The trailers for “Ghost In The Shell” promised exciting action sequences, mesmerizing special effects and intriguing plot twists. Unfortunately, trailers cannot accurately depict other aspects of the movie, such as dialogue, performances and overall experience.
While the movie delivers as a film for trailers, there are other shortcomings not evident until you walk into the theater.
The story, as promised in the previews, is filled with interesting twists and turns. The story centers on a future where humans have become more like machines than men. The idea of physical improvement through manufacturing is epitomized in the main character, Major (Scarlett Johansson).
There are so many twists in the plot that the audience may find itself lost through the first portion of the film.
While this is frustrating, it is for a purpose. The decision to keep vital information from the viewer while keeping the same information from the protagonist builds both suspense and a sense of understanding of Major’s situation.
Major doesn’t receive this critical information for a while, making the first portion of the movie extremely disorienting. The audience has a difficult time interpreting the events it watches, meaning key details are almost certainly missed on the first viewing.
Unfortunately, some aspects of the movie may leave many viewers without the desire to see it again.
The acting is unimpressive, especially in the first half of the film. Like the decision to keep information from the audience, the cold, seemingly bad acting could be a decision to express a movement in the plot.
Major’s lines are short and emotionless at the opening of the film but grow in length and expression as time goes on. Once again, this is frustrating for the viewers, as they may not understand the character development until the end of the movie, leaving them to believe they have wasted their money through the first 40 minutes of the film.
However, the assumption that the dialogue is weak is not unfounded. While Johansson has the acting ability to make the transition from machine to man, there is no way she could have salvaged some of the lines given to her by the writers.
The dialogue is continually choppy, confusing and awkward, with little improvement as the movie progresses. Exchanges between characters can seem almost silly at times from the sheer discomfort they add to the scenes.
Where dialogue fails, the movie’s score succeeds.
After on-screen conversations that were as uninformative as they were uncomfortable, the music relieved tension and fit perfectly into the futuristic, urban aesthetic. Electronic, rhythm-driven lines moved the plot forward, as aerial shots portray time passing or action sequences provide major developments in the war against the antagonists.
The music also adds to the suspense throughout the film. Repeated lines, with small changes make the viewer anxious for what comes next, while dark chord changes foreshadow unsettling revelations. Often, the score offers more information about the environment and plot than the dialogue.
The soundtrack finds a way to represent the environmental aesthetic and the plot developments at the same time. The use of props and cinematography, unfortunately, fails to achieve those goals.
Scenes are mostly focused on the viewer imagining a dirty, crowded future without any natural scenery. While this is achieved throughout the movie, it proves to be distracting and boring.
Most scenes have identical colors and textures and are cluttered with props and extras. The scenes are almost always busy but hardly ever interesting. If beautiful, futuristic scenes are what you’re looking for in a movie, this one isn’t for you.
“Ghost In The Shell” falls flat in many areas, but the special effects allow for exciting action scenes, while the plot allows it to be more than a mindless action movie. The interesting concept of the story doesn’t fully translate to the theater and leaves viewers less excited after the movie than before they took their seats.
