It’s
pretty hard to surprise anyone in today’s world of cinema and movie-making but
today DreamWorks’ revealed that they have cast Scarlett Johansson for the live
action Ghost In The Shell. For anyone who is not aware, Ghost In The Shell is based off a manga
series where in the future mostly everyone has a cyber-brain which allows them
to dive into the net. Section-9 is a
team of highly trained specialists who are charged with protecting Intelligence
assets in Japan. They wage cyber-warfare
against terrorists who hack as fast as one can think. The manga was so popular that it spawned two
anime movies and three anime series (Stand
Alone Complex). They are led by the
infallible Major Motoko Kusanagi who is the gruff field commander who has spent
the majority of her life living in a cybernetic body that allows her to do
things that most people can’t.
Now
if you think it’s just another action shoot ‘em up series you’re dead
wrong. Ghost In The Shell is one of the most intelligent franchises that has
ever existed. The writing is so smart
that multiple viewings are required in order to understand the entirety of the
movies and episodes. Aside from the
intelligence it’s brilliantly imagined with concepts such as light-reflective
camouflage that can turn one invisible.
Think Tanks called Tachikomas that start off as semi-sentient tanks that
follow orders but somehow end up developing their own artificial
intelligence. The main theme that has
made GITS so popular is the concept
of the Ghost. It’s perceived as a
cybernetic soul or essence that one has that defines you as an individual. Is it possible to exist as an individual if
one doesn’t have a body? If one doesn’t possess a Ghost? I recommend that you find a copy of the original movie which has just released the 20th anniversary DVD pop some popcorn and watch GITS. You have to sit and be prepared to follow
every second because if you don’t you’ll find yourself lost inside the myriad
madness that has made the series so popular.
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