aripyanfar

The original manga is an outstanding graphic novel. This is a worthy variation of that high standard story.

I considered taking off one star just for the script of the last voice-over. I don't think the philosophy of the story boils down to so simple idea of what defines humanity. However, since such a range of ideas about what makes a human human, and what the division of human and machine is came up in the movie already, I didn't think I could penalize it a whole star.

At its best the movie captures the grandeur of Shirow's visual compositions. It also retains in variation some of the most iconic action sequences, which is extremely satisfying. After all, in so many ways this is an action movie.

The comedic interludes are ditched, but that's fair enough for the story telling space of one movie. The drama and tension remain high.

The soft-core porn treatment of the Major's body is kept, and this is neither accidental or unnecessary. The choice of a body that is easy to sexually objectify is critical in a story that is examining the boundaries between subjects and objects. The boundaries between conscious and non-conscious entities. The boundaries of consent and non consent when the subject does not know what they are consenting to. The boundaries between medical-procedures-to-save sentients and machine-upgrades for owned objects.

The antagonist and the progress of the plot is changed considerably. It could have been a disaster, and no doubt some fans of the existent story will consider it a disaster. However, I think the producers absolutely kept the most important part of the story intact. That is the philosophical musings of the story.

Where the story fails as a pure action movie, it does because its climax is bent on throwing out at least two dozen philosophical questions, instead of two dozen explosions. If you don't go through at least a mini existential crisis after having ideas in the movie bubble back up in your mind, then that's perhaps because you don't have the same time to stop and absorb the ramifications of ideas in the movie the way you get to pause over the written story. The written story also had the luxury of sinking into the idea of the evolution of consciousness in the way that the movie doesn't and couldn't, without pausing the action and having a 30 minute dialogue.

The script of this movie gives a great shot at throwing Shirow's questions into audience minds without pausing the action, and by delivering them through a changed plot that is perhaps more easy to relate to than the disembodied character(s) of the original.

I was extremely happy with this GITS variation.

The story is Far Out on a limb, as far as believability goes. But this is not the film to nitpick over that, because this story is all about style. It's as free and easy and light-hearted as awful crime ever gets, and it's as black and nasty and gruesome as comedy ever gets. Heath Ledger and Rose Byrne have such glowing youthful beauty, and enough screen weight to match Brian Brown and a solid supporting cast.

This is one of those films where you forget to feel guilt ridden over laughing out loud at the misery of others. I congratulate the writers and director for such a deft balancing act.

Many Americans might not like this because it's not their style of humour. If you are American and "get" British humour, or love Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, or Hot Fuzz, then you may well like this one too.

I give Beautiful creatures 3/10 for adults, and 8/10 for teenagers. This was a really hard film to rate because I think that for its target audience, it's an excellent film. For an adult who is used to nuances of plot and storyline, there are two major problems. Firstly, there are some truly groan-worthy moments and lines. These threw me out of suspension of disbelief. However, I doubt they'd throw a teenager or child out. And in stories for YA, it is important that the adults are for some reason sidelined and the children are left with the responsibility of looking after each other.

Secondly, the extended introduction should have been considerably tightened up if this was aimed at adults. For a literary major, the plot was thin, simple, utterly predictable and completely clichéd. But it's the journey that's the important thing, not the destination, right? I laughed out loud in the cinema at some of the jokes. Some of the costuming and southern vegetation was truly alluring to watch. Not to mention the performances.

I thought Emma Thompson stole the movie. Any suggestions of why she gets to cover such a broad range, and the deliciousness with which she does it, would be a spoiler.

From my perspective, this is just like the first Twilight movie, but not nearly as good. I think most teenagers would really love Beautiful Creatures. I think most adults would find it boring and sometimes too jarring to take seriously at all. I don't think that teenagers are stupider than adults, and I wouldn't look down on one for really loving this. I bet I would have ADORED it when I was 15. It's just a difference in complexity of life experience now I'm 40.

For comparison, I think Cameron's Avatar has a plot that is thin, simple, utterly predictable and completely clichéd. But I'd still recommend it to an adult because of the quality of the ride.