I can't think of a film in recent memory that has been more criticised on concept alone than the live-action remake of Ghost in the Shell. The original anime film has gained a cult following since its release in 1995, and the very idea of a reboot sparked extreme outrage from fans. This outrage was mainly centred around the casting of Scarlett Johansson as the central character, Major Motoko Kusanagi. Johansson doesn't exactly look the part of someone named "Motoko Kusanagi," and the accusation of whitewashing was seemingly well-founded. As someone who has never seen the anime, that wasn't really a concern of mine. The director of the original film signed off on it, and it was a decision made more for financial gain than anything. As it turns out, Johansson's casting is far from the biggest problem with the film.
After Mira Killian (Scarlett Johansson), suffered life-threatening injuries in an accident that claimed her parents' lives, her brain was placed in a synthetic body by Hanka Robotics. This procedure made her the first being of her kind, and a year later, she works as an operative for Section 9. Now known as Major, she, along with Batou (Pilou Asbæk) and the rest of the Section 9 team, hunt down terrorists in their technologically-enhanced world. After multiple high-ranking members of Hanka Robotics start to be killed, Major discovers the cyber-terrorist Kuze (Michael Pitt), who seeks to destroy the corporation. Major is also being plagued by images and memories that she can't explain, and is haunted by her missing past.
The biggest problem with Ghost in the Shell is simply that it does nothing new. This is likely a result of the original story - centred around the question of the boundaries between humanity and technology - being very much a product of its time. In 2017, the question of "is technology going too far?" is one that has been tackled by a seemingly endless number of films since the original Ghost in the Shell came out. The idea of a human brain in a robot body - a novel concept at the time of the original's release - is so played out now that trying to present it as a story of importance or relevance is dead on arrival. Given that this film (apparently) adheres very closely to the story of the original, it doesn't even try to break new ground with its own story.
The film suffers from telling an outdated story, but the film itself fails independently of that. Absolutely nothing about this film is surprising, engaging, or even impressive. The visual style is distinct, but the design of the futuristic city is the same as you would see in any science-fiction film. Given how many times the film cuts to shots of the vibrant, intricate city, it's almost like the film is trying to distract you from the fact that nothing compelling is happening. It's the cinematic equivalent of jingling keys in front of your face. The attention to detail in the sets and costume designs are commendable, and the combination of practical and digital effects are seamless, but the human elements are the ones holding the film back.
I know that she's technically playing a robot, but Scarlett Johansson's blank, emotionless performance doesn't create any investment in her character. It's unfortunate that Johansson's casting caused so much controversy, because I can't help but feel that this film isn't worth it. The supporting cast are marginally more interesting, but the characters get next to no development. Aramaki (Takeshi Kitano) is the most engaging on-screen presence, but it almost feels like his role has been cut down. Batou is given a lot of focus, but the script just gives him some cheap attempts at emotional development. He feeds stray dogs, so care about him. Kuze has an interesting design, and Michael Pitt's voice suits him very well, but he's a largely ineffective villain. The diversity of the cast feels like an attempt to distract from the controversy, but it doesn't work when the film goes out of its way to make the controversy a central part of the story.
The fact that this film doesn't try to ignore the whitewashing criticism, but actively leans into it, is mind-boggling. This is getting into spoiler territory, so if (for some reason) you have an interest in seeing this movie, skip to the next paragraph. Essentially, the whole "Mira Killian" identity was a lie, which is obvious enough. But Major's real identity is...Motoko Kusanagi. The easiest, and most laughable way of describing this twist is that "Major was Japanese all along." It's ridiculous, and the final scene, in which Major meets her Japanese mother, made me physically cringe in the theatre. This may be a stretch, but the implication of the robotic body (which is white) being identified as "superior" makes things a bit uncomfortable. It's an unbelievably obtuse move, and almost feels like a middle finger to the outrage that was raised about Johansson's casting. In a better movie, I might have called the decision bold. In Ghost in the Shell, it just feels stupid and ignorant.
This movie feels like it was made for stupid people, or at least feels so condescending that it's annoying. There's no depth to the questions that the story raises, and nothing new is said with this material. It's difficult to articulate just how bland and predictable the story is, to the point where I could tell what characters were going to say next. Every human character seems stiff and awkward in this world, because the film seems more concerned with showing off cool imagery than anything else. When Ehren Krueger's name popped up in the opening credits with the screenwriters, I suddenly felt very nervous. I'm not sure how much of the blame can be put on Krueger, but when you hire the writer behind Scream 3 and Transformers 2 through 4, you can't expect too much.
Ghost in the Shell joins the ranks of Dragonball: Evolution as a prime example of why anime should just be left alone sometimes. I don't even like anime, and since I've never seen the original film, I'm not quite defending it. But adaptations from anime to American live-action don't work, and the end results are often so bad that I wonder why the trend continues. Video game movies are the same. This version of Ghost in the Shell is a waste of time, money, and effort. It's also a great example of why some things just shouldn't be remade, and some stories need to be left in the past, where they had impact. The anime retains its following because it was so revolutionary, but we're living in a different world now. Maybe I'll see the original film someday, but this film has actually put me off the idea of watching it. That's certainly not the mark of a good adaptation.
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