Forum - View topicREVIEW: Ghost in the Shell (2017)
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walw6pK4Alo
 Posts: 9322 |
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Was not impressed by it, which is actually how I felt about the 1995 movie after two decades of people praising Oshii's 5th or 6th best film. I didn't get a sense of any scene flow, it just felt as if the script took elements from the film and had their little twist. Probably gonna need to stew on it for a while.
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Boomer
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An excellent point. I wouldn't even mind so much if something like, say, Cowboy Bebop were adapted as a live-action show. It would definitely be more adaptable for North American viewers. It was even written as an homage to American noir films, with a jazz theme song and everything. |
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Kon'Doriano
 Posts: 552 |
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First of all, those first three paragraphs aren't needed. Knowing your personal experience is cool and all but does it really add to the review? Not to me it doesn't. Bringing up the whitewashing does no favors either like, how does it contribute to the review? I'd really like to know.
Second, regarding the film, I agree that the visual presentation is very nice and the script is pretty bad. I love the production values, it is amazing eyecandy when viewed in IMAX. I think the director deserves a lot of credit for how he shared his vision. From Weta Workshop's props to the CGI, it's evident that Rupert and his visionary staff put in a significant amount of effort into the production. As for the script....oh dear. Who is the numbskull responsible for hiring two noobs and that talentless dunce Ehren Kruger to help write the script?! Especially Ehren, the one who wrote Scream 3&4 and most of the Transformers movies. The moment I saw his name in the trailer I knew the film would be fundamentally bad. The writing is so poor that, as Brian said, hindered the cast from giving great performances which is a shame because the cast is full of talented people. The story is more of a shallow polymerization of The Matrix, Blade Runner, and most notably Robocop than it is a plot worthy of the Ghost in the Shell name. The story is the very backbone of the film and the lousy scriptwriters messed it up. The film is pretty bad but I found it to be easy to digest and ended up enjoying it anyway. Worth my $20? Sure. Worth buying on Blu-ray? Only when its cheap. |
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CCTakato
Posts: 514 |
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ninjamitsuki
 Posts: 590 Location: Anywhere (Thanks, technology) |
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Yeah, the series, especially Stand Alone Complex, actually had a very neutral view of technology. Not "Hurr durr technology is evil fire is scary Thomas Edison was a witch" like what I'm hearing this movie is like.
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SaitoHajime101
 Posts: 281 |
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That's actually an oversimplified comment that people are passing around describing a very specific area of the movie. Without going into any detail, it's a bit more deeper on the political scale than that when comparing it to former and current events (mostly former, 90s former). Just like with most GitS stories, there's an overarching issue disguising an underlying problem. Both end up getting addressed to neatly wrap this movie up on an overall story level, but what I feel most people's problem lies with the Major herself as a character. The philosophical conversations that spin from the GitS franchise usually begin or end with the Major as she continues to question who she is and her entire existence. The Major in this film doesn't have that issue by the third act as it's mostly revealed and resolved. By doing this, the screenwriters have taken away any major (no pun intended) draw for the franchise: the mystery of the Major. It's quite unfortunate. The movie is good and a better Hollywood iteration of a manga/anime than what we've received in the past, but screenwriters and directors keep underestimating the comprehension skills of their audience. Simplifying stories to be better understandable is the wrong way of doing things. That is limiting creativity and conversation for the sake of making more money (pretty standard flair, no surprise). Honestly, I think what's happening is many are allowing their initial reactions run their opinion and not really giving any time to digest what occurred. |
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TarsTarkas
 Posts: 5825 Location: Virginia, United States |
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Since when do we allow critics to be the arbiters of what is a success or not. The box office will do that. If the movie makes a net profit, it is a success.
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Actar
 Posts: 1074 Location: Singapore |
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Wow! Someone else picked up on it! (^o^) I thought it was actually very smart in handling the references to the anime. The fact that they used the theme of Ghost in the Shell (false memories, identities) to explain the rewriting of certain elements was as brilliant as it was meta. It starts off quite different, but as Motoko uncovers more of her past, the movie gets closer and closer to the anime. There were a number of things I didn't like, and had mixed opinions on... but all in all, I thought it was a decent enough adaptation |
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TranceLimit174
 Posts: 958 |
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Ghost in the Shell has committed the same sin that Power Rangers did last weekend, which I expected. They may be well-made Hollywood films, but they are atrocious representations of the property names they bear. Thanks Hollywood.
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BadNewsBlues
Posts: 5920 |
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Yeah they already adapted DragonBall as we all know and Fist Of The Northstar. Funnily enough this comment flies in the face of "Hollywood Never Takes Any Risks" argument I've seen thrown around for like the last decade.
While I'm inclined to agree with this a movie making a profit in spite of getting savaged by critic reviews doesn't excuse legitimate issues like a sub-par script, janky direction, or meh performances. Batman v Superman suffered from at least 2 of those 3 problems.
Ummmm just because you have anime/manga fans making that argument (who are a notoriously hard to please bunch) doesn't prove that perceived point.
Probably because Oshii's adaptations have displaced the original manga so Shirow's assessments would matter little to many. Heck if Shirow did give the film a thumbs up on the casting or anything else, the people who've been savaging the movie over it's casting or being made altogether would still savage it over those reasons.
...I don't really recall that being an argument especially as there's been nothing to substantiate it, I mean Screen Gems doesn't keep whoring out the Resident Evil films because of Milla Jovovich's name after all. Last edited by BadNewsBlues on Sat Apr 01, 2017 3:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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AiddonValentine
Posts: 2204 |
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Well, Masamune is a famous hermit so it's hard to get ahold of him. Heck, for awhile people thought he was dead he's such a recluse. Aside from that he either A) just doesn't care (which is not a good thing) or B) he's silent because he can't say anything nice about it (which is even worse). Aside from that, it's taboo to criticize an adaptation due to professional courtesy. Rocking the boat is never looked upon well so he's staying quiet for the indefinite future. |
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DangerMouse
Posts: 3983 |
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Yeah, I agree. Nice. Looking forward to seeing it next week.
This, and especially the bolded since it seems like they did a rather good job even if there are flaws. Well said.
Thanks, this is what I am hoping for when I go see it too. 
Oh yeah it seems weird that they'd downplay her top-level hacking ability since it goes so well with such a technological setting. Anyway, good to hear that there are even more bones thrown to us long time fans even beyond the highly anticipated adaptations of the some of the big iconic scenes (the water fight, etc) like what you said about the credit music. Like you said in your later post, I'm a huge fan of the anime installments of the franchise so this is cool to hear, as I was always planning to go in fully expecting some Hollywood simplifying to go with the fully realized visuals that Weta and the art/filming staff and director seem to have pulled off. Sorry for the lengthy quoting, but it was kind of needed. |
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Chester McCool
 Posts: 322 |
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Hearing people tear the movie apart makes me kind of glad. I'm personally hoping the box office numbers follow that trend. I really want this to be the bust that keeps Hollywood out of our hobby and industry.
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jr240483
 Posts: 4378 Location: New York City,New York,USA |
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actually there are a lot of examples that does prove that perceived point. Can you give out at least ONE hollywood movie that was adapted from an anime series ACTUALLY did well in the US? i guess not cause there are none. its more or less the reason why the planned live action movie for cowboy bepop got scraped since the finally wised up and realized that this would be a massive bomb happening and it might have been an even worse bomb than the live action version of dragon ball or samuel l jackson's version of kite. dont be surprised at all if the supposed plans to make a live action version for akira also gets scrapped too. like it or not , anime and hollywood do not mix at all and its been proven time and time again when they try. |
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar  Posts: 16935 |
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I think I may be the only person so far that gets that and what you're making a reference too. That would be a very funny coincidence if it's just the same name. More intriguing if it's actually him. If just a coincidence that is just a tad serendipitous. |
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