Ghost In The Shell: 15 Recent Sci-Fi Movies That Were Far Superior
Take your pick.
Ghost in the Shell has landed with a fair degree of indifference from critics in particular, and while there is plenty within it for more open-minded viewers to enjoy, it's safe to say that it's no genre classic either.
The sci-fi genre is a tough nut to crack, to be fair, and Hollywood's history books are littered with ambitious sci-fi films (such as Jupiter Ascending, for example) which shot for something totally unique, and yet, critics and audiences alike summarily trashed them regardless.
But what about movies that actually succeeded at bringing something new to the table, and in this case could actually teach Ghost in the Shell a few things about suspense, character development and tone?
This list intentionally avoids big hit tentpoles in favour of smaller films that convey far more intelligence and demand much more respect than their lavishly-produced genre brothers.
15. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
One of the most confident feature debuts in recent memory, 10 Cloverfield Lane isn't the cynical, tacked-on monster movie spin-off many expected it would be, but rather a tripwire-tense, superbly acted thriller which builds and builds and builds (and builds!) to an immensely satisfying third-act bombshell.
Dan Trachtenberg's tight, claustrophobic direction only enhances the savage monstrosity of John Goodman's ferociously intense, arguably career-best performance, while Mary Elizabeth Winstead makes for a sympathetic, capable heroine.
More a character-driven thriller with sci-fi spicings than an outright venture in the genre, this not only opens up intriguing possibilities for the "Cloververse" as a whole, but proves how two very different types of movie can collide together in spectacular, white-knuckle fashion.