Directed by Mamoru Oshii, Ghost in the Shell (1995) is truly a gem of its period. In essence, this film takes an ambitious leap in attempting to portray intricate and confronting themes surrounding reality and fiction.
The premise of this film is set in the near future (2029) - this futuristic environment allows the film to manifest the complexities surrounding the human condition through the protagonist's struggle to comprehend her humanity amidst her cyborg existence.
The art style within this film is a masterpiece - considering the time of production, this film does an excellent job in beautifully portraying a futuristic society. In addition, the soundtrack and underlying musical undertone does a fantastic job in shaping the mood and presence that the film deserves.
However, although the character development is a strong point in this film - the film lacks an effective representation of what exactly it is trying to convey. Nevertheless, this film is able to set up the foundation of what could be a philosophical journey of the human condition - yet the execution of this is seemingly blurred in the drawn out action scenes and unnecessary dialogue.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a film that revolves around the nature of struggle and acceptance while not slacking off on the action - then this film would be right for you. Yet, I implore the watcher to not expect a great deal out of this film - although it does have exceptional moments, it lacks the glue that is needed to allow these factors to join together and compliment the film.
