Amazon.com: Mamoru Oshii's landmark Ghost in the Shell (1995) largely defined the cyberpunk genre and influenced the Matrix films in the U.S. The long-awaited sequel continues the adventures of Batou, Major Kusanagi's former assistant, who was left behind when she disappeared into the cyber-realm of the Net. With his new human partner, Togusa, Batou investigates a series of bloody murders involving gynoids, robots with sexual functions. The case leads them to the headquarters of the Locus Solus company, where Batou uncovers the evil secret behind the creation of the gynoids. Innocence includes some staggeringly beautiful CG images, especially a parade depicting characters from Chinese mythology. Oshii contrasts this glittering beauty with a Blade Runner-esque dystopia. But even his skill as a director can't disguise the fact that the underdeveloped story and flat characters are far less interesting than the opulent visuals. (Rated PG-13: graphic violence, violence against women, brief nudity, profanity, alcohol and tobacco use.) --Charles Solomon
OK, But... I have to agree with the folks who complained about the fact that the ONLY version we got of this feature-length animation film is one in Japanese with subtitles... to Everything. There is too much going on in this movie to have to pay attention to Reading for almost two hours! Grrr. And you have to read Fast! Because the lines go by so fast that I sometimes had to hit the pause button just to make sure I could read what was on the screen before it moved on to the next line. Imagine watching a whole movie via Pause-Play-Pause... A real drag. And not very entertaining like the first GITS movie was. I am Really Upset that I paid money for this that I can't get back because I opened the durned thing. So my advise to those English-speaking consumers out there who are interested in getting this is to wait to see if a version comes out With English voice-overs. Just like the First GITS movie.
Great Manga but stay away from the Region 1 version ***I think it goes without saying that the five star reviews are for the movie and that this DVD release is 1 star.***
Ghost in a Shell 2 (GIAS2) is spectacular eye candy but sadly the subtitles on the official release don't cut it forcing people to source better versions elsewhere. If you manage to get better subtitles then you will experience the full adventure of GIAS2.
This is a very good sequel and makes especially great use of CGI combined with hand animation. Some of the scenes are rendered lavishly. While fans of the original may say that the story should have ended with GIAS1, GIAS2 doesn't really include much in reference to 1 except for some character backgrounds. Apart from that it's a whole new story.
GIAS2 is about cyborgs' finding their implants being hijacked by what seems like criminal elements. Detectives investigate the crimes to uncover a conspiracy. The end twist is actually a knockout and makes it worth seeing. Some of the action sequences are mind-blowing. If you like Manga and are a GIAS1 fan, don't worry. GIAS2 far from disappoints. This is great entertainment and high calibre science-fiction through and through. It is not so often that you find the imagination so splendidly displayed on the silver screen.
Good film, terrible DVD! Do yourself a favor: go to "amazon.co.uk" and order the UK version--if you already have an Amazon account, then you're all set. The UK DVD is only for region 2 DVD players, so do yourself a second favor and order a region-free DVD player (if you don't already have one).
The film is great and if you're a GITS fan, then you'll want the English language version, since it has the cast who provided the voices for the SAC series. Also if you don't mind some minor inconsistencies--since the film and TV versions of GITS actually exist in seperate continuities--this film fits in nicely between the events of GITS: S.A.C. 2nd GIG and the Solid State Society OVA. I know there are some GITS fans who prefer the Oshii films and shun the TV series and vice versa--but I see it as all fitting into the same universe (if you don't mind the small inconsitencies).
Please don't waste your money on Dreamworks and their less-than-acceptable DVD--send the money to folks who cared enough to put out a worthy version of Mamoru Oshii's film!
WHERE IS THE ENGLISH DUBBED VERSION! 4 years and still no english version by a good distributor? This is utter blasphemy for a sequel to the greatest ANIME ever. I can't believe someone hasn't capitalized on dreamworks idiocy yet and released a good english dubbed, surround sound region 1 version of this yet, Hello corporate greed, truck loads of cash $$$$$ are you LISTENING!!!!!! someone please remove there head from there rearend and get it done.
Poor story told almost exclusively through quotes I love the original GITS and I like Stand Alone Complex, but the story in Innocence should not have made it into the GITS franchise. If Mamoru Oshii absolutely had to tell this story he should have done it through a new series without dragging all the GITS characters through the mud.
If you are a self proclaimed intellectual, this movie may be right up your alley. The plot is sadly lost in incessant spewing of western and biblical quotes. Whole conversations consist of characters rambling off quotes to each other. Then you are assaulted by scenes of character's e-brains getting hacked that are meant to make you question "What is real?" And then there is the dog...I'm not going to bother commenting on that.
Ironically, when Batou finally meets up with the Major and she starts spewing out random quotes, he actually comments that it was the wrong time to be poetic...
The killer is at the end when a little girl, who presumably was locked up in a ghost dubbing machine for the whole movie, conveniently was consciences enough to thank her anticipated rescuer but also describe the real plot of the movie in uncanny detail. Up to that point in the movie, there were maybe 3 relevant scenes that actually advanced the plot.
Visually the movie is stunning. Sad to say that is the only thing stunning about it.
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Trevor
Megaton Man
