MotionBlue
Member
The film is mostly an exploration of the main character. If you want to see the expanded relationships of the other characters, watch what I mentioned.
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Ghost in the Shell (2017) Review Thread
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The film is mostly an exploration of the main character. If you want to see the expanded relationships of the other characters, watch what I mentioned.
katsubento
Member
That's kind of extreme.
UnemployedVillain
Member
This film is the live action equivalent to the Arise series. Yeah it's very much GITS, and presents the world accurately (unlike say Dragonball Evolution or the Street Fighter movies), but it does a mediocre job at presenting a compelling story for the world. It mimics elements of other adaptations poorly and what it does bring, in terms of originality, isn't compelling at all.
I'd rank this above Arise, only because its the first live action adaptation and that in itself is a big difference
I'd rank this above Arise, only because its the first live action adaptation and that in itself is a big difference
The Fatal Englishman
Member
No. It's a bizarre amalgamation of elements from the original movies and the TV series but completely abstracted from any characterisation or plot.
It's dreadful.
Violence Jack
Member
So far, all I've been hearing is that it's visually stunning, but lacking any kind of story or soul.
I'm 50/50 on whether I want to see this now. It's starting to scream rental to me.
I'm 50/50 on whether I want to see this now. It's starting to scream rental to me.
Monocle
Member
It has a passable story and some traces of soul. Not a bad matinee.
Well unless you have an 80 inch 3D TV at home, you will miss the chance of a real visual experience at it is quite something I have to tell you.
Watched it. I'm not exactly concerned about the whole white-washing issue, it seems to be a naval gazing exercise on the part of US moviegoers. Here in HK, viewers expected a white lead from a Hollywood movie and weren't disappointed. I think the SAR logo with Korean letters elicited more murmurs from the audience.
Han Chin did a good job hiding his accent and the reworked HK skyline was hilarious. I recognised most of the places and thought
I'd recommend it, sure.
Han Chin did a good job hiding his accent and the reworked HK skyline was hilarious. I recognised most of the places and thought
the circular footbridge in Causeway Bay was a genius setting for the climatic scene. Unfortunately, the part where Kuze drags himself over to the Major then somehow manages to flip himself over completely ruined it for me.
I'd recommend it, sure.
But the manga only came out as promotion for the film.
Kite
Member
Talking about Hollywood, it we're talking Japanese live action movies based on anime then there are dozens.
I expected better from Clint Mansell and Lorne Balfe, the soundtrack to this film is devoid of any character or emotion. The same could be said for the film as well, with the plot and setting streamlined and stripped down to the bare bones; creating such a sterile CGI environment that lacks any atmosphere. I remember there was one shot filmed out in the harbor as appose to such a curated environment and the difference was night and day.
For someone who has no acting talent, Scarlett Johansson was fairly enjoyable in this movie. Perhaps that is because the Major's character is stiff, expressing little emotion, but regardless she fit the part for that.
Its not Japanese. Apparently French/Chinese production but it was in English.
Well when you put it that way. Life is too short for a matinee recommendation when there are hundreds of great flicks I've never seen.
UnemployedVillain
Member
Anyone find it funny how they actually used some exact shots from the first movie's chase scene? Like they literally even had the shot of the plane flying over the building
Inferno313
Banned
This is the worst fucking hot take.
They did same thing Spider Tank too
UnemployedVillain
Member
I dunno, the spider tank I expected because it was such a pivotal scene (kind of like her building thermoptic drop scene is in every adaptation), but the plane flying over was so random. Although, considering I remembered it from the original movie despite having not seen it in years, maybe it stuck to the director as well
Gai Murakumo
Member
Kind of expected this. I will still go see it regardless.
Oh yeah, those scenes were not easy on the eyes especially with 3D glasses on. I definitely remember thinking some people might not react well to them.
WrenchNinja
Member
Star power doesn't mean shit
Gits for dummies would imply it explains its subject matter appropriately, not insert crude and hollow replicas.
UnemployedVillain
Member
I love how people still think star power is a guarantee when we literally JUST had Great Wall bomb, which they admitted cast Matt Damon for no reason other than star power.
People cling to these antiquated ideas and "reasonable" excuses, not realizing, or ignoring, the fact they were only used to justify not casting minorities and don't actually hold true under scrutiny or examination with data/numbers.
Star power is just an excuse for all this shit. Something they bring up so they don't have to take responsibility.
Eh, wouldn't say that.
Sure, they explain it in the film, but for a lot of people, it just made the whole situation even worse.
UnemployedVillain
Member
No joke, during the apartment scene a guy in our audience actually yelled "YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"
DigitalRicket
Member
Same here. Just to be able to see movies like Power Rangers and Ghost in the Shell being made with this much of a budget and with creators who seem to want to stick close to the original product is nice to see. Sure, there are some growing pains when it comes to adapting this sorta stuff from other cultures but nothing is worse than the guy they chose as Goku in the Dragonball movie. At least Scarlett is an actress that can carry a movie even if the material she's given is a little thin.
As with the Netflix Marvel shows, I'm hoping that people seeing the demand is there will give creators even more freedom to cast the people that they need to tell the stories properly. But as for this movie I'm excited that this movie was made and I can't wait to see it this weekend.
Zantetsuken
Member
Not surprised in the slightest about the score and reviews.
Star power is not a 100% guarantee for success, but it helps investors open their wallet.
Yup, mostly because investors also have 0 clue about what makes a movie good or not.
UnemployedVillain
Member
Then use the money towards getting acclaimed writers and directors! It's definitely cheaper and I feel like people go to movies more for specific directors than specific actors
Poor GRIMES
Banned
Why should this get brownie points just because it's an anime adaptation? Why should I give it points for starring yet another White girl as the lead? Star Wars is there and it does its job better, plus it has a wider audience than a nobody GiTS movie.
It's not even competent, it's consistently reviewed as rotten, it's complicit in contributing to the overall problem of whitewashing, and it's further proof that the starpower excuse is simply that--an excuse.
It's troubling to know that even here, where people are somewhat understanding, there's still shades of diet racism and general apathy towards legit concerns if a piece of media meets or surpasses expectations in 2017. Be better
There is something to be said for shitting on source material. Or at least failing to use it.
I just came here to post the exact same thought. Before I checked RT I was going to say at least it reviewed better than Lucy...
UnemployedVillain
Member
I think it's the fact you had TONS of good source material to source from, yet all they managed was to pull bits and pieces from each, except done less excitingly. Not to mention the original elements they brought in, story wise, were incredibly un-compelling.
It struck me as a director/writer who was a huge fan of the series (because the number of references, both large and obscure, is admirable), but who either didn't understand it well or didn't have the chops to contribute anything meaningful to the world.
It was the scene
where she's talking to Motoko's mother in her apartment, and it's becoming clear that she was the woman's previously presumed dead daughter.
Can you say what the reason was?
With a spoiler tag for those who don't wanna know.
I haven't seen the movie nor do I feel a need to after seeing the reviews so I can't say I know the context but
A: Motoko has a mother now?
B: Seriously? I think I prefer the "lone accident survivor becoming full cyborg at young" of the SAC series. So I guess it was "government stole her" shit?
I dunno man. If the new Death Note movie is competent and well directed but it's shit on because THEY DIDNT USE LOW OF SOLOPSISM... AND LIGHT IS WHITE, then that sucks, because we knew these things about it going into it.
It feels like GITS is being extra dogpiled on for not being the anime. And most criticisms are correct, making it more like the anime would have probably dramatically improved it, but without those, I'm seeing the positive reviews pointing out acting and cinematography that the negative reviews are neglecting to bother mentioning.
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
Death Note has an original premise that is rarely seen in movies. We've seen a lot of sci-fi movies like GitS. The anime wasn't all that original when it came out.
UnemployedVillain
Member
This was basically a better made Robocop reboot
Death Note looks like literal trash.
It will be worse even then Attack on Titan japan live action ones.
also if you think those problem then you should say samething about Death Note because they casted all asian actors to other races.Or even cast a not blonde for blonde role.
Which is a more disgrace then this(has plenty of Asians in it GitS)
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