Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence (2004) Synopsis:
After nine years, acclaimed writer/director Mamoru Oshii follows up his cult hit "Ghost in the Shell"—one of the biggest animé successes of all time—with the long-awaited sequel "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence." It is the year 2032 and the line between humans and machines has been blurred almost beyond distinction. Humans have forgotten that they are human and those that are left coexist with cyborgs (human spirits inhabiting entirely mechanized bodies) and dolls (robots with no human elements at all). Batou is a cyborg. His body is artificial: the only remnants left of his humanity are traces of his brain…and the memories of a woman called The Major. A detective for the government's covert anti-terrorist unit, Public Security Section 9, Batou is investigating the case of a gynoid—a hyper-realistic female robot created specifically for sexual companionship—who malfunctions and slaughters her owner. As Batou delves deeper into the investigation, questions arise about humanity's need to immortalize its image in dolls. The answers to those questions lead to the shocking truth behind the crime...and quite possibly the very meaning of life.
Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence (2004) Movie Review:
The staggering beauty of Oshii's animation more than makes up for the fact that his plot is completely impenetrable. But this film is so inventive and visually spectacular that it leaves us wondering what we ever saw in The Matrix.
Set in 2032, when the line between humans and machines has been completely blurred, the seasoned cyborg (robot body, human mind) detective Batou (Otsuka) is investigating a murder committed by a gynoid (super-realistic robot) that seems to have developed a soul, or a ghost. With his rookie partner Togusa (Yamadera), Batou follows the trail through Yakuza thugs, government conspiracies and computer hackers until he gets to the corporate boss (Takenaka) who may be responsible for this shift in robotics.
The essence of this film is an examination of how people are becoming more machinelike, while machines are becoming more human--and both are clinging to the faintest hints of humanity. There are only a couple of organic creatures in the film; the most notable is Batou's faithful Bassett hound. Everyone in the story seems to be searching for signs of real life--moral choices, pain, affection and belonging. And what they find isn't very hopeful, because creating more lifelike robots will cause actual humans to slip further into obscurity.
These fascinating ideas are embedded within a plot that's almost impossible to follow. Extensive sequences seem to repeat on a loop or drift off into dazzling tangents. But it looks so astonishing that we don't mind. This is far and away the most intricate, detailed, imaginative animation ever put on screen--several sequences literally take the breath away as the animators blend the ancient, modern and futuristic with wit and ingenuity. And it's not empty spectacle, as the story's rich themes are echoed in characters who are full of attitude and emotion. It's also packed with literary references, philosophical mumblings and provocative existentialism. The central investigation is just strong enough to keep us intrigued, but it's the extreme gorgeousness that lingers in the memory even more than the emotive conclusion. Pathologically enigmatic, but amazing.
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Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence (2004) review written by: Rich Cline
12th October, 2008 
