Director: Paul Feig
Writer: Katie Dippold
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Chris Hemsworth
Release Date: July 15th, 2016
The original Ghostbusters was released over 30 years and has since become a classic cult comedy with a loyal following. It is one of those rare cinematic gems that everyone has either seen or heard of. Duplicating such a beloved work is a dangerous undertaking but at long last the familiar tale gets an update with a twist. The 2016 reboot features a brand new storyline with contemporary issues, updated visuals and a stellar cast of comedic actors with one minor flaw. There’s only one thing missing from every one of the new Ghostbusters; a penis. For reasons unknown, the threat of an all-female reboot made the internet crazy. Fans of the 80’s classic took to the web fanning the flames of hatred for a movie they hadn’t even seen. The gates of hell truly broke loose when the trailer was released and it wasn’t up to par according to random fanboys. Admittedly the trailer really did leave a lot to be desired, especially when compared to one of the original trailers which were a commercial for the “Ghostbusters” featuring a real working 1-800 number. Thousands of curious people dialed that number and heard a recording by Bill Murry and Dan Akroyd. The new trailer may have lacked something for the keyboard gangsters who bothered to weigh in, but the new film is solid. It is not a rehash of the classic tale. It is a brand new telling of one of pop culture’s most treasured stories. This time around we get to witness the birth of a brand new team or Ghostbusters.
Though similar to their male counterparts the women present a fresh and entirely new team dynamic. Erin Gilbert (Wiig) is a physicist who is thrown out of academia thanks to the discovery of her questionable past dealings with loveable quack Dr. Abby Yates. The duo’s long-standing feud comes to a grinding halt as New York City is gripped by a plague of supernatural occurrences that threaten to turn the city into ruins. Joined by a cooky engineer (McKinnon) and Historian slash MTA worker (Jones) the four would be heroes set out on a mission save the city from paranormal demise. It is a shame how the ramblings of faceless trolls can ruin a film’s standing, let us be the first of many to tell you that these girls kick Ectoplasmic ass! The updated special effects alone are reason enough to see this film but real ghostbusters fans will enjoy the funny cameos and nods to the original. There’s even a posthumous appearance by the late great Harold Ramis. Cameos aside, the movie is entertaining from the first frame. The jokes start 30 seconds in and continue even as the credits roll. Honestly, when was the last time you stayed and watched the credits in their entirety? Not only did we sit and watch, we enjoyed every minute.
McCarthy is her usual rambunctious self, bringing her unique style of physical comedy to her role as the wacky Abby Yates. One of the funniest scenes in the film features a possessed Yates in a freeze frame jump ala the matrix ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey. To balance out McCarthy’s rambunctious spirit , Wiig’s character serves up dry humor and nerdy quirkiness. Watching Wiig as the bumbling professor Gilbert practically drooling over the super hot but incredibly dumb receptionist Kevin played by Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth. Watching Wiig flirt shamelessly and unsuccessfully is reminiscent of hound dog Peter Venkman in the first film. Along with good humor, the women also present an action-filled version of the film with more energetic fight scenes and state of the art special effects. In one of the pivotal scenes in the movie, a swarm of angry entities takes over Times Square and it’s up to the Ghostbusters to save it. Watching the team wielding the familiar proton packs was thrilling but seeing them switch up and use brand new ghost of the fighting weapons as Ray Parker Jr’s original score played int he background was magic. The familiar tune coupled with the new faces and digitally enhanced threats had us feeling like little kids all over again. The scene alone fueled our nostalgia driven lust for the film and awakened a new affection for the all-female cast. rounding out the Stellar cast is Leslie Jones as Patty Tolan, token booth clerk turned ghost hunter. While the others are perfectly at home with the paranormal, Tolan is the realist in all of us providing a real life approach to the weird world of the paranormal.
The cast and storyline have changed but Ghostbusters fans can relax. The reboot has done nothing to tarnish the legacy of the original. If anything the film will reignite our love for the original. Dan Akroyd one of the writers of the 1984 movie is executive producer of the new film. Would he lend his considerable star power to a thud? If he can give his blessing to the new look perhaps you should too. It may not win an Oscar but it doesn’t have to, it’s a fun, enjoyable film that will delight fans of the original and create its own new following. The original cast had penises and as far as we know that fact had no bearing on the enjoyment of the film. So don’t let something as ahem small as an appendage keep you from good laughs and a feel-good thrill. In summation, before you judge the film, don’t be a dick, go see it. As a matter of fact, go see it in Real 3D, you won’t be disappointed.