Ghost in the Shell(1995) is one of my favorite movies of all time, and I was incredibly disappointed by how soulless the live-action remake turned out to be. As someone who watchedDragonball Evolutionin theaters on opening weekend in 2009,Ghost in the Shell(2017) was far from being my first disappointment with alive-action anime adaptation. The difference is that, whereas a lot of anime series likeDragon Ballseemed impossible to adapt to a different media anyway,Ghost in the Shellcould have actually worked as a live-action feature film.
A relatively grounded futuristic movie that has inspired countless sci-fi movies over the years, the originalGhost in the Shellis one of themost important animated films of all time. Based on Masamune Shirow’sGhost in the Shellmanga, the Mamoru Oshii film was quite different from the source material and went for a more philosophical approach to the story.Ghost in the Shell(1995) was about identity and what it means for something to be real, which are elements that were sadly lost in translation when Hollywood remade the film into a live-action blockbuster movie.
Ghost in the Shell (2017) Lacks All The Things That Make The Original Film So Special
Ghost in the Shell’s Live-Action Remake Is Just An Okay Sci-Fi Movie
Ghost in the Shell(2017) starring Scarlett Johansson is not bad, especially compared to otherlive-action movies and TV shows based on anime. With cool visuals and some fun action sequences, theGhost in the Shellremake is at its worst a mediocre sci-fi movie that is not too different from other entries in the genre. However, as an adaptation of one of the most important sci-fi films in history,theGhost in the Shellremake needed to be more than just an okay film.
Ghost in the Shell
1995
95%
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
2004
65%
2015
2017
43%
While the reaction to Scarlett Johansson being cast as the remake’s version of Motoko Kusanagi instead of a Japanese actor dominated the conversation surrounding 2017’sGhost in the Shell, the movie had a lot of other problems. From the lack of Japanese characters to a story that couldn’t decide whether it wanted to be a remake of the 1995 film or something more,Rupert Sanders’Ghost in the Shellnever lives up to its potential.It wastes some interesting ideas that could’ve worked in a better version of what turned out to be a pointlessGhost in the Shellremake.
Ghost in the Shell Deserved A Much Better Hollywood Adaptation Than What We Got
Ghost in the Shell Has Been Influencing Sci-Fi Cinema For Decades
FromThe MatrixtoAvatar, it is hard to think of adystopian sci-fi moviereleased after 1995 that was not inspired byGhost in the Shellin some form. Although the original manga was great, Mamoru Oshii’s anime movie took the story to the next level and posed some fascinating questions about existence itself and the meaning of life. Between the gorgeous visuals and the score that sticks to you long after the movie is finished,Ghost in the Shell(1995) is a movie that you simply won’t forget after watching it for the first time.
This is whyGhost in the Shell, which has since received plenty of sequels and prequels between movies and shows, deserved a better live-action adaptation. Even thoughthe originalGhost in the Shellwas arguably a perfect movie, that world was rich enough to receive new stories, including but not limited to the fan-favorite anime seriesGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. In other words, a live-action adaptation ofGhost in the Shellcould have worked – even if it was not a remake of the 1995 film but rather something else entirely.
I Hope Ghost in the Shell Gets Another Live-Action Adaptation (But With A Difference)
We Don’t Need Another Ghost in the Shell Live-Action Movie
Despite how disappointed I was with the 2017 remake,I would not mindGhost in the Shellgetting another live-action adaptation.However, the best way to revisit that world in live-action would arguably be with a TV show. AnyGhost in the Shellmovie for the big screen is bound to be compared to the 1995 film and would most likely end up being yet another remake of the Mamoru Oshii classic. A TV show, on the other hand, would get to play within the sandbox and tell stories that haven’t been told yet.
Akira’s Perfect Live-Action Adaptation Already Happened And Had Little To Do With The Anime Movie
A live-action adaptation of Akira has been in development hell for years, but a perfect live-action Akira movie already happened over a decade ago.
NoteveryGhost in the Shellmovie and showtakes place in the same continuity as the original film. For example, the entireStand Alone Complexsaga exists in its own corner of the franchise. Therefore, a live-actionGhost in the Shellseries would not necessarily have to worry about continuity and what came before. With discussions about AI and the role of creativity in humanity’s future now more important than ever, a story likeGhost in the Shellcould easily be reinvented in a fun and fresh way if done right.
