Ghost in the Shell

Reviewed By: Andrew Kaplan

Manga Entertainment DVD

Review based on single-disk movie

Rating 17+

What it’s (basically) all about: In the year 2029, cybernetic implants and parts are common.  Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg herself, and the agents of Special Security Section 9 work to hunt down the Puppetmaster—who can control people through their cybernetic implant—before he can disrupt important diplomatic negotiations.  But just as the cyborgs outwardly look like normal humans, things aren’t quite as straightforward as they initially appear.

Nitty Gritty: Within the first several minutes of the film, we see a person’s head explode from a gunshot in an extremely graphic, visceral manner.  The opening credits feature scenes of the assembly of a female cyborg, with extended shots of her naked body, complete in every detail.  This movie is filled with graphic violence and mature language, and completely earns its 17+ recommendation from the distributor.

However, all this mature content is hardly gratuitous.  The world of 2029 is a harsh, cold one, and the violence and language contribute to the building of that world.  We see a lot of blood, but in a film about people who are part—or almost completely—mechanical, it is important for the filmmakers to remind us the story isn’t about indestructible machines.  It isn’t necessarily an easy film for the faint of heart to watch, but in context, everything has a valid place in terms of storytelling.

Ultimately, the story itself makes this a film for adults, beyond the blood and swearing.  At the end, despite all the action leading up to it, things are resolved through conversation and philosophy, not guns and explosions.  It will take a more mature viewer to appreciate that.

Extras include a making-of featurette, the theatrical trailer, a “fan-club” trailer from Manga Entertainment, a Polygram Video sampler montage, and a text guide to Ghost in the Shell.

Trailers include Ninja Scroll, Guyver, Wings of Honneamise, Mad Ball 34, Devil Man, Giant Robo, Dangaioh, Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb, and Ghost in the Shell.

Survey says: This is a well-made, intelligent film that has earned a great deal of acclaim and is regarded as a classic of the genre.  Recommended for adult collections.

Personal Ad: While Ghost in the Shell deserves all the acclaim it has received, I can’t completely embrace it on a personal level.  It is beautifully animated, the story is complex and involving, and it gets a great deal of points for ending with a conversation instead of a battle.  But on reflection, I felt too distanced from the characters for it to leave a lasting impression.