Review of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004) by Joseph S — 21 Jan 2009

Philip K. Dick is alive and well in Japan. Though less organic, and character driven, than you might remember, almost robotic.

Better than the original though. Less reliance on action, more on development of mood, mystery, jaw-dropping images, and complex themes of man/machine, and the border or lack there of, between them. The intellectual beter of the Matrix, or any sci-fi film Ive seen this past decade for that matter. The conversations between Batu and Tagasu are a dizzying array of quotes from Confucisous, Donna Harraway(homaged in one of the dr's early on), Descartes, Shelley, Milton, and on and on. The mixture of 3d and 2d animation reinforced the ideas of artificiality and the organic, beating Wall-E to the punch, just in time.

Oshii said he wanted to make a film about dolls, and this is it!

Two cops investigate a series of grissly murders, commited by andriods in a world where nearly everyone has some form of artificial enchancement.

Though similar to the first film and Blade Runner, in premise, it's more than a mere imitation, this has a soul all it's own. Don't let the fact that this is anime stop you, it's as good as any live action film, probably better considering the themes of the material. It's amazing to look at to. Maybe too talky for some, but I like that sort of thing.

Hmm, and after his daughter died, did Descartes really name a doll after her and shower it with affection, I think I remember hearing this somewhere, but can't be sure...