Quick Reviews: Ghost in the Shell (2017)

Swing and a miss!  Why anyone thought that re-doing a Classic and adding so many problems was a good idea is anyone's guess at this point...

In some future, we make Robots with Human Brains...because Science.  This leads to the creation of Major (name omitted for most of the Film).

In case they had any Studio concerns about the Casting, they almost mock it by literally having her character be white-washed right at the beginning of the Film.

A short time later, she is now working for the government as part of their desire to replicate visuals from the 1995 Anime, but with a different context.  Oh and stopping bad guys too.

Robo-geishas!  Instead of being like the Japanese Film of the same name, they actually get controlled by *Not* The Puppet Master to kill Scientists.

Did the Full Moon Series really sully the name that bad since 1995?

This Deus Ex Character has a connection to *The Major* and is behind all the bad stuff.  Is he justified when the truth comes out?

No.  He's Michael Pitt, so...always evil.

Can she get to the truth?  Can she handle the truth?  Did you just do a Jack Nicholson impersonation when you read that?  I know that I did.

More importantly, can Takeshi Kitano get paid enough to speak English?

To find out the answer to those questions, watch the Film (if you insist).

Not that good.  Can I get past the whitewashing of the Story?  Can I get past how European the whole thing feels (with Johanson, Pitt, Pilou Asbaek and a British Director in Rupert Sanders)?  To note, they do have 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano in it, which does help matters.  On the flip-side, they highlighted the Casting of Rila Fukushima...and then had her not actually appear in the Film.  Yes, they pattern the Geishas on her face, but...no.  They also cast a Chinese Actor as 'Togusa' and based the City on Hong Kong, so...I'm just all sorts of confused.  Getting past the whole aesthetic issues of Casting and Setting, the Film is just...kind of dull.  It's Action Scenes aren't shot that well and the best parts are just loose recreations of the 1995 Anime.  Why don't I just watch that again?  They only thing they add to the Story is unnecessary back-story and amalgamations of Characters from different Stories in the Universe.  In other words, it is a Remake...with new elements, mixed-up elements and a desire to make you think of the Original too.  Confusing!  It's honestly not worth the attention.  Japan should just handle this one next time.  Lastly, let me clear this up- even though they are extemporaneous, the Original Suit did have nipples...

It looks neat (if busy), but feels pretty hollow.  For a Film who's message involves looking beyond the exterior, that is a highly-ironic flaw!