| Major Cast | |
|---|---|
| Scarlett Johansson | as Major Mila Killian |
| Pilou Asbeak | as Batou |
| Takeshi Kitano | as Aramaki |
| Juliette Binoche | as Dr. Ouelet |
| Michael Pitt | as Kuze |
| Chin Han | as Toguza |
| Danusia Samal | as Ladriya |
| Lasurus Ratuere | as Ishikawa |
| Yutaka Izumihara | as Saito |
| Tawanda Manyimo | as Borma |
| Peter Ferdinando | as Cutter |
| Anamaria Marinca | as Dr. Dahlin |
| Daniel Henshal | as Skinny Man |
| Mana Hira Davis | as Bearded Man |
| Erroll Anderson | as Hanka Security Agent |
| MPAA Rating: | PG-13 |
| Production companies: | Paramount Pictures DreamWorks SKG Reliance Entertainment Shanghai Film Group Huahua Media Arad Productions Steven Paul Production Weying Galaxy Entertainment Amblin Partners Down by the Sea |
| Distributor (US): | Paramount Home Media Distribution (DVD, Blu-ray, all media) |
| Release Date (US): | 3/31/2017 |
| Running Time: | 107 minutes |
| Languages: | English, Japanese |
| Production Budget: | $110,000,000 (Est.) |
| Domestic Gross: | $40,533,014 (5/19/2017) |
| Worldwide Gross: | $130,246,659 (4/11/2017) |
In the opening sequence, we glimpse the assembly of Major Mila Kilian, the first of a kind: a human brain encased in a robotic shell. She is the product of Hanka Robotics for Unit 9, a division of the Japanese government security establishment.
Once Major is operational, about a year later, her first assignment is to monitor a meeting between Hanka executives and the leader of an African country which is a potential market for Hanka. But Major, with her links to the city net, senses trouble and goes in before she gets authorization. The meeting is raided by a Yakuza gang and a cyber geisha. Major defeats them, but not before the geisha kidnaps and "hacks" the Hanka exec.
Back at Unit 9 HQ, no progress is being made unlocking the memories in the remains of the geisha. Major undertakes a "deep dive" — again without authorization. During this she will be unable to use encryption, and her mind is "hacked." The damage is contained, but afterward she reports "glitches" increasing in frequency. Still, she gets a clue to the location of whoever is behind the raid.
The location turns out to be a trap. A bomb injures Major and robs Batou of his sight.
The hunt becomes a cat-and-mouse game. The mysterious entity, known as Kuze, moves with impunity through the city and orders more attacks on Hanka executives and scientists. At one point he captures Major and she learns that many things she has been told are lies. Her self-discovery begins.
This film gives us awesome sets and settings, beautifully photographed. The action scenes are intense but never over-the-top. The suspense is edge-of-your-seat level. The acting is competent (with special kudos to Kaori Yamamoto, who gives an affecting performance as — I think — the mother of the runaway who became Major.) The technical aspects cohere with the film's original premises. And all these elements are tied together with a well-constructed plot that's nearly bulletproof.
There are some discrepancies. For example, Major eventually discovers that Hanka has had 98 previous failures in the project that produced her (code name 2571.) The brains came from runaways captured in Tokyo's "lawless zone" (as hers did.) All were terminated but Kuse, who escaped and is now wreaking vengeance on Hanka scientists. It strains credulity that Japan "in the near future" could be host to a company so callous about human life — even one run by an American (Cutter.) At one point Major, in need of some "down time," rests on the bottom of Tokyo Bay. I understand that she doesn't need to breathe. But wouldn't the sea water corrode her artificial parts?1
A cinematic discrepancy is the way Major begins a mission: by tilting backward off the top of a high building in the city. (Perhaps this is meant to suggest something. If so, I don't get it.)
My Rating:
9 out of 10
Capsule review: Ghost in the Shell gives us fast-paced action and affecting acting in a future Tokyo were everyone has a cyber implant. These elements add up to a film worth watching.
| IMDB Rating: 6.3 | Raters: 196,650 |
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