Why 'Ghost In The Shell' Is A Movie That Everyone Needs To See

Ghost In The Shell allows us to safely explore a question that we may be too afraid to ask: what is it that makes us human?

Set in a time when the line between human and machine is blurred, the military is conducting an experiment that’s the first of its kind. They aim to transfer a human soul, which they refer to as a ‘ghost’, into a machine, which is known as a ‘shell’. They succeed. Her name is Major, but she is referred to as a weapon by the head of the company that made her and therefore treated as such.

Major’s journey of self discovery is foreign to us, but it also challenges us. Is it our memories that make us human?

Ghost In The Shell did make numerous, noticeable nods to the original film. Many scenes were all too familiar, and Scarlett Johansson did an impressive job at mimicking the expressions, mannerisms and subtle demeanour of the original Major. It was overall, a successful remake. 

However, one thing that director Rupert Sanders decided to leave out was the concept of the hacker. In the original, he was born in data. He was mysterious and powerful. The remake portrayed him as the opposite: a predecessor of Major and a failed experiment. It took away a layer of complexity, an element of challenge and an opportunity to explore the notion of what makes us human.

The order of the movie was shuffled around, likely to make it easier for us to understand. It was certainly easy to follow, contrasted to the anime which was definitely more of a challenge to watch with questions left unanswered until the last moments. Sanders wasn’t afraid to provide complete context, and utilise dramatic irony. With an open mind it can be a new way to watch, discover and appreciate the film.

It is still a journey, and an interesting one. What makes us human? What I got from the movie, is that our perception of the world and people around us, sense of self and the feeling of empathy is what makes us human. It is not our bodies. Major was 90% machine, had no memories of her past, no identity, but still had a soul - a perception - a ‘ghost’ - and that is what made her human.