I was really looking forward to seeing Ghost In The Shell. Having never seen the original anime version (I know, I know), I felt I’d have the benefit of being able to enjoy this new version without judgment and comparison. All the backlash it had received since it’s announcement and subsequent casting decisions could just wash over me.
The movie opens well, introducing us to some impressive futuristic visuals, accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack, as we are shown the creation and ‘birth’ of Scarlett Johanssons character. But from there it quickly fizzles into something pretty bland. Whereas the original anime helped spawn a whole host of amazing futuristic blockbusters, this version comes across as just being late to the party, a complete rehash of everything we’ve seen before. And nowhere near as good as any of it. All style and no substance.
I’ve only ever walked out of one movie, and only come close to walking out of one other. Ghost in the Shell came very close to me walking. I found myself constantly rolling my eyes in disbelief at the awful acting, the clunky dialogue and the action clichés. This was such a huge disappointment and I just couldn’t wait for it to end.
Web developer by day, with a movie and TV watchlist that continues to grow as much as my spare time reduces! My favourite movie is Inception and, despite what everyone says, I do not have a man-crush on Tom Cruise.