Alison Matthews, Russell Roberts, David Kaye

Six years after a terrorist known as "the Laughing Man" tore through a string of nanotechnology firms, leaving a trail of kidnappings, computer hackings and general mayhem in his wake, the Japanese au...( read more  read more... )thorities are still looking for a suspect. But when Yamaguchi, the detective who's been doggedly working on the case, mysteriously dies in a freak accident, Maj. Kusanagi of Public Safety Section 9 finds herself helming a new investigation.

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88% liked it

257 ratings

Unrated, 160 min

Directed by: Kenji Kamiyama

Release Date: January 1, 2005

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DVD Release Date: October 2, 2007

Stats: 23 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (23)


  • July 7, 2008
    On par with the original movie.
  • June 14, 2009
    Kenji Kamiyama gets the honor of directing and putting together the fantastic Japanese animation known as Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man.

    This film is basically a compilation of all the important bits and pieces of important episodes of the

    ...( read more)>Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex first season. In my opinion, it is nicely put together. The story flows smoothly and despite it being just under 2 hours and 40 minutes, it never drags.

    What will turn people off the most, is the fact that this film is futuristic and very high tech. There is a high level of attention required to follow and understand the story. Unless this is a watch for the second or even third time, this is not a film to just sit back and relax to. With that said, the detail of the story makes it all the more engrossing. There is so much to follow, including a nice twist at the end.

    Visually, this animation is fantastic. There is detail for the characters as well as the surroundings and settings. The direction is superb, so it helps the film visually as well.

    The voice acting is wisely chosen (both in Japanese AND English dubs). Each character has a voice that match their look and personality. Props to Atsuko Tanaka for bringing Motoko Kusanagi to life.

    Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man is a film for fans of the series, as well as the original films. A must see.

  • October 27, 2008
    I guess the question is, which should I bother with, the condensed version and miss all the extraneous plot and character development, or the complete series, with all of its flaws, especially the flat animation, which is much more tolerable in the shortened format. I can't reall...( read more)y answer that, but I can recommend this if you're interested in GITS, even though Kamiyama's philosophy is much more simplistic than Oshii's. Of course, it's an unfair comparison, but it's unavoidable. This is an enjoyable film; the plot is involving and labyrinthine, and the relationship between Batou and the Major is satisfying as usual. Blah blah.
  • June 6, 2008
    The series was amazing.

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