In a future in which brains are connected directly to the Internet, the notorious hacker 'Puppet Master' manipulates memories and motives in the service of his shadowy aims. When Motoko Kusanagi, a military cyborg working for Public Security Section 9, is brought onto the case, the Puppet Master turns out to be strangely entangled with her life - and her doubts.
Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell draws inspiration from William Gibson and Ridley Scott to present a city where gleaming skyscrapers tower over flooded, advertisement-strewn streets. There's an evocative, measured atmosphere throughout, with largely ambient scenes flowing seamlessly into flourishes of explosive ultraviolence. If Oshii is occasionally heavy-handed with his dialogue, it only makes it all the more remarkable to see the deliberate way in which he builds mood.
I hope the internet connection to their brains is more reliable than the one to my computer!
ReplyDeleteI do so love this film.
ReplyDeleteHave you read the manga? The original series of books brings a lot to watching the film.
ReplyDelete@Max: I have seen Stand Alone Complex, which expands on the characters, but I've never quite been able to convince myself when it comes to Masamune Shirow.
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