Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: The Laughing Man (2007)

A 154 minute edit culled from 300+ minutes of 'Complex' episodes of the first SAC series (for a fuller explanation of that see HERE). It keeps the action but losses much of the philosophical underpinnings.
A new dub replaces the usual cast. It wasn't as bad as I’d feared, except for Batou who was lifeless and limp, rendering the character emotionally vacant; his unspoken feelings were almost completely excised.
Had this been the Laughing Man episodes collected without cuts, retaining the regular cast, it would've scored a perfect 5 out of 5. Instead, it stumbles over the line with a half-assed insult on its lips.
I can’t recommend it as a substitute for the series. For existing fans, there's a new Tachikomatic Days episode. It’s the only part of real interest.

1½ deaf-mutes out of 5