Despite watching Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence way back in college (on a borrowed DVD copy that I certainly hope I eventually returned to its proper owner), I retained virtually no memory of its plot. After recently revisiting the film on the big screen (courtesy of a gorgeous new 4K restoration distributed by GKIDS), however, I sincerely doubt that I’ll ever forget it again. This is a bona fide sci-fi masterpiece—a neon-drenched cyberpunk noir-flavored buddy cop techno-thriller of the highest caliber. Writer/director Mamoru Oshii has quite a lot to say—about perception, reality, philosophy, existentialism, and human consciousness (to name a mere fraction of the myriad themes explored)—and enough patience to articulate his thesis thoroughly and rigorously. Featuring an impenetrably labyrinthine narrative, deliberate pacing, and meticulously detailed animation, the movie delights the senses and intellect in equal measure. Beam it straight into my brain on an infinitely repeating loop; I never want to stop experiencing its beauty!
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