Ghost in the Shell
2017, DreamWorks et al
So much was made of Scarlett Johansson's casting as the lead in this live-action adaptation of a Japanese manga that one might have thought lives were at stake. Surprise: Japanese fans didn't care! So, let's just talk about the movie, shall we? While technically nearly flawless, it's hobbled by a thin script, lifeless performances and very uneven direction, at times having the structure of an anthology—which was possibly a consequence of being a bit too faithful to the source material. By the end of the film, I felt kind of short-changed; Johansson abruptly wrapped things up with some pithy narration, and we're sent packing. See it just for the visuals—they're nothing short of awesome.
DKS 12/17/17
GRUMPY OLD FART-O-METER® Rating:
