Ghost in the Shell

This much-anticipated -- and maligned -- adaptation of the beloved cyberpunk manga is visually arresting and pulse-quickening, but it's an action film that focuses much more on style than substance. The source material is a Japanese comic with an identifiably Japanese protagonist -- Major Motoko Kusanagi, the MVP of Section 9, a cybercrime enforcement squad. But because Johansson is obviously not Asian, the narrative must concoct a (fairly believable) story to explain the disconnect. The uproar over the movie's perceived whitewashing of an established character isn't likely to abate because of that explanation, but the manga creator himself had no objections, saying the character's appearance doesn't matter because it's not her "original" self -- one of the main themes of the story. And Johansson does play the part -- a sentient weapon who doesn't know whether she's real or just an expensive puppet on a string -- well.

If the casting controversy is a dealbreaker, this isn't the movie for you. But audiences who are unfamiliar with the manga and unperturbed by the outcry will probably buy into the storyline. Visually, there's a lot to admire: memorable production design, the eerie precision of geisha bots, a Mad Max-meets-Blade Runner aesthetic. The supporting actors are capable, although Michael Pitt's over-the-top villain is a love-him-or-hate-him proposition, much like Jared Leto's Joker. The real standout is Danish actor Pilou Asbaek (best known in the U.S. as Euron Greyjoy in Game of Thrones) as Batou, Major's fellow Section 9 agent and the closest thing she has to a friend. His warmth and occasional humor are much needed opposite Major's intensity. For a moderately diverting entry in the genre of futuristic sci-fi action thrillers, Ghost in the Shell is surprisingly traditional. The twists are predictable, and the revelations obvious from the earliest of Major's interactions with Dr. Ouelet. But there's plenty of Johansson kicking and fighting and being fierce, and that's never a bad thing.