Ghost in the Shell (Review)

The first time I read about Ghost in the Shell was probably in a videogames magazine around 2004. It was an article about the 1995 animated movie. I read it with curiosity and made a mental note to watch in the future. That never happened. With time the thought was erased from my memory. A few years ago it was announced that they were planning on making a live-action adaptation. Once again, I got interested in reading or watching the series, but among so many other movies, I didn’t find the time to do it. That’s why when I went to see Rupert Sanders’ Ghost in the Shell I had no expectations, I wasn’t a fan of the source material, I just hoped to see a good movie. And that’s what I experienced.

What I liked the most about Ghost in the Shell was that it deals with several things that have occupied my thoughts in the past. Philosophical problems like the soul (ghost), the nature of consciousness, what it means to be human, the impact of technology on society, artificial intelligence, privacy, liberty, memory, post-humanism, and so on. The source material probably approaches these topics in more depth, but I was thankful that this movie gave me the opportunity to ponder about them.

The movie is visually impressive. More than a couple of shots made me smile and marvel. It is a spectacular universe to witness.