Ghost In the Shell 2: Innocence - Worthy Successor or Philosophical Diatribe?

Nine years after the original Ghost in the Shell, director Mamoru Oshii returned to the philosophical world of Masamune Shirow's manga creation, with Ghost in the Shell: Innocence. Suffice as to say, it proved divisive and even now eight years on it is a point of contention between fans of the original. A great deal of animosity has been laid at it's feat for being too complicated, not in terms of it's story but rather it's labyrinthine dialogue. Each character seemingly possessing an education schooled purely in literary references and Confucian philosophy. But does this really make the film bad? Does it render it an unwatchable slideshow of pretty visuals? Because the one thing every fan seems to agree on is that it's stunningly depicted.

The answer seems to be both a yes and a no. That is to say, I am precariously balancing on the fence for this one. Not out of fear of either side, but because I am genuinely baffled. While watching Innocence I often found myself at a slight loss as to what was being said, rebuttals and entire conversations hinging on a philosophical point I could barely keep up with. At times it all felt over done and unnecessary, cutting into the flow of the film by continually challenging the viewer to figure out what was going on. Oddly however, that doesn't mean it was a complete failure and to understand this we've got to take a closer look at the story itself.

Section 9 is investigating a series of murders by personal sex robots. Batou, still tortured by the loss of his partner the Major throws himself into the pursuit of the perpetrators and at times seems to be on the cusp of losing his grip. The Chief of Section 9 noting how he reminds him of the Major before she went missing. It's interesting to see Batou develop as his own character, being more of a sounding board for the Major's questioning of humanity in the original. Also, there's nothing like watching him shoot up a Yakuza den with reckless abandon.  It was just plain cool. The philosophical  tone adds weight to this narrative, for while overdone it alludes to some deeper questions regarding perfection and the soul. The real complaint about this approach is found in the script itself, which at times seems more interested in tripping the viewer up through it's own cleverness than exploring the issues it brings to the fore. So the answer as to whether it is a good or a bad thing is entirely dependent on the viewer themselves and their ability to see past it's inherent flaws.

Now, having discussed the philosophical aspect of the film, lets talk about the visuals. Being produced back in 1995 the original Ghost in the Shell didn't have the options technologically that we do today. Something which the 2.0 release tried and failed to resolve. Innocence, however, enjoys a style unhindered by such limitations, blending traditional animation with stunning computer generated vistas. The opening scene, depicting the city at large from the point of view of a very impressive looking helicopter, really sets up the rest of the movie and gets the viewers imaginations salivating. It should be said that at times the direction is a little self congratulatory, seemingly more interested in showing off than actually contributing to the film, but in all honesty I think we can allow for a little vanity when it looks so good. Without a doubt it was the highlight of the film for me.

Stunning, if a little pointless.

So to conclude, Ghost in the Shell: Innocence is an acceptable sequel to the original, if not managing to surpass it. Philosophy in the first film was much more central to the story, the Major's obsession with finding the Puppet Master linking directly with her own conflict of self. In the second it seemed to be more of a peripheral entity, perhaps trying to compensate for a lighter story-line. In hindsight, it may have been better had the film makers changed the angle of the film to suit that of Batou's character, as opposed to the self analysis and philosophical angst of the Major. Visually the movie is a triumph and there is very little that can be said against it, except that it might have been squandered  by a director trying to pull one's attention from the heavy dialogue and under-lit story. Innocence therefore falls short of the first by trying too much to emulate it's success, however it is still entertaining in the attempt, if rather stilted.