Films, News, Trailers

Trailer Watch: Scarlett Johansson Kicks Ass and Seeks Answers in “Ghost in the Shell”

“Ghost in the Shell”

The first trailer for “Ghost in the Shell” has landed. A number of teasers have been released for the hotly anticipated adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name, but the trailer reveals much more about the Major (Scarlett Johansson) and her mission than previous clips have.

As “Ghost in the Shell’s” official synopsis details, the film “follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.”

“You are the first of your kind, but you’re not invulnerable,” the Major is told in the spot. She sure seems invulnerable based on the incredible footage of her in action — we see the Major kicking serious ass. But she’s not just a killing machine. The Major has an interior life, and she’s determined to solve the mystery surrounding her own history and identity. “I know I have a past. I’ll find out who I was,” she vows.

Johansson’s casting in the iconic role has been a source of controversy since the news was first announced. Many fans believed the role should have gone to an Asian actress, and criticized the live-action “Ghost in the Shell” for whitewashing its protagonist, particularly when Asian actresses are so underrepresented in high-profile Hollywood films: According to a report from Dr. Martha Lauzen and the Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film, only three percent of all female characters in the 100 highest-grossing films of 2015 were Asian.

Directed by Rupert Sanders (“Snow White and the Huntsman”), “Ghost in the Shell” hits theaters March 31, 2017. The sci-fi film’s cast includes Juliette Binoche (“Clouds of Sils Maria”), Kaori Momoi (“Memoirs of a Geisha”), and Rila Fukushima (“Arrow”). Check out the trailer to see stunning special effects and an unexpected plot twist.


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