There’s no better way than to disenfranchise a franchise than completely ignoring the will and wishes of its core audience.
Whitewashing aside the real travesty of this live-action remake of Ghost in the shell is how patronizing it is to everyone who has read the manga, watched the 1995 movie, and followed the television stand-alone series. Some stories require more attention to the depiction of the context and not the casting. Ghost in the Shell is not about ScarJo or making her into a cyborg; it’s deeply more — rooted in a philosophy so relevant to today’s society that failing to address fully insults fans and newcomers to the series.
This version of GITS is simply dumbed down to appeal to the mass audience who, they, think wouldn’t get it otherwise if present in the true nature of it’s societal construct: Japan, a juggernaut in artificial intelligence biotechnology; Russia has annexed parts the United States after a fourth World War; and a messenger/terrorist who speaks to the poor and outcasted immigrates wages a secret war to in an effort to bring attention to a mass people ignored by the political elite, and might I also mention a group that goes by the name the Individual Eleven.
Sounds great right?
With the introduction of the Kuze storyline, there was an opportunity to immerse the audience into a great storyline depicted in Ghost in The Shell 2GIG. The conflict of mind over body experienced by Mokoto or Mira (in this version) is explored through the actions of the person she and Section 9 seek to apprehend, Kuze. We truly see Mokoto (or Kira) finally faced with emotions she doesn’t understand. Emotions based in the subtext of memories long lost.
Damn.
If you haven’t watched that series yet or want more of a story than what’s presented in this movie, please go over to Hulu and binge now.