Ghostbusters (2016) Film Review

Where does one even begin with a project as polarising as this Ghostbusters revival? What started as a long-winded attempt at creating a second sequel to the beloved comedy classic throughout the 90s and 2000s turned into the reboot it is now following the passing of key crew and cast member Harold Ramis in early 2014, and since the reboot's official confirmation that same year the film has been under heavy fire. From the hiring of director Paul Feig – best known for his work on Bridesmaids and Freaks and Geeks – to its hiring of four female comedians in the lead roles, the film has been barraged with negative publicity ever since the film went public. Each trailer, TV spot and preview clip have come with a flurry of negative comments (the first trailer has the mot disliked film trailer in YouTube's history); countless editorials have appeared either in support or against the film, and the constant pointing has all been directed towards its female-centric premise – reportedly the first in a cinematic universe of movies, which includes a male iteration, a Slimer spin-off, and an animated entry – and its comedy. And so, with the film finally out for all to see, it's time to beg the question: who ya gonna call? Team Classics or Team Modern? 

Dr. Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) was simply minding her business and working her way towards earning tenure at Columbia University when her former life as a paranormal investigator – teamed with Melissa McCarthy's Abby Yates – comes crashing back in the form of their republished book, presented by the owner of a reportedly haunted museum. When the duo and Yates' new right-hand woman Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) managed to not only spot an apparition but also document it, it leads to all three of them without a job, a workstation or even credibility (with a couple of moments being mildly satirical of the response the film itself has had) but with the idea firmly in place for making their research credible. And with a base bought and a brainless blonde beefcake (Chris Hemsworth) hired as a receptionist, the team – including former subway employee Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones); a character with knowledge of New York's history – begin their quest to bust ghosts, unaware of a scheme set by raging loner Rowan (Neil Casey) involving a cataclysm.

With plenty of love being shown to its original form – with references and cameos a-plenty – this new interpretation of the Ghostbusters offers an interesting, if a little familiar, origin story for these leads to face, and against all odds it actually kinda works. Certainly, the film does often fall into the pratfalls of repeating elements of the 1984 classic (early encounter with a ghost, meeting the mayor, and the giant ghostly devastation at the end to name but a few), and an extensive moment in the third act involving Wiig at a restaurant does lend itself to an eye-rolling sequence that feels more painful to watch than painfully funny, but its simple task of bringing the brand to a new generation has in actuality worked out okay. The story really sells the events at hand in an entertaining and – dare I say it – amusing fashion, despite some of the absurd turns it may take or the debatable representations of race and gender.

Now, when I say the film is funny, I don't mean that it's consistently funny. As is the norm for standard comedies, there are plenty of groaners and attempts which fail to grasp you like a ghost in a proton pack, and a few of them are linked to its representation ("I don't know if it's a race thing or a lady thing" still sounds iffy even when you've been following these characters around for around an hour), but there's certainly a few laughs to be had. Feig has already proven himself as a winner at female-driven comedies, and despite the franchise-heavy feature he's working on here he still manages to pull it off big-time. But yes, the representation is still a little off – poor Leslie Jones as the singular non-white member does have bursts of dated character traits ("The Power of Patty compels you!"), and the majority of males are a little poorly written in the sense that they, in turn, are kinda clichés. Kevin is the dumb blond; Rowan is a loner creep; Michael McDonald screams like a little girl, etc. Perhaps as a satire of poorly-written female characters it would work, but alas here it just feels unintentionally meh.

In the lead role sits the usually mixed Melissa McCarthy, who once again proves why she's better known for her work with Paul Feig than she is with husband Ben Falcone. Yes, gone are her usual attempts of slapstick comedy – with the exception of an equipment test sequence, but we can give her at least one – and instead bleeds in a legitimately engaging main lead in the form of Abby Yates. Kristen Wiig's fellow scientist is perhaps not quite as strong, most likely due to her necessity to court their sole male employee, but Wiig sells the role really well and makes it her own despite its limitations; Leslie Jones, as aforementioned, is a tad trapped in stereotypical writing, but her historical knowledge does offer some genuine credibility, and bar her kinda cringey line early on in the concert scene does make for one of the most entertaining and hilarious aspects. But out of the four, it's Kate McKinnon as Holtzmann that may be the break-out star. Despite first appearing as a Yates 2.0 with a hankering for Pringles (quick note: the product placement is quite painful throughout the film), she grows into her own tech-savvy character, filled with charm, charisma, and a grand action beat during the big battle. 

Chris Hemsworth's dumb blond may come with easy criticisms to make, but at least he sells the role pitch-perfectly; his eyes filled with joy and easily having fun with the source material at hand, and his later villain performance giving him a tad more to do. Neil Casey is your typical loner bad guy as mentioned before, but he does an alright job here; Andy García is criminally underused as the mayor, although assistant Cecily Strong is quite good in the more prominent role; agent duo Matt Walsh and Michael Kenneth Williams are alright in generic roles; Michael McDonald is meh; Charles Dance is only in two scenes for some reason despite his calibre; Karan Soni does his Deadpool thing but with his legs; and then come the cameos. Ernie Hudson, Dan Aykroyd, Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver each get small but noteworthy appearances, and the late Harold Ramis is honoured with a bust early on, but it's Bill Murray with the most substantial role, albeit with only two scenes. He's pushed aside quite quickly, but he does look just a tad bored by the whole ordeal. And one could bring remarks on the returns of Slimer (who ends up having an integral part in the finale) and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, but they only really appear at the end so... 

Despite its long and treacherous journey to the big screen, this new instalment to the Ghostbusters ethos is a surprisingly fun adventure for new audiences with plenty of nods to the fans of old. Whilst there is plenty at fault based across the board, one can't help but be sucked in by the new gang and taught to enjoy this new feature. The more misogynistic of haters will likely fail to be won other, and whilst better in some respects is barely a strong replacement for the original, the 2016 Ghostbusters (or Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, as it's also called for some reason) is a surprise success from Paul Feig. A true lesson in not fully trusting a film's marketing campaign. 7/10.