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Movies / On DVD / Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

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Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004)

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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]

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Release:

Dec 28, 2004

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Reviews for Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating)
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Philosophy's never looked so cool.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
09/17/04
E! Online

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

'[Oshii] is a visionary. His world is unmistakably his, [and] it's a hypnotic place to be.'

Full Review Source: Las Vegas Mercury | comment Comment
10/18/04
Anthony Del Valle
Anthony Del Valle
Las Vegas Mercury

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

A revelation, a challenging yet enlightening journey into the depths of creativity and imagination.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
09/16/04
Bill Muller
Bill Muller
Arizona Republic
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Compared to many anime films, Oshii's anime style is still different, an intoxicating blend of mechanical and organic, like his characters.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
10/29/04
Bruce Kirkland
Bruce Kirkland
Jam! Movies

A stunning work of animation artistry and a compelling metaphysical inquiry into what constitutes humanity and machine.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Inquirer | comment Comment
09/16/04
Carrie Rickey
Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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

Extraordinarily rich visually, with a density of detail that would have impressed Breughel or Veronese.

Full Review Source: San Diego Union-Tribune | comment Comment
09/17/04
David Elliott
David Elliott
San Diego Union-Tribune

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

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

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

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

You can call me fanboy, but this is the best anime I've ever seen.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
09/14/04
J. Hoberman
J. Hoberman
Village Voice
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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

All the elements of a drop-dead animated classic combined with the tiresome violence of ubiquitous arcade entertainment.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
09/28/04
Jeanne Aufmuth
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly

Its intentions aren't as clear as they should be, but it's clearly the work of a deep-thinking artist with a fearful concern for a future in which the nature of humanity is entirely uncertain.

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
09/17/04
Jeff Shannon
Jeff Shannon
Seattle Times

All the philosophical chattering here starts to become wearying. But the action scenes help, and there's no denying how dazzling the animation is.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
10/15/04
Jeff Vice
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Innocence is nothing if not ambitious, and that is its best trait -- it wants to hash out ideas first and provide action second.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
09/16/04
Jeffrey Chen
Jeffrey Chen
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Never less than spectacular. It seamlessly combines sophisticated hand-drawn animation with computer-rendered backgrounds.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
09/17/04
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
 
 
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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...

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