"Through a glass darkly": Examining existence in Ghost In The Shell

This was a monumental watch and I'm so glad I caught up with it. Ghost in the Shell is integral in the center of the timeline of films about AI, from Blade Runner, to The Matrix, to Ex Machina. It's so similar to Ridley Scott's sci fi masterpiece that it could be construed as completely derivative, but it feels more like Blade Runner gave permission or set a direction of exploration for others to follow, which director Mamoru Oshii runs with here.

Again, this is so similar in structure, tone, and story. It centers around a replicant with questions about its own humanity while carrying out espionage on behalf of its government, but with a deeper exploration into its own existence as its driving motivation. This discusses explicitly where a soul comes from and comes up with as many clear answers as anyone can when you attempt to bridge the gap between science and belief, pursuits of truth that one would be remiss to disregard either, or both, completely.

Its conclusion is distinct from others in this genre, focusing on reproduction and death as integral parts of the experience of humanity. These questions are brought up, but are less explored in some of the other titles mentioned. And in its final minutes -- which nod so expertly to Bergman's Persona, both visually and thematically -- this film is taken even further, transcending anime and making its case to be fully considered in the annals of cinema history. Its Bible references draw the discussion all the way back to one of the oldest origin stories of humankind. In its own way it is retelling the evolution of mortality from innocence to transcendence in a way that can't help but be respected.

Thematic artistry and emotional intelligence aside, the experience of viewing is worth it alone for the aesthetic built together through the aural and visual atmosphere. There are so many great scenes eating the landscape of the futuristic Newport City with melancholic yet invigorating synth-based music that you just want to let run on. One especially clever scene comes with a tone switch during a high speed chase. A slower, more analog acoustic guitar queue accompanies the fast-moving montage with the on-screen sound replaced completely by the score. The contrast of on-screen action cut against the music creates slow motion through sound rather than the actual visual effect. This may not have been the first time that was done, but it clearly has been influential in what has since become a commonly employed technique.

Of course, my heart soared at the open-ended close, even more so when I immediately recognized the credits scrolling along to "One Minute Warning" from Passengers (aka U2 plus Brian Eno, from their mid-90's foray into experimental instrumental music). What a joy!