I think we all can agree that Hollywood is in a “remake/reboot” mode. So many movies are going to be getting reboots and they’re changing how things are done. For instance, Ghostbusters was rebooted with an all-female cast. Others are updating/changing storylines. Some are simply taking the original movie and just giving new actors a chance to play the characters. In all honestly, sometimes I get annoyed by this and I get disappointed in it. I have a lot of stories written and some wonderful ideas for movies if only I could get someone to see them and get some new movies made. This wish is probably just a wish.
Anyway the reboot to the original series, Ghostbusters, is directed by Paul Feig and runs for exactly two hours. This is a great amount of time and it gets the storyline on point in that time frame. I’m always looking at how long a movie is when it comes to the plot/storyline and if they match up. The Ghostbusters this time around are Erin Gilbert (played by Kristin Wiig), Abby Yates (played by Melissa McCarthy), Jillian Holtzmann (played by Kate McKinnon) and Patty Tolan (played by Leslie Jones). All but Patty are scientist who believe that they can prove on a scientific level that ghosts are real and it helps that someone is going across New York setting ghosts free, Rowen North (played by Neil Casey). They also have an attractive but unintelligent receptionist named Kevin (played by Chris Hemsworth).
Patty joins the group after seeing a ghost on the tracks for the subway. She tells the Erin, Abby and Jillian where she found the ghost and they also get their logo from a street artist. As the story progresses, they fight multiple ghosts with Jillian developing new means to fight the ghosts. There are appearances by the original cast. Bill Murray plays a Paranormal Debunker who gets killed by a ghost by being thrown out a window. Dan Aykroyd plays a New York cab driver who knows a lot about ghosts but refuses to drive Erin to Chinatown when the ghosts start taking over New York. Annie Potts (the receptionist) is now the Hotel Receptionist who doesn’t like Rowen at all. Harold Ramis passed in 2014 but he is still in the movie as a statue head bus in the hall outside of Erin’s office at Columbia University. And lastly Ernie Hudson is Patty’s Uncle, the one who provides the hearse they use to get around New York.
This reboot is a kiss to the original movie while taking the comedic skills of the female cast and making it their own. The comedy is great but there are a few times that the lines are delivered flat and make it kind of awkward. Erin’s constant attraction to Kevin does get a bit annoying at times. Jillian’s character is by far my favorite because you never know what she is going to do next and she is always so excited to show off her new inventions and let the girls test them in the alley outside of their Chinese Restaurant upstairs base. There is one goof that I’d like to mention that bugged me, when Erin and Abby get pulled back out of the portal their hair is white but not their eyebrows. Come on, really let’s just get that white too please, that is just laziness in my eyes. They do eventually end up in the same location at the original movie, after the mayor grants them a favor after they saved the city.
Overall this movie tells a great story and goes a great job of playing homage to the original movie. I loved seeing the original cast and I loved seeing some other actors from TV Shows and movies I used to watch, even if their roles are minor. The ghost fighting gets interesting at the end, gets to a more farfetched thing but you just have to get past that. I give it 8 out of 10 stars. This is one of the movies that I’d say ignore the critics and make the judgement for yourself. Give it a chance.
Tanya Giaimo 