Ghostbusters - Review
Director: Paul Feig
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Chris Hemsworth.
Since its very announcement through to the release of its trailers, the re-boot of the 1984 Ghostbusters has been the cause of much contention, particularly amongst fanboys who bemoan that the re-boot has "ruined their childhood", acting as if this films very existence erases that of the original. As you may recall, I was not a fan of the first trailer released for the film, but thankfully, it was misrepresentative of the final product.
After being fired from her position as a Professor at Columbia University due to the republication of a book she co-wrote positing the existence of paranormal activity, Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) teams up with physicists Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) and Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) and MTA worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) to prove that the dead live amongst us.
The appeal of this film is largely anchored by the talented cast, some of whom deliver their best work. Personally, my MVP is SNL (Saturday Night Live) favourite Leslie Jones as Patty, who fulfils the role of Winston in the 1984 original. However, her character is given a much beefier role and is a legitimate member of the Ghostbusters who uses her extensive knowledge of New York City to help devise plans. Meanwhile, Wiig is excellent as the self-conscious Erin who is the perfect combination of quirky and competent as she cutely fawns over ravishing receptionist Kevin whilst being deeply invested in the hunt for the paranormal. In regards to McKinnon, critics and audiences alike have garnered her performance as the eccentric and flamboyant Dr Jillian Holtzmann with great acclaim, and although I didn't dislike her performance, neither was I enamoured by it. The same feeling can be applied to McCarthy's Abby Yates as her character feels the least defined amongst the four leads and ultimately has the weakest impact. Thankfully, Chris Hemsworth (most famous for playing the God of Thunder) as the pretty but dumb receptionist is a wonderful comedic surprise, and like Leslie Jones' character, is given a lot more to do than his 1984 counterpart. Whilst not every individual performance prevails, the collective group bond and chemistry make up for any lacklustre character refinement.
Luckily, the writing and screenplay succeed in other ways, as the references to pop culture particularly demonstrate the strongest moments of humour. For example, Wiig's character tries to reason with the Mayor of New York City and pleads with him, "Please don't be the Mayor from Jaws!" and his disgruntled response is hilarious. Although, I must confess... I'm a tough nut to crack when it comes to laughing at films and I rarely LOL (Laugh Out Loud, for you non-millennials out there) - I was hoping Ghostbusters would remedy this issue. Alas, it was not to be. I could recognise when jokes were delivered and some of them were rewarded with a smirk (the Jaws gag received an appreciative puff of air through the nostrils), but never a hearty laugh. Is that a reflection on me, or the film itself? Probably both.
I may not have been tickled throughout the whole film, but I was certainly engaged as Ghostbusters offers some genuine thrills and scary moments, prominently for younger audiences despite the cartoonish nature of the CGI ghosts. With its 12A rating, the film can be enjoyed by the whole family. Fans of the 1984 classic will also be appeased as the re-boot incorporates frequent callbacks to the original, including the much loved Slimer, famous lines of dialogue that have entered the zeitgeist and cameos from the OG Ghostbusters. In times where the film's unique ideas don't quite resonate (ahem, the villain, ahem), the references to the original provide some comfort and a shot of nostalgia.
Overall, while Ghostbusters may not be a triumph or the home-run Paul Feig and Sony were wishing for, the hope still remains that this re-boot will encourage a surge of wider representation and prove that female-lead casts can make some money and pioneer a franchise.
EB
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Chris Hemsworth.
After being fired from her position as a Professor at Columbia University due to the republication of a book she co-wrote positing the existence of paranormal activity, Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) teams up with physicists Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) and Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) and MTA worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) to prove that the dead live amongst us.
The appeal of this film is largely anchored by the talented cast, some of whom deliver their best work. Personally, my MVP is SNL (Saturday Night Live) favourite Leslie Jones as Patty, who fulfils the role of Winston in the 1984 original. However, her character is given a much beefier role and is a legitimate member of the Ghostbusters who uses her extensive knowledge of New York City to help devise plans. Meanwhile, Wiig is excellent as the self-conscious Erin who is the perfect combination of quirky and competent as she cutely fawns over ravishing receptionist Kevin whilst being deeply invested in the hunt for the paranormal. In regards to McKinnon, critics and audiences alike have garnered her performance as the eccentric and flamboyant Dr Jillian Holtzmann with great acclaim, and although I didn't dislike her performance, neither was I enamoured by it. The same feeling can be applied to McCarthy's Abby Yates as her character feels the least defined amongst the four leads and ultimately has the weakest impact. Thankfully, Chris Hemsworth (most famous for playing the God of Thunder) as the pretty but dumb receptionist is a wonderful comedic surprise, and like Leslie Jones' character, is given a lot more to do than his 1984 counterpart. Whilst not every individual performance prevails, the collective group bond and chemistry make up for any lacklustre character refinement.
Luckily, the writing and screenplay succeed in other ways, as the references to pop culture particularly demonstrate the strongest moments of humour. For example, Wiig's character tries to reason with the Mayor of New York City and pleads with him, "Please don't be the Mayor from Jaws!" and his disgruntled response is hilarious. Although, I must confess... I'm a tough nut to crack when it comes to laughing at films and I rarely LOL (Laugh Out Loud, for you non-millennials out there) - I was hoping Ghostbusters would remedy this issue. Alas, it was not to be. I could recognise when jokes were delivered and some of them were rewarded with a smirk (the Jaws gag received an appreciative puff of air through the nostrils), but never a hearty laugh. Is that a reflection on me, or the film itself? Probably both.
I may not have been tickled throughout the whole film, but I was certainly engaged as Ghostbusters offers some genuine thrills and scary moments, prominently for younger audiences despite the cartoonish nature of the CGI ghosts. With its 12A rating, the film can be enjoyed by the whole family. Fans of the 1984 classic will also be appeased as the re-boot incorporates frequent callbacks to the original, including the much loved Slimer, famous lines of dialogue that have entered the zeitgeist and cameos from the OG Ghostbusters. In times where the film's unique ideas don't quite resonate (ahem, the villain, ahem), the references to the original provide some comfort and a shot of nostalgia.
Overall, while Ghostbusters may not be a triumph or the home-run Paul Feig and Sony were wishing for, the hope still remains that this re-boot will encourage a surge of wider representation and prove that female-lead casts can make some money and pioneer a franchise.
EB
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