Ghostbusters (2016)

            The 1980’s had some of the most memorable franchise to fill up pop culture. It gave birth to some of the most memorable characters, movies, tv shows, anything you can name. Some franchises have come and gone with the 80’s, but there have been others that have stood the test of time. And one of those major franchises is “Ghostbusters.”

            The original 1984 film about a group of scientists coming together to tackle New York’s evolving ghost problems still remains not only one of the best films of its time, but one of the greatest films of all time. It manages to combine elements of action, comedy, and horror, all into one neat little package, and a lot of it stems from how they got all of the right pieces to come together. Ivan Reitman as director, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis as writers and co-stars, and other talents such as Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, and Ernie Hudson put together in this one film, and it payed off excellently. There were comics, video games, toy sales, and to top it all off, an awesome seven season cartoon. All of that spawned from a film like this. Sure, it may not have the best effects or jokes back then, but with what it did have back then, it takes full advantage of it and runs with it so damn well. It’s still remembered thirty years later, and there’s a good chance it will still be remembered thirty years after.

            Now when it comes to making a follow-up, trying to recapture the same amount of appeal and charm a second time would be like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. And if you don’t believe me, just watch “Ghostbusters II.” This is a prime example of a film with “sequel-itis,” where it’s made completely based on the success of the first film, and it retreads a lot of the same plot points and themes as the first film, as a way of saying “Remember that from the first movie? Here it is again!” It’s been a running Hollywood money maker since the late 70’s, and “Ghostbusters” is guilty of being part of it as well. Sure, there are some moments that do stand out, but it’s more or less the same movie. Its fine for what it is, but doesn’t have as much appeal as the first film.

             Talks of a third film have been circulating for over twenty years, but a lot of obstacles have kept it from being what it needed to be. Drawbacks like Rick Moranis retiring from acting, Bill Murray not wanting to do a third film, scripts from Sony being dropped, and the biggest one being the passing of Harold Ramis back in 2014. It seemed like we would never see a third installment of the “Ghostbusters” film series.

            However, talks of a third installment came up again, but things were different. This time, it was announced that an all-female “Ghostbusters” was in works, and it would not be in relation to the original two films. These two things popping up didn’t settle in well with people, and by the time the trailers were released earlier this year, EVERYBODY went to fucking war with each other. I mean, the kinds of things that people were saying about the trailers alone has gotten so out of hand, from people making comments about it being feminist propaganda, to people calling the haters sexist and racist, countless videos of people complaining about the people who were complaining about the trailers, it’s become such a mess. And it was all for a movie that hadn’t even come out yet.

            Before I get into this “controversial” movie, let me start off with a warning: if any of you people have a problem with what I say about this movie, that doesn’t equate to your thoughts of extreme left or extreme right, then I suggest you choose one of these options:

A)    Leave and find some other douche bag that shares your opinion better

B)     Finish reading what I have to say with a grain of salt, then kindly move about your day like a normal human being.

Seriously people, it’s just a movie. Calm the fuck down and stop throwing a temper tantrum…anyways, let’s get on with the plot.

            In recent events of ghosts popping up in our world, Professor Erin Gilbert reunites with her old friend, Abby Yates, to look into the matter further, along with Abby’s new partner, Jillian Holtzmann, and native New Yorker, Patty Tolan. As further evidence of the paranormal pops up, along with suspicious pattern activity, it’s up to the four of them to figure out who is behind this plan, as the Ghostbusters.

            Now that we got the plot out of the way, let me discuss what I didn’t like about the movie. For starters, the easter eggs this film throws at us got really distracting. There are constant nods that reference the original films, which I get are nice treats to the fans, but modern moviegoers who’ve never seen the original won’t really get. And it’s not just with little lines here and there, but also cameos from some of the original actors, and all they do is just pause the movie. Sure a couple of them were fine, but they still take my focus off of the movie. There were also some characters that felt like the most obvious stereotypes you could think of: the hunky dumb male, the awkward creepy speaking chubby guy, the doubtful snooty professional, the “Jaws” mayor, the district attorney that wants everything kept under, and the screaming black lady. I mean, sure the original film had stereotypes too, but there was at least some subtlety to them.

            Also, my biggest problem with the film is that it isn’t scary. What made the original “Ghostbusters” so damn memorable was how it manages to blend horror and comedy so damn well. There are dozens of moments that still send chills down my spine, from the librarian scaring the group away to Dana’s Zuul voice. With this film, while there are a few jumps, it doesn’t really set a horror like tone. It’s always comedy and action, with a slight hint of horror.

            So, with all that I’ve addressed, what did I like about the film? Despite the stereotyping, I thought the cast did a good job with what they were given. While I thought Chris Hemmsworth’s character was dumber than he needed to be, he handled it really well and really made me laugh, much like his performance in the first “Thor” movie when he first comes to Earth. He has a good sense of timing and delivery, so hopefully we’ll see him do more comedy in the future. Other cast members like Cecily Strong, Andy Garcia, Matt Walsh, Michael K. Williams, Karan Soni, and even Bill Murray do a fine job with what they’re given. And as for the action scenes and effects, I thought they were fine too. Nothing special, but they do feel serviceable to the film, and when things got tense, I felt the tension as it happened. That’s one thing I have to give Paul Feig credit for, he knows how to do action comedies pretty damn well, especially after “The Heat” and “Spy.”

            As for the Ghostbusters, I thought the main four did a good job, since a “Ghostbusters” film needs strong leads for it to work. I thought Kristen Wiig did well as Erin Gilbert, being a character who has her past come back to haunt her (no pun intended), but then re-embracing that passion fully when her theories were true. She handles the no-nonsense role of the group with ease, making her the most sympathetic of the group, but still getting an even amount of laughs. Melissa McCarthy as Abby was very fun to watch, being the one most invested in the paranormal, much like Ray Stantz was in the original. I can definitely see the traits, as McCarthy herself is a huge “Ghostbusters” fan, and did have Dan Aykroyd play her dad in “Tammy.” Even if Leslie Jones’ character of Patty Tolan was stereotypical, she gives her performance a sense of life and in no way bored me. I know a lot of people complained about her not being a scientist in the film, but…you people do remember that Winston wasn’t a scientist either, right? Just saying.

            However, if there was one person who stole the show, it was Kate McKinnon as Jillian Holtzmann. Not a moment went by where she didn’t have me laughing my ass off at her shenanigans and quick little quirks. Her fascination with ghosts, her mad scientist nature, and her quips towards the others, everything about her just made me smile when she came onscreen. You take one look at her in this movie, and you can tell that she’s giving it her all and having fun with every second of it. Hell, I’d say the movie is worth checking out for her performance alone.

            Overall, where do I stand with the new “Ghostbusters?” While I do understand why people wouldn’t like it, it in no way deserves THAT level of hatred. But I do agree that it isn’t as good as hoped. If you’re curious about it, I’d say wait to rent it. If it doesn’t appeal, then (here’s a crazy thought) don’t watch it. For me, I have somewhat the same feelings with this film as I did with “Batman V Superman”: I thought it was okay. And if you don’t agree, tough shit.

Rating: 6/10