GHOST IN THE SHELL: Final Trailer Delivers Fresh Footage

Rupert Sanders' adaptation of landmark manga and anime Ghost In The Shell hits the big screen on Friday and one last final trailer has arrived to prime audiences for what is coming. Once again, Scarlett Johansson in her tight fitting thermoptic suit is a major selling feature and while there is a decent amount of new footage in this latest effort I don't see much of anything likely to sway opinions from where they are already set.

While aspect of the visual work here are absolutely gorgeous there's also quite a lot that doesn't really seem to be landing properly. Anything in low light, basically, feels quite murky and drab and out of step. And as much as I like Pilou Asbaek as an actor - which is a LOT, for the record - the attempts to physically bulk him up to the scale required as Batou just feel odd whenever he's in motion. Great actor, yes. Compelling physical presence? I'm not feeling it here. And while both anime director Oshii Mamoru and original manga creator Shirow Masamune have both weighed in to say they have no issues at all with the casting of Johansson in the lead role the contortions around the whitewashing issue definitely leave a shadow. If nothing else, it just feels weird and unnatural every time anyone uses 'Major' as a name rather than the title which it clearly is ...

All of that said, what I've seen on the big screen looks a whole lot better than these visuals do on my monitor and while I'm not fully on board it's got enough of my attention - and the attention of The Boy - that this'll be a father-son outing at some point in the relatively near future. Check it out below.