Visually, this Ghost in the Shell remake is as excellent as the trailers promised. The futuristic city design is marvelous, and the movie succeeds in bringing to life - and (arguably) in some cases even improving upon - the stunning visuals of the original anime and manga.
I don't usually have a problem enjoying a mediocre movie for its visuals alone, but this one left me completely cold. Rarely have I seen a movie this lifeless, bloodless, sexless, and soulless. There isn't a single human moment in it. No character for whom I felt anything. Despite the presence of Juliette Binoche, who is one of my favorite actors, and Scarlett Johansson, who has been great in similar roles, there is no good acting in it. It's barely even worth it to get into the race-bending controversy or the clumsy attempt to address it in the story.
The whole movie feels like a cold corporate product directed by robots. It's all shell, no ghost.
I don't usually have a problem enjoying a mediocre movie for its visuals alone, but this one left me completely cold. Rarely have I seen a movie this lifeless, bloodless, sexless, and soulless. There isn't a single human moment in it. No character for whom I felt anything. Despite the presence of Juliette Binoche, who is one of my favorite actors, and Scarlett Johansson, who has been great in similar roles, there is no good acting in it. It's barely even worth it to get into the race-bending controversy or the clumsy attempt to address it in the story.
The whole movie feels like a cold corporate product directed by robots. It's all shell, no ghost.