caught a few of them.

Or maybe go out.   Not enough cash, frankly.

Or … ?

Rent a film: something I’ve been meaning to do for a while.

I’ve a few films sitting on an extra hard drive on my MacPro, waiting to be watched.

But fancied something new.

It didn’t take long to find something I fancied see: mostly because of the whitewashing argument about the film.

Was it worth it, though … ?

Hmmm … 

~≈Ê≈~

Set in an unidentified near-future city, Ghost in the Shell introduces us to Hanka Robotics: a company that specialises in cybernetic implants for anyone and everyone.

Including something extreme: the living human brain of Mira Killian (Scarlett Johansson), implanted into a cybernetic body apparently indistinguishable from a norman human being.

Indistinguishable, until all of the various implants and improvements get her sold to Section 9: an ultra secretive crime fitting force.

It’s only when Section 9 starts chasing up anonymous hacker, Kuze … 

That Major Killian starts running into trouble …

~≈Ê≈~

Now … 

Was Ghost in the Shell worth the effort?

I’m not necessarily convinced that it was.

Firstly?

The film’s based on the manga of the same name: a manga that — like many Japanese comics — features a central Japanese character.

As does the film, itself.

So I can see where many of the film’s detractors are coming from.

It is, in this day and age, as insulting as casting David Tennant — as talented as he undoubtably is — as Othello.

Granted, there may not be that many internationally recognised Japanese actors or actresses … 

But at least one such — Takeshi Kitano — appeared in the film as Major’s boss, Chief Daisuke Aramaki.

Personally, with all due regard to Ms Johansson?

I felt her casting may well have been a mistake.

While we’re on the subject?

I don’t know how much English Kitano speaks: although I seem to recall he used the language in Johnny Mnemonic, and did so very well.

But his character exclusively uses Japanese in the film: which none of his underlings do, in their conversations with him.   I’ve seen interviews where Kitano said he wanted to celebrate one Japan’s SF franchise being turned into a movie, by exclusively using Japanese.

Either way?

That’s something I felt was a jarring note that could have been dealt with: some sort of throw-away lines about bad cybernetic enhancements, something like that.

Secondly?

The film’s some 107 minutes long: an hour and forty-seven, if you want to put it like that.

Frankly?

I though maybe cutting the length by about ten minutes could have helped, there: I certainly found my attention waning, at about the 70 minute mark.

Thirdly?

Thirdly, that dialogue …

I’m not complaining, about the dialogue in Ghost in the Shell too much: the original Underworld was a lot stiffer, I felt.

But it could WELL have been a touch snappier, maybe.

Those are downsides: maybe.   But the film could well have been a lot worse.

Granted the plot — a latter-day, cyberpunk take on Robocop — was a touch stiff …

But cast and crew certainly make an effort to try and make the thing work, Johansson is not as wooden as I found her in Lucy … 

And the the film has one of the best designed visual worlds I’ve seen since Bladerunner.

That doesn’t totally lift Ghost in the Shell from the mire.

But it’s a good looking mess.

Ghost in the Shell

★☆☆☆