seen in theater
March 30, 2017
Surprised at the critical negativity, but I agree it is not a perfect movie. My biggest problem was the bad quality of the 3D (might have been due to theater hardware issues). This film might be more directed to the fans rather than enticing new viewers. I am going to see it again this weekend in 2D. While I am familiar with the anime, I would not classify myself as a knowledgeable fan. However even the way Scarlett Johansson held her body and moved really reminded me of the Major in the anime. Pilou Asbaek as Batou and Takeshi Kitano as Aramaki also felt true to their anime counterparts. I felt that this movie dragged during the corporate scenes (not as bad as Netflix's Iron Fist though). I am a fan of the anime although it has been years since I viewed the films. Even with the opening crawl (not at Star Wars level), this movie probably flows better for those with a basic knowledge of the characters and their world. Not defending the ending, but all the amoral and arrogant scientists along with the CEO appear to be Caucasian, hence the appearance of "the shell", they did not care about the true identities of ghosts within. Perhaps like so many fantasy/science fiction movies Ghost In The Shell used too much time setting up the character and environment forgetting about plot. I was hoping for a better critical reaction to encourage more anime flowing into a wider audience.
