Movie Review: Ghostbusters 2016

When I heard there was going to be a new version of Ghostbusters I thought it might be a good idea. I enjoyed both of the original movies and I fully appreciated the wacky humour and pseudo-scientific approach to the storyline. Even the effects were not too bad, although they look dated nowadays. So I waited with an open mind. I didn’t even mind when they announced that the new Ghostbusting cast would be female. Why would I? It’s an equal opportunities world isn’t it?

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So when I heard all the noise about the movie and read all the early reviews, I kept an open mind. That mind remained open until the end of the movie which is why I am writing this review based upon the movies merits and not what other people think of it.

I am not going to go too deeply into the plot because I do not want to spoil it for anyone else. However, I will say that the movie has a genuinely spooky start. It has a “getting together” moment, where three of the four members of the cast investigate the aforementioned spooky moment and then the rest of the movie is just different enough from the original to make it interesting. Bill Murray also makes an appearance as Martin Heiss, a debunker of ghost stories. The ending is reminiscent of the original, but has its own twists. There are also appearances from two more of the original movie cast. One appears as a cabby and the other appears in an after credits scene. Look out for them.

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Now, all of this is great, but what people really want to know is whether the movie is any good?

Okay, well as a fan of the original movies I have to add here that I thought that there was no real reason to make a remake of the original. It didn’t need to be done. I had hoped for a truly original story that built upon the original two films and introduced the concept to a new generation. Well I would like to say here and now that at least the last of these hopes has been answered.

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Ghostbusters is not a bad movie. Its plot isn’t bad, the production values are great and the special effects are easily some of the best. Even the slime is convincing. The problem is the grouping. It doesn’t always work. The jokes don’t either. Some are okay, some are great and some entirely fall flat. However that does not make it a bad movie. It isn’t. It is actually quite a good movie. It has some seriously funny moments and it has a plot that is easy to follow and offers some really scary moments. Yes, it is a bit predictable but it always has something to keep you interested. At times Chris Hemsworth is the funniest person on the screen and that isn’t because the rest of the group are bad.

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My judgement is simple – would I see this movie on a Tuesday afternoon on a two for one deal? Yes. Would I pay nearly ten UK pounds for a ticket? No. However, I have one of those monthly passes that means I get to see as many movies as possible for a fixed fee, so I would use that to see this movie. It’s good, but it isn’t perfect. Fans of the originals will find this cringeworthy at times, but a new generation will enjoy this movie. Ultimately that is the point. 6/10 if you’re a fan of the originals and 7/10 for new fans.

  • Title: Ghostbusters 2016
  • Release Date: July 2016
  • Director: Paul Feig
  • Main Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth

 

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