Ghostbusters (2016)

Review

116min

Genre:     Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-fi

Director:  Paul Feig

Cast:       Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Chris Hemsworth…and more

Writers:   Paul Feig, Katie Dippold and Ivan Reitman

-Synopsis-

Over 30 years after the boys save New York city, the girls get their shot in this lavish but risky reboot of a comedy classic; which sees writer/director Paul Feig reunite with stars Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy to apply their 21st century comic sensibilities to a proven formula, a rag-tag group of “paranormal exterminators” saving the city from dark supernatural forces.

You wouldn’t have thought that a light comedy about misfits protecting a city from spooky ghosts would be one of the more controversial major releases of the last few years; but a combination of the beloved status of the original and an almost strategic infusion of gender politics by commentators and the studio itself, have somehow made ‘Ghostbusters’ the most divisive film in years… way before it was released!

Remakes and reboots are nothing new in an increasingly risk-averse industry for which they have become a staple; but ‘Ghostbusters’ is a tricky cat to try and re-skin, a global success classic which is a major part of an entire generation’s childhood, so if you’re gonna take it on might as well go big and bold.

And director Paul Feig certainly does that; taking all the fancy CGI that a $150 million budget can buy, slapping it on top of a cameo-heavy, star-studded cast which includes the core of the original film. But mostly by turning it into ladies night with a lead foursome which includes comedy giants Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy, as well as relative global newcomers and ‘Saturday Night Live’ alumni Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones… not to mention flipping-the-script on the secretary role by casting Aussie hunk Chris Hemsworth as dim witted eye candy.

Feig had the unenviable task of rebooting a beloved 80s classic by balancing the valuable nostalgia for the originals with launching a ‘Ghostbusters’ for an ADHD generation, and does so by featuring much of the original cast in new and unrelated roles. Not to mention crafting a “feminist” Hollywood blockbuster, a still relatively rare feat but something Feig is proving an expert on, and for all the components he gets about as much juice out of this ripe fruit as can be expected.

If you’re looking for a couple of hours of silly escapism, ‘Ghostbusters’ is fun, and plenty funny. The girls do a solid job at building a new chemistry, being faithful to their character archetypes and bringing their own personalities to the table. Feig and co-writer Katie Dippold do a good job keeping the gags coming, with plenty of witty banter, pop-culture references and physical humour thrown into the mix.

The film looks like what you’d expect a modern blockbuster version of ‘Ghostbusters’ to look like; CGI-heavy, loud and flashy, more dynamic and scary than the original. But as the scale grows into the 3rd act, the comedy diminishes, and it starts to look and feel like every other big lumbering effects-driven piece out there.

The final scene is as epic as you might expect but overly familiar and distinctly underwhelming; and when combined with the post credits scene confirms that ‘Ghostbusters’ will have a sequel, if not be the start of a new franchise or “cinematic universe” for Sony… box-office depending of course.

It seems like social media has already placed ‘Ghostbusters’ audiences into two camps; everyone who hates it is automatically a sexist, or those who love it must but a “social justice warrior”. But if you wade through all the nonsense, the reality is somewhere in between; a silly and fun blockbuster which like almost all reboots/remakes falls well short of justifying its existence, on an artistic level anyway. But rather than damaging the original, it only makes it look better… so everyone can relax.

The Bottom Line…

Despite all the pre-release controversy and social posturing; Paul Feig’s ‘Ghostbusters’ is an entertaining and funny 2 hours of light escapism which doesn’t quite slip the trappings of the modern “reboot”, an enjoyable but unnecessary and unremarkable remake which doesn’t damage the legacy of the original but adds nothing much… apart for some major paychecks.

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Pixels (2015)

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Directed by Chris Columbus and starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Peter Dinklage among others.

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