Ghost in the Shell (1995) Manga Entertainment/Sci-Fi-Action RT: 83 minutes No MPAA rating (strong bloody violence, language, nudity) Director: Mamoru Oshii Screenplay: Kazunori Ito Music: Kenji Kawai Cinematography: Hisao Shirai Release date: March 29, 1996 (US) Cast (English language version): Mimi Woods, Richard George, Abe Lasser, Christopher Joyce, William Frederick, Michael Sorich, Ben Isaacson. Box Office: $2.3M (US)
Rating: *** ½
The title Ghost in the Shell requires a bit of explanation. In the futuristic world depicted in the classic 1995 sci-fi anime film, most people are cybernetic beings. Their bodies or “shells” are comprised of human and machine parts. The “ghost” is their soul or consciousness. Many people have “cyberbrains” that can easily interface with other networks. However, this also makes them vulnerable to “ghost-hacking”. This means their memories can be erased and replaced by false ones, making it easier for the ghost-hacker to control them and make them do whatever he wants. Naturally, it’s a criminal offense and the reason why the police are after The Puppet Master.
In Ghost in the Shell, laws are enforced by an outfit called Public Security Section 9. The field commander is Major Motoko Kusanagi (Woods), a cyborg with an augmented brain and full-body prosthesis. She leads an assault team that includes second-in-command Batou (George) and Togusa (Joyce), a former cop who’s almost entirely human save for a few brain enhancements. It’s their job to capture the Puppet Master, an elusive hacker who always seems to be a few steps ahead of his pursuers. As the investigation proceeds, Motoko and her team uncover a conspiracy involving a secret project known only as 2501. It also reaches higher than they dare to imagine.
The visual tableau in Ghost in the Shell evokes Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner with its looming skyscrapers rain-flecked streets and nighttime cityscapes. Like the 1982 film, it relies heavily on film noir visuals. Also, the dialogue is laden with heavy discussions about what it means to be human. At several points, the characters speak in abstract terms and concepts which give the movie its gravitas.
As a straight-up sci-fi-action flick, the storyline is somewhat muddled and murky, but not enough to render it completely incomprehensible. I had to watch it twice before I got it. It’s still pretty cool though. The opening scene of Motoko doing a backward dive from the top of a tall building and disrupting a meeting of bad guys in a corporate suite is awesome.
The animation, a combination of 3D computer images and traditional hand-drawn illustrations, is amazing. Ghost in the Shell is sheer visual poetry. It has a few neat action scenes and a heroine who spends a lot of time with her clothes off. I can see why it’s a favorite among anime fans. It’s exciting, moody and thought-provoking. It’s also beautiful. I may watch it a third time just for the hell of it. It’s not for everybody, least of all young children. With its strong violent content, scary images and weighty themes, it’s a far leap from Disney. For those who like intelligent sci-fi, it’s a total must-see!
