The original “Ghost In The Shell” was undoubtedly a little hard to follow but it combined stunning animated visuals with great action and deep philosophy to make an entertaining movie. However, this sequel focuses way too much on the philosophy and features only brief action scenes. Loyal fans of the franchise maybe eager to see it but I doubt the masses will care for it.

The year is 2032, cyborg detective Batô is tasked with finding out the reason why several robots used for pleasure have mysteriously killed their owners. His investigation leads him to confront serious issues about what it means to be human and mankind’s increasingly complex relationship with technology. He also waits for the return of Major Motoko Kusanagi.

The characters in this movie all have speeches like university lecturers. There are tons of lengthy philosophical debates with quotes from “The Bible”, Confucius and various philosophers and scientists. It feels like the filmmakers wanted to show off just how smart they are and as a result, they have turned most of the characters into scholars. A lot of the discussions seem to tread on the same territory as the first movie. The animation on all the characters is absolutely amazing so I cannot fault the makers there.

“Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence” is a treat for the eyes but that is about it. The movie gets very convoluted and it makes you feel intellectually inferior. The best science-fiction explains complicated concepts without shrouding it unneeded philosophical babble. A love a lit bit of philosophy and theology thrown in but when it obscures your point, that is when you are going wrong. The first “Ghost In The Shell” works because it seems the filmmakers were trying to make an entertaining film, this sequels fails because it seems like the filmmakers just want to prove how deep and meaningful they can be.