6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In the near future, Major is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world's most dangerous criminals.
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Takeshi Kitano, Michael Pitt (II), Michael Wincott, Pilou AsbækAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 82% |
Adventure | 76% |
Fantasy | 54% |
Comic book | 52% |
Thriller | 14% |
Martial arts | 13% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
German: Dolby Digital 5.1
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Castilian Spanish
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Cantonese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Korean, Malay, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Romanian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
UV digital copy
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Most movie fans will recognize the name Ghost in the Shell as one of the all-time classic Anime films, as well as the larger franchise built around it (not to mention the original manga), rather than as an original property by way of its live-action adaptation. The story of combining flesh and technology in a dark Blade Runner-like future, the narrative serves as a warning sign as the potential for man and machine to meld becomes an ever more realistic proposition. The original was well ahead of its time and remains relevant today as a tight, exciting, and thought-provoking cautionary tale. The live action adaptation, in counter to the movie's very title, is little more than the shell; there's almost no soul despite the interesting, if not obviously recycled, contemplative themes. It's not entirely reliant on action and visual effects, and the themes do speak loudly and clearly, but one cannot shake the feeling that the film is little more than disposable entertainment that best leaves the thematic complexity to the original manga and classic animated film.
It's a shame to see 3D fading away because it's a viable format that's capable of producing some excellent images. Ghost in the Shell is one such release. While it's more depth-happy than it is prone to produce extra-screen content, the material suits the format very well. Things begin strong with the holographic displays floating in front of the doctors' masks and only improve from there. City vistas reveal enticing push far back into the screen as the scale becomes clear, the distance between buildings tangible, and the room between building façades and the huge holographic signs and markings that engulf them is easy to discern. Down on city streets, stretch is fantastic and the transfer finds all sorts of wonderful little environmental nooks and crannies for 3D viewers to explore. While depth is striking, the transfer does offer some sporadic, and welcome, elements that appear to extend out of screen's front. Debris is the big one. Whether small particles or shattering glass seen in slow-motion during the film's first major action scene, smaller details seem to push outward at a noticeable level. Overhead city shots, as opposed to side-view shots, reveal protruding graphics and building tops. There are a number of shots throughout the movie that appear made to take advantage of what the format can offer, and the movie makes for an enjoyable watch to simply soak it all in. Details are perhaps a little flatter here, but those complex city streets and environments still reveal no shortage of impressive texturing. Color remains fairly drained by design, and the image appears a hair darker overall. There are some jagged edges and shimmering lines throughout; straight architectural lines seen right at the beginning of chapter four are a good example. Despite a few little drawbacks, this is a fine 3D watch and, in this reviewer's opinion, the best of the three options. It compliments the movie -- the style, the world, and even the story and themes -- very well.
Ghost in the Shell's Dolby Atmos soundtrack is technically impressive. Only a few instances of lacking gunfire -- particularly near the beginning -- and a relative dearth of obvious overhead components really hold it down. Generally, action scenes, the track's bread-and-butter, hold strong. Gunfire does often present with impressive depth. Bullets whip and zip around the stage, impacting all over the theater and producing a quality sense of immersion into any gun battle. Heavier elements -- a monstrous machine chases down and shoots at the heroes in the third act to impressive depth, movement, and room-filling intensity -- are very strong, punctuated by an explosion near film's end that offers a hefty concussive blast and sends shrapnel and debris all over the listening area. Excursions "inside" the digital world send some powerful, engaging elements flying through the stage, in addition to various haunting effects that linger and spill from all speakers, the sides and above and everywhere in between. All of it enters the listening area with full-bodied presence and is very well imaged. A sequence around the 27-minute mark exemplifies the track's ability to produce pinpoint effects throughout the listening area. The overheads find additional engagement when alarms blare halfway through, and various dense city-level ambient effects or environmental details like seagulls or distant rolling thunder saturate the stage mildly, but convincingly. Dialogue is clear and precise with natural center placement and prioritization.
Ghost in the Shell's Blu-ray 3D release contains three extras on the 2D Blu-ray disc. No extras are included on the 3D disc. A UV/iTunes digital
copy code is included with purchase.
Ghost in the Shell, in any of its forms, depicts an intriguing but dark future of human enhancement and the frightening push away from what makes humans, human, including their flaws and limitations. A movie like this that cannot merely dabble in complexity, it must immerse itself in complexity, make it a centerpiece, and it must be made more for the thought provoking elements than anything else, using its action, style, and effects only to get audiences in the door and compliment the more important matters. This version of Ghost in the Shell isn't as thematically rich or deep as it needs be, despite a strong effort in that direction, favoring well done (but in some ways tired) action and effects instead. Paramount's Blu-ray 3D release of Ghost in the Shell offers superb 3D video, equally impressive Atmos audio, and a few supplements. This is certainly the most immersive and engaging of the three releases. Recommended.
2017
2017
With Exclusive Slipcover and Bonus Disc
2017
2017
2017
Exclusive Digital Copy of Aeon Flux
2017
Exclusive Digital Copy of Aeon Flux
2017
2017
2017
2017
2014
2017
2013
2017
2021
Cinematic Universe Edition
2015
2016
2013
2003
Icons
2000
2006
2007
2004
2011
plus Theatrical Cut on standard Blu-ray
2016
2005
2012
2008
2018
2013