Ghost in the Shell (2017) Review

Ghost in the Shell is the 2017 live-action adaptation of the anime of the same name, directed by Rupert Sanders, written by Jamie Moss, William Wheeler, and Ehren Kruger, and starring Scarlett Johansson.

Introduction
Before I start this review, I would to clarify that I did not watch the original anime that this film is based on; therefore, I am not judging the original. I am only judging the movie. As for the "white-washing" controversy surrounding this movie, that is not going to be an influence over my judgments of the film. I'm only going to be judging how the movie performs without considering the casting choice for the protagonist. Now, let's get into the review.

The Plot
Ghost in the Shell is about a cybernetically-enhanced soldier named Major tracking down a cyber-terrorist who is illegally hacking into people's minds. Also, Major is having illusions and she is trying to reconnect with her past and her human self.

The Positives
What I love the most about this movie is its nuances. I love its themes and what it has to say about individuality, what makes us human, identity, the ambiguity between man and machine, corporate, and free-will. I like these themes and how they played out in the film.

I liked its environmental visual or its atmosphere. Even though, in my opinion, the CGI didn't look impressive to me, I liked its Japanese, cyberpunk setting. The city looked interesting. Some of the cinematography in scenes look very good.

Scarlett Johansson's performance as the Major was fine. I didn't find her annoying or off-putting. She was just fine.

The Negatives
I felt that the second act of the film terribly dragged. It did feel pretty boring once we're introduced to the "villain" (I put those in quotations for a reason), and not much interesting happens. Once the third act starts, then the plot kicks back in. However, once the plot kicks back in, I lost my interest of investment towards the characters.

I didn't like how the action was shot. I was very annoyed by its use of slow-motion.

The storytelling could have better. There were, I think, some missed opportunities they could have taken with the script.

Conclusion
So, is this movie as good or better than the original anime? Like I said before, I didn't watch the original anime. Therefore, I can't tell. That being said, this was a pretty okay film. I liked its nuances, themes, and its visual atmosphere, but the other aspects of the film were mediocre.

Score: C+