Ghost in the Shell (2017)

[CrazyFoxMachine]

They were never going to cast an East Asian actor as the lead because there are no East Asian actors with the requisite "star power" to sell a big budget science fiction film like this.

This is, of course, because East Asian actors are cast in films so rarely that they never get a chance to become very big stars in the first place.

Vicious circle innit?

Was just thinking about this the other day. Hence:

[Professor Bear]

They were never going to cast an East Asian actor as the lead because there are no East Asian actors with the requisite "star power" to sell a big budget science fiction film like this.

She's done well in ensembles like the Marvel movies, but is Johanson actually that much of a draw as a lead actor?  This is a big-budget sci-fi action movie of the type that even Tom Cruise managed to tank at the box-office in recent times, so the studio has to be looking at this as a huge gamble all on its own - to the point that Johanson is arguably one of the lest important elements in play.

[dweezil2]

They were never going to cast an East Asian actor as the lead because there are no East Asian actors with the requisite "star power" to sell a big budget science fiction film like this.

She's done well in ensembles like the Marvel movies, but is Johanson actually that much of a draw as a lead actor?  This is a big-budget sci-fi action movie of the type that even Tom Cruise managed to tank at the box-office in recent times, so the studio has to be looking at this as a huge gamble all on its own - to the point that Johanson is arguably one of the lest important elements in play.

I don't know, Lucy, which Johanson stared in, did good business, even though it was a big pile of festering shite!

http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Lucy#tab=summary

[Goaty]

Full trainer finally out and I like it.

https://youtu.be/vctm5VD7qKQ

[Beeks]

Was that Tricky I saw as a Buddhist Monk?! 

[PsychoGoatee]

The ol mysterious past plot twist intrigue angle is very very played out. Can't she just be somebody who ended up in a robo-body with her cyberbrain etc pondering reality and kicking ass?

Nobody cares about this "not what you thought" angle, at least I don't. It's been played out in everything from James Bond movies (Spectre), Batman comics, every franchise goes for it. I say look forward not backwards, not relying on gimmicks to have a compelling story.

Other than that, looks like a competent recreation of Oshii's movie version, recreating some of the classic scenes and shots. Not too interested in this adaptation.