DVD Movie Review | Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (Lights, Camera, Action!)

By Drew Hurley 07.05.2016 1

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Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (UK Rating: 15)

Ghost in the Shell is again in the spotlight thanks to the long-awaited Western live action adaptation finally beginning after many years in development hell. Last year was also the 25th anniversary of the original anime in Japan and in honour of the event a new animated movie was produced. An ending to the stories that were told throughout the Arise series, Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie is out 9th May from Manga Entertainment.

The original Ghost in the Shell story, by Shirow Masamune, was released in the Japanese weekly manga anthology Young Magazine in 1989 and every animated adaptation of Ghost in the Shell has been produced by venerable studio Production I.G. The first movie introduced the world to Major Makoto Kusanagi as she and her squad in Public Section 9 raced to track down a hacker known as the Puppet Master. It was a groundbreaking work that had huge impact on sci-fi and cyberpunk that resonated throughout the world and still does today. It's not hyperbole to say that without Ghost in the Shell there would be no Avatar, and there would be no Matrix. Its influence is massive and it became one of the most indelible and quintessential series of its time.

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Since the original movie, Section 9 has returned in numerous iterations. A weekly anime series called Stand Alone Complex in 2002 and 2003, then in 2004 a direct sequel to the original 1995 movie was released in Innocence. This had the honour of being the first ever Japanese animated movie to be an official selection at Cannes Film Festival. Then, most recently in 2013, the series was re-imagined in Arise, a series that acts as something of a prequel to the original movie but also as an alternative retelling. Focusing on a world without the Puppet Master and where Motoko is first assembling her team, it felt fresh and new and, unlike most reboots, was generally well received by the loyal fanbase. Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie is part of Arise, following on from the stories set up there and, in fact, resolving some of the long running Fire Starter Virus story.

For those completely new to the series, this still is watchable, although it is a lot more understandable after watching Arise. The world of Ghost in the Shell sees humanity able to stave off death through the use of cybernetics and a system of uploading and sharing their minds onto the 'net. People are able to exist as "Ghosts." It's a concept to the theory of a soul - someone's very being that can be downloaded into a fully cyborg body. This new world brings with it all new threats, with the dangers of bodies being hijacked or controlled and memories being stolen or even altered.


 
A year after World War IV, Makoto has just secured the funding and jurisdiction for her anti-terrorism unit, and just in time too, as a group of ex-special forces have instigated a tense hostage situation. Makoto and her team show their worth by resolving a situation with the seven of them that 200 officers could not. Unfortunately, the hostage negotiation was something of a smokescreen for the real crime. The Japanese Prime Minister is assassinated thanks to the Fire Starter Virus and Makoto's team is tasked with tracking down those responsible.

As with all of the Ghost in the Shell works, the story has complex story threads and themes, along with enough twists to keep the audience on its toes throughout, and the film has no compunction with firing through these without excessive exposition or explanation. Filled with philosophical, existential, and thought-provoking topics, there's no hand-holding for the audience here. It's a common theme in Japanese films and one that Western movies could do with taking on-board, relying on the intelligence of the audience and its ability to pay attention as the plot progresses. This method of storytelling gives so much more time for extra aspects of the story to be told and here it's used to look into Makoto's childhood and to look into the motivations of each member of her team.

The series went through a complete redesign with Arise, introducing the fans to a new and younger crew. This new style is continued here and, with the higher production values available, the presentation looks absolutely magnificent. The animation is highly polished and makes for some fantastically sleek and stylish sequences, which is most noticeable during the plentiful action scenes.

There are many throwbacks to earlier entries in the series. Fan favourite aspects like the Optical Camouflage and Logicomas make a welcome return, for instance. At times it can reach an almost self-pandering level, however. Makoto still has a penchant for losing limbs in combat and the iconic shot of her dropping off the side of a building and vanishing into her camouflage is reshot yet again.

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The extras on the disc consist of the choice of Japanese and English audio, along with the usual promotional videos and trailers showcasing the release in Japan and the Western world. On top of this, there are also three featurettes that are absolutely fantastic. The first, "Arise explained in 25 minutes," is a great refresher before this finale to the story. "Inside the world of Ghost in the Shell Part 2" looks more at the Western release in the series, with Western directors, producers, and voice actors giving their perspective on the franchise. Keeping the best until last, "25 years reviewed in 25 minutes," is an exploration of the entire history of the series, with in-depth interviews with each of the Directors of each of the versions. The opportunity to hear such renowned creators dissect their work, to explain their design choices, and their challenges is amazing and something that fans will highly enjoy.

8/10
Rated 8 out of 10

Great - Silver Award

Rated 8 out of 10
With superb production values, smart writing and a compelling story, this is definitely a worthy addition to this phenomenal franchise. Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie resolves and wraps up the story threads from Arise, builds upon the mythos, and sets things up for far more to come in the future. Here's to 25 more years!

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I wonder if I'll enjoy this? I loved everything GitS up till Arise which was a little flat. The movie looks promising though.

I own all the consoles, ask me anything

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