REEL DEAL: Ghost In The Shell REVIEW

The story of Ghost In The Shell has been loved by anime fans from the manga to the anime incarnations. It was also hard to view the film due to its violent and nudity content back then when I was a wee child. Now that I am all grown up now, this should never be an issue. But how well does the new Ghost In The Shell fair as Scarlett Johansson plays the role of Major in this film.

When the movie was first announced, many were excited and scared of the casting. When Johansson was tasked to play the role of Major, there was a divided reaction from fans and movie critics. The issue of whitewashing was in the table for discussion since the original series was Japanese in terms of characters and location.

However, it is not a guarantee that when Asian actors come to play their roles will merit a good movie. So I did reserve all doubts until I saw the movie itself. It did proved to be not disappoint from my opinion as it was able to deliver the story with some tweaks and visual candies. Given the frequency of ScarJo in Hollywood movies, particularly in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, her image will definitely clash with her taking the role of Major. It did went beyond my expectations and was able to answer the issue of casting with a scene in the film. So if you're maybe a old or new fan, it is the most visual rich action film of the year and worth watching indeed. 

Ghost In The Shell stars Scarlett Johansson, Michael Pitt, Pilou Asbæk, Chin Han, and Juliette Binoche. Now showing in cinemas distributed by United International Pictures and Columbia Pictures

Deliberation time kids! 

Show summary in 3 lines: Major Black Widow

Technical Effects: 4 out of 5 stars (Great details in the visuals, since it is an adaptation they can improve on the source materials)

Plot: 3 out of 5 stars (You did not need to be old or new fans just to get the plot direction)

Acting and Actors: 4 out of 5 stars (Scarlett is great for the action scenes but may seem too bland for the dramatic parts)

Pros:  Visual Effects, Robotics, Source Material faitfulness

Cons: Plot, Vague location details/origins 

Music and Soundtracks:  4 out for 5 stars (Like the score but I was also looking for a soundtrack that defines the whole movie)

Overall: Rating 3.9 out of 5 stars (Great adaptation of the series plus amazing details with visuals and technology. Just in time for the age of internet where many can be part of its cyber punk world. )