Ghost In The Shell : Review

Set in the near future, and with a history of anime film releases behind it, the live action Ghost in the Shell follow Major (Scarlett Johansson – Captain America: Civil War, The Jungle Book, Lucy), the first of her kind. Major is a human, saved from a terrible crash, and who has now been cyber-enhanced, to be a perfect soldier, devoted to stopping the world’s most dangerous criminals.

Ghost in the Shell is visually stunning, coupling stunts and action sequences with great cinematography. Add a talented cast, an engaging story, that is a bit easier for mainstream audiences to understand than predecessors of the same namesake.

Despite much controversy over the casting of Scarlett Johansson in a lead role of an inherently Japanese story, still does the character and story justice. The multi-award winning and nominated actress delivers a character with tough outer shell, yet with an underlying vulnerability as she seeks to find out who she really is, and who she was. The quieter, more tender moments of the film surface as Major seeks out her past and family, who believe her to be deceased.

Thoroughly entertaining, fun to watch, and an engrossing story, Ghost in the Shell is one for fans of anime, science fiction, and anyone looking to escape into a story with a difference.

it is unfortunate that there are so many issues in the cinemas these days, as previews were initially to be in Imax, doing justice to the incredible visuals of the film. However, this was not to be, and being relegated to a cinema where the 3D is too dark is not something that one would want. So the recommendation to cinema audiences, is to seek a large, bright screen to fully enjoy this action packed adventure, and to not accept a poor quality viewing in a location that is either technically not up to standard, and vote with their feet and only frequent those facilities that offer a decent quality experience.

Ghost in the Shell opens Friday 31 March 2017 in South African cinemas.

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb