真人版《攻殼機動隊》之所以被普遍認為失敗，不僅僅是票房或口碑不佳那麼簡單，而是深層次的文化、哲學與改編策略錯位所造成的結果。原作《攻殼機動隊》以其對存在主義的探索、對靈魂、記憶與科技邊界的深刻思考，以及對人類與機械融合的哲學性描寫而聞名。動畫的魅力在於它的晦澀與深度，要求觀眾在觀看過程中思考何為自我、何為真實，並以陰鬱、詩意且具有未來感的美學呈現，使每個場景都承載著思想重量。這種哲學性與美學高度，是原作成功並影響後世科幻作品的核心所在。

然而，真人電影在改編過程中為了迎合更廣泛的西方觀眾，選擇將原本深刻的哲學議題簡化為易於理解的動作敘事。原作中草薙素子（Major）作為強大且自我認同模糊的賽博格，其心理與存在的矛盾被壓縮成一個「尋找自我的普通人」的故事框架，使得電影失去原作那種多層次的哲學探討，呈現出「掛羊頭賣狗肉」的感覺，讓動畫迷深感失望。劇情上的大幅改動也削弱故事核心：許多經典場景被重新詮釋，甚至賦予新的意義，這對原作粉絲而言是一種文化上的背離，使他們難以接受。

在視覺與風格層面，電影雖有一定的視覺特效，但普遍評論認為其美術與影像風格未能重現原作動畫的陰鬱氛圍與詩意張力，尤其是押井守版本中那種大師級的美學高度無法被複製。這種風格落差，讓原作的哲學與美學魅力大打折扣，削弱了影片的文化辨識度與藝術感。

此外，選角爭議也是電影受批評的重要原因之一。由史嘉莉·喬韓森飾演主角草薙素子引發的「白人化」（Whitewashing）爭議，被認為忽略角色原本的日本文化背景與身份設定。這不僅讓動畫粉絲感到失望，也在文化敏感度上引發爭議，讓電影在觀眾群體中難以取得共鳴。

最後，真人版電影在觀眾定位上出現尷尬：它既無法成為一部出色的科幻動作片，也無法滿足動畫迷對原作深度與哲學性的期待，處於兩者之間的模糊地帶。總結來說，電影在試圖「大眾化」原作時，反而削弱最核心的文化與哲學內涵，導致改編普遍被認為失敗，也成為影史上對經典動畫改編的一個警示案例。

The live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell is widely regarded as a failure, and this is not merely due to poor box office performance or negative reviews. The root causes lie in deep-seated misalignments in culture, philosophy, and adaptation strategy. The original Ghost in the Shell is renowned for its exploration of existentialism, its profound reflections on the soul, memory, and the boundaries of technology, as well as its philosophical portrayal of the fusion between humans and machines. The appeal of the anime lies in its depth and subtlety, requiring viewers to contemplate questions of selfhood and reality. Its dark, poetic, and futuristic aesthetic imbues every scene with intellectual weight. This philosophical and artistic sophistication is central to the original work’s success and its lasting influence on science fiction.

However, in adapting the anime for a broader Western audience, the live-action film simplified these complex philosophical themes into a more straightforward action narrative. In the original, Major Motoko Kusanagi is a powerful cyborg whose sense of self is ambiguous, grappling with profound psychological and existential contradictions. The film reduced her story to that of an “ordinary person searching for herself,” stripping away the layered philosophical depth that defined the original and leaving a sense of “all show, no substance,” which disappointed longtime anime fans. The extensive changes to plot and characters further weakened the story’s core: many iconic scenes were reinterpreted or assigned new meanings, which constituted a cultural departure that original fans found difficult to accept.

In terms of visual style, while the film incorporated certain visual effects, critics generally agreed that it failed to capture the dark, poetic, and aesthetically masterful atmosphere of the original animation, particularly that of Mamoru Oshii’s acclaimed version. This stylistic gap diminished the philosophical and artistic appeal of the source material, reducing the film’s cultural resonance and artistic credibility.

Casting controversies also contributed significantly to criticism. Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of Major sparked accusations of whitewashing, as it disregarded the character’s original Japanese cultural background and identity. This not only disappointed anime fans but also raised broader cultural sensitivity concerns, making it difficult for the film to resonate with audiences.

Finally, the live-action adaptation suffered from an awkward positioning in terms of audience. It failed to succeed as a compelling science-fiction action film while simultaneously falling short of satisfying fans seeking the original’s philosophical depth. In summary, in its attempt to “mainstream” the source material, the film ultimately stripped away its most essential cultural and philosophical elements. The adaptation is widely regarded as a failure and stands as a cautionary example in the history of adapting classic anime for live-action.