Yesterday, Jan & I went to see Ghostbusters.
Bottom line, we left the theatre smiling.
Ghostbusters is what Hollywood does best.
Of course I was well aware of the controversies surrounding the reboot of the 1984 classic comedy. But, I noticed that much of the hubbub had nothing to do with whether the movie was good or fun or whatever. It was about how girls were taking over boy’s territory. I missed the worst of it, I gather. I don’t wander too much into those corners of the interwebs. I also noticed much of that stuff was generated before anyone could even see a script much less the film.
Now the reviews are coming in. They range from more pan than rave like Peter Debruge’s review at Variety, which acknowledging it is both “funnier and scarier” than the original, but finds it overall “a disappointingly strong case of déjà vu.” To more or less liked it, such as with Mark Kermode’s review at the Guardian, where he opines, “Although infinitely more crowd-pleasing than the poisonous trolls had hoped, the new Ghostbusters is at best a qualified success, an often entertaining, generally likable, but also uneven affair…” And, just plain positive, like Megan Garber’s review at the Atlantic, where she offers, “Well. I am happy to report—not at all for the sake of feminism but definitely for the sake of summer entertainment—that the new Ghostbusters is good. It is actually pretty great! It’s funny, and nuanced in its funniness: hehs to haaaaaaas to lols.”
Rotten Tomatoes, my favorite online review aggregator (not without controversy itself, as Walt Hickey at Fivethirtyeight tells us) reports the two hundred, thirty-five professional reviewers aggregated a seventy-three percent positive. It’s interesting (and for that interesting I really recommend you go to Fivethirtyeight and read the results of Mr Hickey’s number crunching. It is telling in a not happy way…) that only fifty seven percent of the more than eighty-four thousand viewers felt positive about the movie.
Did I mention Jan and I both left the movie smiling?
I liked it. I liked it a lot.
We’re talking summer movie, not “film.” But, that’s what the original was, too. As entertainment it delivers.
Rotten Tomatoes tells us “Ghostbusters makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters. Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today–Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. This summer, they’re here to save the world!” It’s rated PG13 for “supernatural action and some crude humor.”
Megan Barber digs into it. “The Ghostbusters of 2016 is, to be clear, a reboot of the original in only the broadest sense of the term. Much more than a scene-by-scene, character-for-character redo, the new version takes the story and the themes of the original and pays tribute to them, both subtly and (when the occasion demands it) without any subtlety at all. Peter Venkman, Billy Murray’s loutish, lying parapsychologist, has been replaced with Erin, Kristen Wiig’s bumbling-but-badass physicist; the Chinatown firehouse that housed the Ghostbusters business in the original—and that today, given New York’s housing costs, would be more at home on Million Dollar Listing than on Ghost Hunters—has been replaced by the dingy attic of a Chinese restaurant. This time around, too, the jokes are even snappier and more rapid-fire; the slimy spirits are even awesomer; but the proton packs retain every bit of their delightful mid-‘80s kitsch.”
The cast is first rate. Although I have to admit Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon really stole the show. That said even knowing the thought that anyone could steal a scene from Melissa McCarthy is hard to conceive. And Kristen Wiig is no slouch, herself. Everyone delivers the goods.
While Ms Barber has some mixed feelings about the continuous referencing of the original, both Jan and I loved it, finding ourselves looking for the cameos from the original actors. And, we were happy to find them, if disappointed that Rick Moranis was not there, and aware that Harold Ramis could not be. Whatever disruptions to the flow of the movie the introduction, always brief, well, a bit more for Bill Murray than the rest, into the story was more than made up for by the playful connection itself. We’re all in on the joke. Nothing is being taken too seriously. It’s just plain fun. Fun with a couple of scary moments. But fun…
As to the controversy surrounding the movie. Ms Barber (okay, I guess I’m citing her so much I should give you the direct link. Here you go.) points out there is a bit of the old masculine sexism being replaced with a bit of feminine sexism. Me, speaking as a guy, I felt no uncomfortableness. Not a bit. It legitimately felt all good-for-the goose-good-for-the-gander fun. I completely enjoyed the running gag of Chris Hemsworth’s dumb as a brick beefcake secretary Kevin. It all worked. It was light and in good humor and I have a hard time understanding that it offends some men. I have to wonder what they thought of the oral sex scene in the original.
Again, we’re not talking major breakthrough film. We’re talking summer comedy. And, yes, I don’t think it matches the original, which caught lightning in a bottle, something past rare. But, it is its own original, and it was a delight.
The ending has been criticized a little for being over long. But, by the time I really noticed that, the credits were run. And then just before the blackout, a small tease that completely worked for me. And, yes, I’m ready for the sequel…
I recommend Ghostbusters to everyone. Well, PG13 recommend.
A pleasant way to spend one hundred and five summer evening minutes. Ideally with a friend.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In