THE UNPOPULAR OPINION is an ongoing column featuring different takes on films that either the writer HATED, but that the majority of film fans LOVED, or that the writer LOVED, but that most others LOATHED. We're hoping this column will promote constructive and geek fueled discussion. Enjoy!
****SOME SPOILERS ENSUE****
Adapting any property comes with certain expectations. When a reader's favorite novel becomes a film, they may disagree with casting decisions as it flies in the face of wha tthey envisioned. It becomes even more of a challenge when adapting a comic book or animated series as a visual benchmark has already been established. But, cries of whitewashing or complaints of race or gender-flipping abound because of those established opinions that Peter Parker should be white or Jimmy Olsen should be male. The same issue arose with 2017's GHOST IN THE SHELL when cries of white-washing abounded due to Scarlett Johansson's casting as the lead. Since it was based on an anime, the main character had to be Japanese, right? Well, all of that animosity helped the film tank and be maligned by critics globally despite the fact that GHOST IN THE SHELL is not only a visually masterful blockbuster but a pretty damn enjoyable movie.
GHOST IN THE SHELL, based on the acclaimed anime and manga series of the same, would be hard to adapt for American audiences without certain caveats. Sure, the film could have been made with an all Japanese cast, but this take on the story does address the issue of why Scarlett Johansson is able to play Major thanks to a narrative device that strikes a bit deeper than you would expect. The titular ghost is the equivalent of a soul and the film questions whether your exterior appearance constitutes that soul or if it is something more ethereal (or possibly digital). This is a lofty theme, especially for a studio tentpole like GHOST IN THE SHELL was supposed to be, but it gets lost in everyone's furor over which actors should be allowed to play what role. If Scarlett Johansson had performed the role with make-up and CGI to make her look Asian, that would have been offensive. Instead, this is a film that audiences missed out on due to fake controversy.
GHOST IN THE SHELL is a more than adequate science fiction film that pales only when compared to the original. For audiences who have never seen the anime nor read the manga, they would have found a movie with some of the most stunning visuals in recent years with some breathtaking shots, some of which are echoes of the 1995 animated film. Director Rupert Sanders (SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN) manages to evoke homages to everything from BLADE RUNNER to THE MATRIX, which itself was influenced by the original GHOST IN THE SHELL, thereby completing the circle of relevance. Maybe it is the fact that so much of GHOST IN THE SHELL helped develop The Wachowskis sensibilities for their iconic cyberpunk trilogy that almost two decades later, this film seems derivative.
Some of the biggest problems critics had with GHOST IN THE SHELL was the blandness of the film, which is an element of the story in many ways. Scarlett Johansson's muted and monotone performance was a creative choice meant to show the controlled nature of Major. Her acting becomes more and more emotional as the film moves on, but her measured take on the character amplifies her awakening by the conclusion of the film. The supporting cast here are also very good, especially cult icon Beat Takeshi Kitano who is the sole actor who delivers their lines completely in Japanese. Michael Pitt is solid as Kuze while future Game of Thrones villain Pilou Asbaek as Major's partner Batou. The always great Juliette Binoche also shines as the scientist behind what happened to Major, Dr. Ouelet. Everyone here is solidly cast and played by a range of ethnicities which gives GHOST IN THE SHELL a global feel which is the direction one would expect the world to head in the future.
Anime and manga films are still a niche genre in North America despite dedicated fanbases who understand and appreciate the depth of character development in the Asian medium, especially the look at loss of self and the search for humanity inside a vastly electronic and stratified society. Japanese culture has long analyzed these topics and, as social media and technology rapidly evolve in North America, now is the perfect time for these to become part of Hollywood storytelling. Despite being released just two years ago, GHOST IN THE SHELL continues to become timelier with each successive year. In fact, revisiting the movie just recently as compared to when it initially hit theaters, I found it more resonant than before.
Creatively, GHOST IN THE SHELL is an achievement for the visual effects team who were given short-shrift when the film underperformed at the box office. The craftsmanship that went into realizing the anime and manga world of this story in live action cannot be ignored as the film looks stunning. The score is another winner for the great Clint Mansell (who collaborates here with Lorna Balfe) on a score that is both futuristic and influenced enough by Eastern motifs that it feels both global and decidedly Japanese. While I find the work of Rupert Sanders to be quite good, the biggest mistake with GHOST IN THE SHELL was not bringing in a Japanese filmmaker or someone better versed in the themes and styles of anime and manga to give the story it's due. While Robert Rodriguez did great work on ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL and Taika Waititi is surely going to do wonders with AKIRA, the place people should have been more concerned about white-washing should be behind the camera rather than in front of it.
GHOST IN THE SHELL is the type of movie that, despite scale, scope, and budget, works far better at home than it does in theaters. If it were made today, Netflix could easily have handled the $110 million budget and it would have been a massive success for the streaming service. But with theatrical costs going up every year and audiences becoming more discerning for what they want to see at the premium cinema price, GHOST IN THE SHELL was bound to underwhelm. Still, if you are looking for an epic and mouthwateringly gorgeous science fiction film to watch from the comfort of your own home, you could do a lot worse than GHOST IN THE SHELL. If anything, it also makes for a great double feature with anything ranging from THE MATRIX to the original anime movie.