Ghost in the Shell

Ghost in the Shell (2017), directed by Rupert Sanders, is based on the Japanese manga by Masamune Shirow. Scarlett Johansson plays Major Mira Killian, a woman whose brain is placed inside a fully synthetic body, making her the first of her kind and a weapon against cyber crime.

The Major works for Section 9, a government unit that hunts terrorists and hackers. Takeshi Kitano plays Aramaki, the head of Section 9 who speaks softly and carries real authority. Michael Pitt plays Kuze, a mysterious figure who attacks the corporation that built the Major and seems to know more about her past than she does. Pilou Asbaek plays Batou, the Major's partner and closest friend. The film runs one hour and 47 minutes. The story is set in a future city where most people have some form of digital enhancement built into their bodies.

Why You Should Watch

The film looks stunning. The city rises in layers of neon, holograms, and concrete. Every frame is built with care. Rupert Sanders creates a world that feels both beautiful and cold, which suits a story about what it means to live inside a machine. The action scenes move well, but the quieter moments carry more weight. The Major standing in the rain, staring at her own hands, wondering what is left of the person she was.

Scarlett Johansson plays the Major with a stillness that fits the role. She moves like someone learning to feel through a body that is not quite hers. Takeshi Kitano brings a calm gravity that grounds every scene he enters. The story asks whether identity lives in the mind, the body, or somewhere else entirely. It does not answer that question neatly, which is to its credit. The original manga asked the same thing in 1989 and the question has only grown sharper since.

Favourite Quote

"We cling to memories as if they define us. But what we do is what defines us."

The Major hears this as she searches for her past. The line sits at the heart of the film. It asks whether a person is made of their history or their choices. For someone whose memories may not be real, that question is not philosophy. It is survival.

Takeaway

You are more than the body you live in. The film teaches that identity cannot be owned by the people who built you. Memory is powerful but it can also be a cage. The technology that makes life easier can also make people easier to control. And the search for who you really are matters most when someone else has decided that for you.

Enjoyed this post?

Well, you could share the post with others, follow me with RSS Feeds and/or send me a comment via email.

Tags