[MOVIE] Ghost in the Shell (2017)

Although Hollywood might not admit it when they openly buy the license to reproduce tv show/anime etc. in the form of a movie, but let's be honest, Hollywood "borrowed" a shit ton of ideas, scenarios and inspirations. And to be completely honest this secretive borrowing to me is more successful, because so far I'm yet to see a good adaptation that they advertised with a high profile. And making Takeshi Kitano appear in your movie with a weird hairdo won't help.

Casting. To take an American actress Scarlett Johansson to play Motoko Kusanagi was the same choice as to take an Asian actor to play a character with a name Spike Spiegel. What are your priorities Hollywood? I'm still not over with you because of Cowboy Bebop (and never will). The only people who really did not care were Japanese and I can understand why. First of all it's an American adaptation, so who cares, funnily it's only Americans who care for cultural appropriation. Secondly, Motoko wears a cyborg body, it's like a sleeve in Altered Carbon, your cyborg body can look like any nationality. And also if you remember the end of Ghost in the Shell anime you know that Motoko got rid off the shackles and only her consciousness lived. My problem with casting is the actress herself, yes the Black Widow and all that jazz, so Scarlett was considered one of the biggest action actress by the time, though she doesn't look action to me, but body-wise I don't agree. Because Scarlett has a duckling walk, nothing made me laught so hard as her walk at the end of the movie, I ghosty hear 'quack, quack' in my head too, because she walks like a duck. Secondly, I could not believe her play, she played an actress and not a cyborg. The thing is I saw the concept art of Motoko's cyborg body, not to mention that the movie also is referencing to her body being full cyborg body, then let me ask you one simple question - can the cyborg breathe? No answer? The answer is - she doesn't need to, but not once you can see her GASPING, which may be her psychological reaction, but her body isn't a real body, it can't do things like a normal body woul do. I fucking saw your concept art, I fucking saw the beginning of your movie, had not seen lungs there. And this is why I was disappointed, not only her who completely left this part out, but the whole team did too. And imagine if most of the movie was done the opposite way, building a true image of a cyborg body. I remember in the anime there was a shot that impressed me a lot, season 1 or 2 can't remember, but it was a flashback of a team member (sniper), when she had water pouring down her face and she never blinked, because she's not a real human, her eyes won't react, she won't blink unlike him, that's what made you believe she's a full cyborg body. 

(gasping in the body that should not breathe, also what a lousy wig)

Reference to anime. This was basically annoying to me, because the storyline was a mixed version of all GitS animes that came out by that time. But basically the first GitS movie and also Stand Alone Complex (both season 1 and season 2 of that awesome anime okay~). Yet the storyline of the movie failed to be interesting. Even failed to be phylosophical in terms of exploring the theme of self, since it's the basis of the whole Ghost in the Shell, it's the ghost (spirit/memory) that exists in the shell (cyborg body). After all it's a full brain transplant. And no matter what others might think of the first movie, I love the concept of fucking with a person's memory/brain, which is completely dangerous in concept. I wonder why they didn't make it into its' own version of something with just visual reference, but they basically used both - visual and the story.

(the whole intro is basically ripped off from the first GitS movie)

(who done it better? x'D anyway anime isn't afraid of nipples)

Story. So, we start from the intro where it is implied that a young girl is taken for an operation, the intro rolls in and we have a gasping Scarlett post-op being told that they got her a synthetic body. The whole future with synthetic bodies erasing boundries narrative, you know that, of course not without military involvement. The first scene we see a doctor having discussions (which failed) and they were monitored, major, which is Scarlett goes first, because others won't arrive on time. Which again ripped off the famous GitS movie scene, 

(this is so blatant I can't, but it has no impact, Motoko in anime was always connected to the net, thus the glasses, here it doesn't work the same)

(major~~~ I'm simping okay, she's gorgeous and muscly and I love her)

though the content of the talks here and there are different. I don't mention the dumbesy thing I've seen where she shoots the geisha robot. Where again the geisha robot is reference to anime (2nd movie) and the way it asks for help is also the same, though here and there are two different purposes. How could they ruin it.. why am I surprised.

(it's also funny how face is opened, Scarlett shoots, the face closes but has shots on the outer casing of the face, though she couldn't scrape it cause the face was opened, such blatant mistake)

(yes, the thing about GitS Innocence was way scarier ahaha honestly it was really like a jumpscare, but also the sexbot was at the moment of self-destruction, that's why she acted like that, while the movie version opened her "face" for no apparent reason)

And also Scarlett's pose was funny. I don't mention this sudden scene where Batou comes in and says they're different, like why you suddenly say this.. Why is she a major then if she's so sensitive, like she walks away and disappears right after, which is so emo and so bad. Major I know would not walk away, Motoko in anime is the epitome of a strong woman not only in concept, but even influenced me from childhood (basically same strong impression as Sarah Connor or Ellen Ripley). Motoko in anime made you think of existentialism, Scarlett in the movie makes you think she's brooding and that she's a wood. But later you kinda realize that they overturned the whole thing and it seems like Major we knew is not the same, this Major is like a sent product, she's the strongest weapon to use (does not leave such impression though) in Section 9. But I wanna ask.. why she's a major? Motoko in anime became major since she deserved it through her military exploits, she came to Section 9 not to take some high place, but this is her team and she went through thick and thin with almost all members of Section 9, of course this can be explained either breifly or in detail like in anime, but yet here she feels like she only came around and is like a new member. And her connection with the doctor is on a deeper level. No wonder she beats the guy (again they use the scene from the anime) 

(it's funny how she storms away every fucking time)

(of course the reasons for this scene are different, in the movie Kuze/Hideo uses the guy as proxy for attack on doctor, in anime Puppet Master uses different people as proxy of a proxy for hacking, while these people don't have any original memories, it's actually more impactful than the movie)

who was cracked and used to attack the doctor. Now we're close to the Kuze guy and the discussed project 2571 (the dumbest thing is when one of the doctors looks through the project, they say she must have found something and later show she's one who took part in the project thus was killed... shouldn't she know beforehand if she's one of those who took part in it? I don't get the logic).

(honestly, where did he get the guns when he was over with his speech.. but, Scarlett plays like wood compared to Michael) 

Anyway, Scarlett fianlly finds out that she's not the first one and 2571 is a failed project that was before her. Which undermines authenticity of the previous conviction. I laugh how she looks like - you lied to me?! Bit if we think about it... if her own body was only a teen when her brain was taken out then it's understandable why she plays/reacts like a teen, but who would involve a teen into such serious things. Whatever, she confronts the doctor and finds out that even her own memories are false. But what impressed me - was the sudden diving scene in the middle of it all. As if - well, I found out that I have false memories, everything is a lie.. LET'S DIVE. Like wth. Diving of Motoko was her hobby, since her body was actually so heavy (cyborg yo), that she basically could have drowned under he rown weight, but she does it, like a normal human. Though anime also gave her a mask, though I think it was not needed after all her whole body is like that, but I guess they didn't want any water inside lol.

(I could not understand their emotions at all and this scene was dull)

(In anime the diving scene makes much more sense, since it has more meaningful dialogue, movie cut it to some nonsense, while Motoko simply and calmly talks about all the body parts that make them human and individual. This dialogue has more of an existential spirit than entire GitS movie. It is also interrupted by a voice that does not belong to either Motoko or Batou, which implies how someone can listen to your conversation. Which later leads to the scene with the escaped body that has a copy of a ghost inside of it without a brain of a human, yet it functions, which of course is not a simple hacking case, because this body belongs to Megatech, which is same company that also created Motoko's body and also parts that augmented people in Section 9 and this undermines the ability of those to protect their own body and mind from hacking. Anyway, to me it's way more interesting than the movie bs)

It's also interesting how we quickly switch to action and that is the arrest of Scarlett (yes I still refuse to call her Mira, the movie name) and bringing her to Hanka Robotics where she is to be desposed off, since she can't be controlled. In the end the doctor she's so close to became emotional, gave her the data with her past and allowed her to escape. Hanka instantly tore faces, even accusing her of killing the doctor and escaping, now she's wanted. Which will lead to questioning Section 9 too. It's funny how Hanka blatantly targets all of Section 9 members, but those prevail and even the section chief played by kitano goes to report to premier, which allows them to counter Hanka in return. It's funny that Hanka chielf used a tank to deal with both Scarlett and 2571 played by Pitt. This is again a reference to the original anime and here we find out the name of 2571 - Hideo, since he and Motoko, which is her original name, were aqcuainted. Again, a big storyline mistake, both of them are shown to be taken away at the same time, but he entered the project first and she came later, was she kept by them somewhere like a hostage? Anyway, the timeline definitely was played with.

The logic suffered in this movie so much, many details were handled so badly that I can't.

And the whole story should have been packed in a simple story like. Motoko and others, including Hideo were just teens from a poor district, but they had their own ideas about technologies. They were forcefully taken away, Hideo and Motoko became part of an experiment where a brain was fully intigrated in a cyborg body. Hideo was a failed project, now known as Kuze. While Motoko was a success, she joined Section 9, got a major title and took part in different operations. Hanka Robotics responsible for both experiments have several of their doctors killed, the lead points at project 2571, which is the failed experiment on Hideo. Mira aka major finds out she's been lied to, her memories are false. Hanka wants to dispose her, but doctor gets emotional and lets her escape. Hanka frames Mira as a perpetrator and aims at Section 9. Mostly their plan is to get position similar to Section 9. In the end Hanka chief is accused of going against country and is offed. Mira aka major survives the assasination, during which Hideo aka Kuze enters the big Net. Mira stays and works with Section 9 now.

Basically, this shit played a full suit to create her past and how she stayed in Section 9. Which is again taken from anime (in one of the seasons we follow the past storyline, but movie only plays with some ideas). The end. Was it disappointing? Absolutely. Some emotions were delievered so badly. The story itself isn't bad, but execution is weird. The weirdest interruptions to watch scenes that only are homage to the original work and nothing else and play absolutely no role in the movie itself. Like the diving scene, Togusa wasn't mentioned at all (btw actor who played Togusa also was taken to play Spike..nope))), the mentioning of the Batou's dog etc. Don't they know the story behind the dog? That entire Inncence was build on Batou and his dog story, because the creator lost his dog. many references don't work. Just don't do it.

In the end major again walks away, she walked away so many times in this movie that it's like a meme. She walks away with her duck walk into the sunset.

(best shot in entire movie, all that last motivational talk before the ending is so bs, now this is art)

I hated that they exploited the franchise and milked the references so much, but in the end failed to create a decent product and the ending had the stench of every American blockbuster with motivational speech, like we're the ones who will watch you type of bs. Scarlett is bad, she tries to play and not play, her wrinkly brows give me pet peeves, while her body can't be emotional, while I suppose she tried not to be too animated due to the origin, but failed. During some scenes I wished she wouldn't show her dazed expression, I wish they casted someone else, she really does not fit and not because of her face, but I don't like her as an actress, she fits her role in Avengers, she's not a big blockbuster star to me just because she became popular due to Avengers. The wig was atrocious. CGI sucked SO BAD. CGI was the worst part of it all. Last scene was dark, only to cover up how bad it was. The physicality didn't play well. At one scene major is shown to be heavy, at other times she flies like she's a fucking butterfly, weightless. While she's full-packed metal. The story could have worked if it wasn't overstuffed with references. Anyway, to me they failed. You tried hard, let's give you a medal for the effort.

(Let's go back to the scene at the hotel and movie Batou saying to major - you're nto like her and Scarlet storming away. You might ask - why the fuk is she storming away. Now, if you've watched the anime you know that Motoko mentions it how she looked at the escapee body and mentions how she, as someone with fully augmented body may ask herself if her life is real, or she's been dead long time ago and her whole life is just a made up story and she has no human parts in her body at all. Once again, the existential theme in anime is really strong, which the movie failed to even touch upon, basically because they build the movie around a different story, but also tried to refer to original anime)

It's ironic that the movie is called "Ghost in the Shell", but it doesn't even touches upon what is actually a "ghost". Nope, it's better to say it tries, eventually, very rarely and it's not the best attempt, so I wish they would not touch it at all. Because for a person who loves the GitS series this movie was a total flop, I wished they did their own thing without awkwardly integrating this and that. And again Scarlett is wewd and CGI was bad.