It is the future. In an unnamed far East city, a young woman's brain is transplanted into an artificial body by Hanka, a company specialising in cybernetic enhancements. A year later, now dubbed Major, she is an operative for Section 9, a semi-official law enforcement body combating cyber-crime. But fragmented memories of her earlier life lead her to try to find out who she was and what happened to her.
This American adaptation of Masamune Shirow's manga is an interesting mixture of success and failure. It looks absolutely spectacular. It captures the manga-style look of a stylised Japanese-flavoured future incredibly well. The DVD/Blu-ray will reward re-watching in slow motion for the many tiny details, like the word "Police" on high-viz jackets cycling between red and blue. The film is packed with visual invention.
The action sequences are also excellent. They blend fluent martial arts with smart camerawork, greenscreen, and physical sets, and do so seamlessly. I have one criticism: much as I like Scarlet Johansson's *rse, rear views of her running don't do her any favours.
We know the story, unfortunately - it's the same story as Robocop. The origin is dealt with in an efficient prologue, and doesn't interfere with narrative flow. But although the trimmings are fresh, the story holds no real surprises.
The performances are all fine, although I don't think the film will feature in next year's acting Oscars. Juliet Binoche plays an important, but underwritten, character and is completely wasted.
But is ScarJo right? I don't think so. She has done enthusiastic PR for the film, but that's not enough. She's there to generate box office results, of course. It's seen as a role like Black Widow, and she will surely put bums on seats internationally. But I don't think this should have been colour blind casting. Although an artificial body can be any race, I think the film would have looked right with an Asian actress.
Through much of the film, Miss Johansson wears a skintight bodysuit. Perhaps this is a CGI motion-capture suit. In either case, it makes her look strangely completely naked and not naked at all. At the same time.
The part of the story which is intended to make you care is Major's search for her past. But, if I'm honest, the film didn't make me care very much. For a story which is about a soul - the Ghost - in an artificial body - the Shell - the film ironically has very little soul of its own.
If you are a geek - let's face it, if you are reading this then you probably are - then of course you should see it. If nothing else, you will geek out over the visuals. If you like something a bit deeper - well, maybe you'll get more out of it than I did. And a review is only one person's opinion, so go and make up your own mind!
This American adaptation of Masamune Shirow's manga is an interesting mixture of success and failure. It looks absolutely spectacular. It captures the manga-style look of a stylised Japanese-flavoured future incredibly well. The DVD/Blu-ray will reward re-watching in slow motion for the many tiny details, like the word "Police" on high-viz jackets cycling between red and blue. The film is packed with visual invention.
The action sequences are also excellent. They blend fluent martial arts with smart camerawork, greenscreen, and physical sets, and do so seamlessly. I have one criticism: much as I like Scarlet Johansson's *rse, rear views of her running don't do her any favours.
We know the story, unfortunately - it's the same story as Robocop. The origin is dealt with in an efficient prologue, and doesn't interfere with narrative flow. But although the trimmings are fresh, the story holds no real surprises.
The performances are all fine, although I don't think the film will feature in next year's acting Oscars. Juliet Binoche plays an important, but underwritten, character and is completely wasted.
But is ScarJo right? I don't think so. She has done enthusiastic PR for the film, but that's not enough. She's there to generate box office results, of course. It's seen as a role like Black Widow, and she will surely put bums on seats internationally. But I don't think this should have been colour blind casting. Although an artificial body can be any race, I think the film would have looked right with an Asian actress.
Through much of the film, Miss Johansson wears a skintight bodysuit. Perhaps this is a CGI motion-capture suit. In either case, it makes her look strangely completely naked and not naked at all. At the same time.
The part of the story which is intended to make you care is Major's search for her past. But, if I'm honest, the film didn't make me care very much. For a story which is about a soul - the Ghost - in an artificial body - the Shell - the film ironically has very little soul of its own.
If you are a geek - let's face it, if you are reading this then you probably are - then of course you should see it. If nothing else, you will geek out over the visuals. If you like something a bit deeper - well, maybe you'll get more out of it than I did. And a review is only one person's opinion, so go and make up your own mind!