RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
63 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:89

Fresh:56

Rotten:33

Average Rating:6.2/10

Consensus: The animation is lovely, but the plot is complex to the point of inscrutability, leaving Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence both original and numbing.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for violence, disturbing images and brief language

Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release:Sep 17, 2004 Limited

Box Office: $856,451

Synopsis: Nine years ago, writer/director Mamoru Oshii's widely influential "Ghost in the Shell" burst onto the international film scene, becoming one of the most successful anime films of all time. Now,... Nine years ago, writer/director Mamoru Oshii's widely influential "Ghost in the Shell" burst onto the international film scene, becoming one of the most successful anime films of all time. Now, Oshii returns with the long-awaited sequel "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence." "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence" is set in 2032, when the line between humans and machines has been blurred almost beyond distinction. Humans have virtually forgotten what it means to be entirely human in both body and spirit, and the few humans 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. Together, Batou and his partner must take on violent Yakuza thugs, devious hackers, government bureaucrats and corporate criminals to uncover the shocking truth behind the crime. "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence" is the story of a solitary cyborg who desperately wants to hold on to what's left of his humanity in a world where the worth of the human soul is fading almost into obscurity. "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence" was written and directed by Mamoru Oshii based on an original story by Shirow Masamune. Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and Toshio Suzuki produced the film. It is the second anime film to be released under the banner of Go Fish Pictures, a division of DreamWorks Pictures. "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence" was the first anime film ever to compete for the Cannes International Film Festival's coveted Palme d'Or. It also joined the ranks of such animated classics as "Dumbo" (1947), "Peter Pan" (1953), "Fantastic Planet" (1973), "Shrek" (2001) and "Shrek 2" (2004) to become only the sixth animated film to compete at Cannes. -- © Go Fish Pictures [More]

Starring: Atsuko Tanaka, Naoto Takenaka, Ruby

Starring: Atsuko Tanaka, Naoto Takenaka, Ruby

Director: Mamoru Oshii

Director: Mamoru Oshii
Composer: Kenji Kawai
Studio: DreamWorks Distribution LLC

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Innocence: Ghost in the Shell Japanese Preview
    >
    >
    >
    >
  • >
    >
    >
    Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence Trailer
    >
1 - 4 of 8

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Dec 28, 2004

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Much like Akira in the 1980s, this is the film that sets the standard by which all others of its kind are judged - and usually found wanting.

Full Review Source: ESplatter | comment Comment
07/04/08
Steve Biodrowski
Steve Biodrowski
ESplatter

the mind-blowing story and its reality-bending aesthetic form a sublime continuum, where the medium becomes part of the message...this is animation at its most acute and enthralling.

Full Review Source: Eye for Film | comment Comment
07/06/07
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Eye for Film

Mamoru Oshii's 2004 follow-up to his 1995 anime noir is that rare sequel that surpasses the original.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
04/18/07
Andrea Gronvall
Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Too talky and philosophical for kids, and dabbling in lavish imagery that lacks enough narrative coherence to hook adults, this is an animated feature that, well, needed to get a little more animated.

Full Review Source: Long Island Press | comment Comment
03/31/07
Prairie Miller
Prairie Miller
Long Island Press

The elegance, attention to detail, the invention and expertise all ensure that the movie’s never less than visually breathtaking.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

For Japanimation fans it's a big-screen must-see.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/01/06
David Hughes
David Hughes
Empire Magazine
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
01/17/06
Sydney Morning Herald

Muddled up with philosophising about the relationship between mind and the material world.

Full Review Source: Independent | comment Comment
12/06/05
Independent

The staggering beauty of Oshii's animation more than makes up for the fact that his plot is completely impenetrable.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
09/30/05
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

One long, tedious rumination on the blurring distinction between man and machines.

Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness | comment Comment
05/03/05
Nick Schager
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness

If you're already an anime fan, this is required viewing. If not, this isn't going to convert you anytime soon.

Full Review Source: NYC Film Critic | comment Comment
03/05/05
Ethan Alter
Ethan Alter
NYC Film Critic

Japanese animated film which explores the nature of post-modern existence and consciousness is a mixed bag in terms of both narrative and images.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
02/03/05
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
01/14/05
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

While one can’t accuse Innocence of being dim, it is certainly long winded and cliché.

Full Review Source: Reno Gazette-Journal | comment Comment
12/16/04
Forrest Hartman
Forrest Hartman
Reno Gazette-Journal

Oshii allows the plot to be overwhelmed by a slew of cockamamie musings on the nature of existence that wouldn't float in a late-night dorm room smokeout.

Full Review Source: Portland Mercury | comment Comment
12/06/04
Andrew Wright
Andrew Wright
Portland Mercury

With this beautiful, thought-provoking, adrenaline-fuelled film, Oshii heralds a truly post-human era in which all forms of 'life' deserve our respect.

Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
11/19/04
Sharon Mizota
Sharon Mizota
PopMatters

Pure, wordless cinema, existing in a realm too deliciously mysterious to pull down.

Full Review Source: Sci-Fi Movie Page | comment Comment
11/11/04
James O'Ehley
James O'Ehley
Sci-Fi Movie Page

In this anime it's a basset hound that brings the only bits of warmth.

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
11/05/04
Robert Folsom
Robert Folsom
Kansas City Star

The animation is vivid and surrealistic.

Full Review Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette | comment Comment
11/01/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Occasional passages of shell-cracking egghead overload aside, there's no getting past Innocence's astounding visual power.

Full Review Source: Toronto Star | comment Comment
10/29/04
Geoff Pevere
Geoff Pevere
Toronto Star
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
all

Latest News for Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

January 22, 2007: "Ghost" in a Live-Action "Shell"?
This falls under the 'news before the actual news' category, but according to ComingSoon.net, Variety is reporting that Kodansha, the company behind the popular "Ghost in... More...

December 07, 2004: The Annie Awards Announce Their Nominations
More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
15% 15% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts
53% 53% David & Layla

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Total Recall

Total Recall

John Travolta's top reviewed movies

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

What's Coming Out

What's Coming Out

Find movies for the holiday weekend!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
21
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
44
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
118
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
64
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
178
  • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
131
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
76
  • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
75
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
59
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
40
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
32
  • WB offers DVD to Blu-ray Trade-In Program
31
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
26
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
20
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
14
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
10
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
20
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
7
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
20
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence at IGN
  • Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

TIME's Holiday Movie Preview
TIME's Holiday Movie Preview External Link

Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

Scenic Routes
Scenic Routes External Link

The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.