Review // Ghostbusters

[projekktor id=’24761′]

You don’t have to follow movies to have heard about the controversy surrounding Paul Feig’s new all-female Ghostbusters remake. When the film was announced, fans of the original 80s comedies tied their proton streams in knots accusing the new film of tarnishing the legacy of the originals and preemptively declaring it a failure. Defenders of the film retorted, pointing out that most of the cast and crew of the originals were either working on, or endorsing the new film, and called out this nerd fury for what it was: thinly veiled sexism aimed at a cast of female comedians. Because of all the hype and controversy it might be a disappointment to learn that the new Ghostbusters film is entirely…average. It’s funny in parts, the cast is strong and it has a great goofy energy throughout. But it’s bogged down by its constant nods to the past, a forgettable villain, and a clunky third act. No triumphant failure for the haters, no shining example for the defenders. Just a goofy movie about ghosts. Everyone can take a breath.

The film stars Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy as Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, the former a physics professor at Columbia University desperately trying to gain tenure, the latter a paranormal researcher at a disreputable technical institute. Though estranged at the beginning of the film, the pair were once partners, having written a book together detailing their theories on the paranormal. Erin has since attempted to distance herself from the book in order to be accepted into academia, while Abby has embraced it, building a lab full of gizmos and partnering with eccentric genius Jillian Holtzmann (Kate Mckinnon). After Erin is approached by a museum curator about a haunting in one of New York’s oldest houses, she is reunited with Abby and Jillian. The trio are soon joined by MTA employee and amateur historian Patty (Leslie Jones), when they investigate a eerily similar ghost appearance in a subway tunnel. Thus the Ghostbusters are (re)formed.

Though the film isn’t a continuation of the original series, it pays near constant homage to the earlier films. Some of these references are overt, like the liberal use of pseudo-scientific language, red and blue proton streams and made up New York locations, while some are less obvious, like scenes at a rock club and a Central Park restaurant that subtly mirror similar scenes in the first film. This helps to firmly establish it in the same universe as the originals while allowing the characters to discover everything as if it were new. It’s the type of re-introduction that is really fun (and that fanboys usually love) because we get to re-experience everything along with the characters. Unfortunately this type of wink-to-the-audience detailing gets out of control when it comes to the film’s numerous unfunny and unnecessary cameos, which only serve to jolt the viewer out of any suspension of disbelief.

This damaging self-awareness is on further display in the film’s villain Rowan, who – as if writers Katie Dippold and Paul Feig knew exactly what the reaction to the remake would be – is an angry loner, upset that the world doesn’t recognize his unique genius. He’s basically a walking talking internet troll who plans to use the Ghostbusters technology to open the gates of the underworld and let loose an army of the undead on New York City. Played like an angry child by Neil Casey, Rowan is given little to do besides talk to himself about his dastardly plans. That’s fun to watch when the villain is some menacing god from another world, but smacks of lazy exposition when it’s just some angry bell boy in a hotel basement. It would have been a lot more fun if he was an actual troll who lived under the Brooklyn Bridge or something.

When the film isn’t paying homage to the past or teasing its haters though, it’s actually a lot of fun. The chemistry between the lead actors is strong, especially Wiig and McCarthy who are able to get some real emotional weight from their central relationship (far more emotion than the cringe-worthy love plot between Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver in the original, take off the rose-coloured glasses nostalgia warriors). Leslie Jones manages to create a realistic character despite a predictable quota of “ah hell naws!”, while Kate McKinnon provides about 300 smirking reaction shots. They’re complimented by very funny supporting turns from Zach Woods (Silicon Valley), Karan Soni (Deadpool), Cecily Strong (SNL) and Andy Garcia (his first film), who plays New York’s halfwit mayor. In fact the supporting cast is so deep people like Michael Kenneth Williams (The Wire) and Matt Walsh (Veep) end up feeling underused. The only real disappointment is Chris Hemsworth as the receptionist Kevin. Though he gives it his all, his two-dimensional dumb-as-rocks persona grows old pretty quick. Overall the depth of the cast guarantees there is rarely a dull moment.

Director Paul Feig deserves kudos for walking the delicate line between homage and reboot and largely succeeding.  Though he occasionally lets his actors riff a little too long, the film moves forward at a good clip overall and manages to tell an engaging origin story without the original’s benefit of 80s montage. The brightly coloured ghosts are a visual delight and the film’s epic battle in Times Square is ridiculous fun, even if things wrap up a little too easily. Anyone who praises JJ Abrams for what he did with The Force Awakens but doesn’t give similar kudos to Feig needs to take another look. I’m not saying this film is as good as The Force Awakens (it’s not), but both directors took on a near-impossible task and managed to make something that feels fresh. Though it may not reach the comic heights of the original, Ghostbusters is a worthy reboot and a fun summer comedy. That said, could we cool it with the reboots already?

Reviewed by Evan Arppe.