Ghostbusters

Year: 2016
Genre: Sci-Fi Comedy
Directed: Paul Feig
Stars: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth, Neil Casey, Matt Walsh, Andy Garcia, Cecily Strong, Michael Kenneth Williams, Nate Corddry, Zach Woods, Ed Begley Jr., Karan Soni
Production: Columbia Pictures

Short answer: Ghostbusters is okay. It's not great; it certainly doesn't hold a torch to the original, but I can see the argument upcoming generations will inevitably make when they swear it's better because "the special-effects are like, so much better". The story is okay, the acting is okay the direction is okay and with the sole standout being Kate McKinnon's ludicrously satisfying performance as the bat-s*** crazy Holtzmann, this franchise probably has the legs for a trilogy before fading into obscurity. Good job guys! Way to aim for the middle.

Meh, could have been worse...

Wait you want more? Fine; the film begins with particle physicist and tenure track professor Erin Gilbert (Wiig) finding her reputation besieged by the republishing of her paranormal manual. Manual co-author and fellow academic Abby Yates (McCarthy) has been using the funds from the book to fund her research into the metaphysical but thus far she's only paid for one tenth of a mini-fridge. Gilbert confronts Yates at her lab where we meet the third of four Ghostbuster teammates; Jillian Holtzmann. Yates and Holtzmann harangue Gilbert into an investigation of a creepy mansion, they see ghosts, New York history buff Patty (Jones) is added to the team later, yadda-yadda-yadda, ghosts take over New York City and they're the only ones who can stop them.

what, women shouldn't be allowed to wear proton packs!!!

Seasoned scribes Katie Dippold and director Paul Feig play the film smartly, leaning into the girl-power pluck and merrily taking aim at angry internet trolls and Ghostbros.  And you know what; it works! Most of that pre-release vitriol is sprayed back at the constantly irate internet community, largely focusing on dweeby villain Rowan North (Casey) as the film's punchline. He's even got a bargain bin hate lair that rivals the childish clubhouse priggishness of Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog (2008). The relationships between the characters and the various male-dominated institutions (academia, government, media, private industry) automatically endears the audience to them. You want them to succeed, you want them to mesh as a team and kick some level 5 apparition butt.

A lot of the audience's goodwill dissipates by the time the film reaches it's second act. Fortunately none of this is the fault of the main four but rather the appearance of the unrealistically imbecilic Kevin (Hemsworth) and the downright distracting ghost skeptic character, Martin Heiss played by none other than Bill Murray. More than just a cameo, Murray's character seems to be a simultaneously redundant shout down of the haters and a rubber stamp by franchise guardians. In fact, large segments of the Ghostbusters originators makes an appearances which are largely organic or at the very least mercifully short. Murray's appearance stands as a huge discord that in retrospect feels rather insulting.

Thankfully the film sticks the landing with a third act loaded with visuals that can only be described as a special-effects bonanza. Paul Feig's abilities as an action director has thankfully improved since Spy (2015). Sure he's no John Woo but there are some reliable dynamics at play here. Plus he's one of the few people who can make Melissa McCarthy look like a bada**. And can we please take another moment to appreciate Kate McKinnon again. While others fall into painfully unfunny voids of improvised drivel, every single thing she does and says is at once unexpected and completely organic. The obvious comparisons would be labeling her as a proxy for the late great Harold Ramis (I collect spores), though her character's inability to take anything seriously is signature Bill Murray.

It's hard to say within the context of today's knee-jerk, chauvinism tinged internet tantrums whether or not this film is really worth the price of admission. Admittedly I was one of the few who initially bulked at the idea of remaking something I still consider near perfect. But even if Ghostbusters was our worst fears made real, it still wouldn't have diminished the original. I say if film studios want to remake, reboot or retool old properties, even old classic properties, I say go for it. Spending all that money isn't going to guarantee box office. As it stands however Ghostbusters isn't our worst fears made real. In fact in comparison to most, it's actually quite okay.

It could have been so much worse.

Final Grade: C