"Ghostbusters" (2016) Review

Title: Ghostbusters

Directed by: Paul Feig

Written by: Paul Feig and Katie Dippold

Year: 2016


To say that Ghostbusters had a rough road leading up to its release would be an understatement. Not only was the first trailer met with overwhelming animosity, but it is also the most disliked movie trailer on YouTube. However, Paul Feig has proven to be a capable director and he is working in his element here with familiar actors. Does this reboot live up to the low expectations set forth by the trailer, or does it manage to deliver a good time?

In New York City, paranormal activity is spiking at an alarming rate. A group of scientists comes together to combat these ghosts and investigate what is happening. However, there is a bigger plot at hand that might be too big of a challenge for the Ghostbusters.

I will be the first to say it; the trailers for this movie were abysmal. They were not cut together well and the jokes did not seem to work. I thought this movie was going to be a horrendous trainwreck. I did not want it to do badly, but the trailers were not getting my hopes up. However, I have to call it as I see it, and I will admit when I am wrong. Ghostbusters, in contrast with its promotional material, is actually a very good film.

Kristen Wiig does a remarkable job playing the uptight personality of the group. She disappears into her character and makes for an enjoyable presence. Melissa McCarthy is also very good, but probably the weakest link in the group. This is a slightly different take on her usual persona, but McCarthy is still working within her comfort zone. However, as acclaimed and well-known as these two actors are, it is Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon that steal the show. McKinnon is the oddball of the group; the one with the crazy ideas and the outlandish lines. McKinnon is incredibly funny, giving the film a bit more of a unique attitude. Equally great is Leslie Jones, who is the straight-man for this comedy. Though she spends plenty of time raising her voice and yelling her lines, I found that her funniest moments were when she was talking to herself in a quieter manner. The four women are hysterical together and helm this film very well.

Chris Hemsworth also joins the cast and he is funnier than I could have expected. His character is not the brightest guy around, which makes for some hilarious jokes. Hemsworth fully commits to the performance, despite its being out of his element. However, I do feel that the movie overplays his stupidity at times. There are moments where the jokes surrounding his character feel too forced. But aside from that, Hemsworth is terrific.

The story bears a few similarities to the original film in terms of structure. For instance, this movie has an intro where a ghost is haunting a certain location and after someone screams, the opening credits roll. But for the most part, Ghostbusters is very much its own entity. The story takes its own route, the villain is very different, and the humor is quite unlike that of the original. The main premise is the same, but the escalation of the plot is where the differences come into play. The originality of the story helps the film stand on its own and casts it farther away from the looming shadow of its predecessor.

The comedic value of this picture is very high. There are not too many gut-busters to be found, sadly, but I did find myself laughing throughout the film from beginning to end. In addition to the cast having such great chemistry with another, the screenwriting also helps the humor stick. A good majority of the jokes are clever and brought to life by the talented actresses. What is odd about the comedy is that the best jokes fall within the first act of the movie. The single funniest joke, in my opinion, came before the 20 minute mark, which is vastly disappointing.

Speaking of the first act, I found it to be best part about Ghostbusters. The pacing, humor, horror, and writing were firing on all cylinders. I found myself completely enthralled and on-board with this reboot within the first few minutes. What hurts this film is that the other two acts do not reach the heights of the first, especially the third. The final act of this picture becomes too overblown and seemingly out of place. There is some cool action and great humor peppered throughout it, but overall, it felt like it was just trying to top the ending of the original film.

One of the weakest aspects was the villain. He barely gets any screen-time or build-up until the third act where his plan is revealed. His motivations are murky to say the least and he feels like an afterthought from a writing perspective. Another major problem with this movie is the editing. The way the film is cut together feels very choppy and disconnected. You can tell that a lot was left on the cutting-room floor. In one shot, characters will be facing one-way; but in the very next shot, they are in completely different positions. Not only that, but there is a lack of effective transitions at points, which makes scene changes awfully jarring.

My final issue with Ghostbusters is actually something that came from good intentions. The ridiculous amount of cameos and callbacks to the 1984 classic is absurdly distracting. A few of these references are made into good jokes and nice easter eggs. But most of them betray what this film is going for. This reboot is attempting to stand on its own. However, it cannot fully do that if it is consistently reminding us of the beloved first picture. The cameos come from a loving place, but some of them really backfire. I will try to keep it vague; the scientist and mid-credits cameos are forced and lack charm, especially the former. The hotel and cab ones are alright. But the cameo that occurs just before the end credits is absolutely hilarious. It makes for a great final joke.

The visual effects look really good and complement the film's overall atmosphere fantastically. The look of the ghosts manages to work well with both the lighthearted, comedic tone and the creepy, horror vibe. The third act is very CGI heavy, showcasing ghosts of different shapes, sizes, and colors to glorious avail. As for the music, the remixes of the original theme work occasionally. The instrumental parts are damn catchy and immediately set the mood. But the singing portions do not sound too hot.

Ghostbusters is a highly enjoyable comedy that delivers plenty of great moments. The cast is well-rounded; the humor is copious; there is a taste of horror that benefits the picture greatly; and the film is written and directed by people with talent. What works against this film is the villain, the overblown nature of the third act, the sloppy editing, and the relentless references and cameos from the old movie. This is leaps and bounds better than any trailer would suggest. Is it as good as the original? Of course not. Not even close. But this is a successful reboot that breathes new life into the franchise. And make sure to stay through the credits.

Grade: B+