Ghostbusters
The reunion of a couple of old friends, one a paranormal researcher, the other a physicist, leads to a bizarre business venture after the two team up with an engineer in order to track down and capture ghosts. Although apprehensive at first, the scientifically-minded Erin soon rediscovers her passion for the paranormal as the three women join forces with a subway worker who leads them to a ground-breaking discovery.
Directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The Heat), Ghostbusters is very much in line with its director’s past work as it sees Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy leading another female-focused comedy that works with a very specific theme. In the case of this movie the theme is the paranormal and Feig seems set on retracing the outline of the original while presenting it through his very own lens.
As the latest entry on the reboot agenda, Ghostbusters features a number of keen nods to the 1984 original. These homages are oddly placed, however, and have no real purpose outside of making fans of the original smile. This is probably the best reaction that the movie can tickle out of the real Ghostbusters aficionados as the film essentially turns a bunch of old ideas into a set of low grade SNL sketches.
Love them or hate them, the jokes are there to be consumed by a wide range of audience members and while the feminist intentions are there, the ideological motivations are nowhere near as prevalent as many predicted. Ghostbusters is by no means a political statement and if it is then it’s a pretty wasted opportunity. While this may be a relief for some and a disappointment for others, the movie is frustratingly jumbled to the point where it cannot fully satisfy either side.
As silly as it is underwhelming, this remake is unlikely to leave a lasting impression on the average cinemagoer but for those looking for a new take on a classic it has the potential to make its mark. The special effects upgrade in particular gives the ghost-makers a creative freedom that they were unable to experience a few decades ago and it takes them to great places in a climatic sequence featuring a war between the ghostbusters and hundreds of ghouls.
If you’re looking for some mindless entertainment then this one is worth a look-in but fans of the original are unlikely to be swayed by its new perspective. Which is why, our rating would be a rather ghastly 5 out of 10.
