Ghostbusters (2016)

(Note: This review is based upon the "extended cut" version of 'Ghostbusters'. This version may contain material not in the theatrical version.)


I don't believe I ever saw or heard about any political or life-changing event causing so much discussion and controversy as much as I heard about something so insignificant as the recent 'Ghostbusters' movie. People were almost to the point of convincing you would be afflicted with the plague if you 'did' or 'did not' see this movie. I will be completely honest and say that I had zero interest in this film when I heard about it. I did not read about the casting choice, I didn't see any photos or a trailer but I just thought it would become another remake that would come and go like many others. Then I looked into the casting and the production and such, and I generally had interest until the first trailer was released. It turned me off due to the editor using some of the worst jokes in the whole film, which gave a vibe off that isn't really a good representation of the final cut.

Then, everybody lost their minds and the Internet became the largest and longest pissing contest in history. So after all that, the film quietly left the box office and is now in my hands on Blu-Ray. So, after all this time what did I think of the film? Was it all worth the BS and insanity? The answer to both those questions is simple: It's an OK film, and NO, no movie on earth is worth the effort and time people spent bitching about it. With that all out of the way, let's get into the details.

First off, the 'Busters' themselves work really well off each other and are really funny with my favorite being played by SNL alum Kate McKinnan as the tech and proton pack inventor. With that being said, the worst part of the film is not four female Ghostbusters, but rather every male character in the film is a total asshole or in the case of Chris Hemsworth's character too stupid to live. This wasn't really annoying to me personally, however it feels like a deliberate reaction to all of the Internet controversies. Hemsworth's character however is completely irredeemable. He is without a doubt one of the most obnoxious and aggravatingly stupid comic relief characters in the comedy genre. I truly believe that this film could have benefited with his character left on the cutting room floor or even in an old screenplay draft.

What about the film in general you may be asking? Well, it hits and misses almost like a consistent rhythm. You'll have funny jokes then awkward silence because of a really bad joke and the film will keep up with this pattern for its entire runtime. So what you end up with is a film that is actually quite enjoyable and funny, but many trip ups keep holding it back. Another major problem I really had was the special effects. Now, I know ghosts aren't real and they aren't going to look real in movies, but most of the effects here don't feel like they're even finished let alone convincing enough. Along with the strange decision to make them mint and spearmint flavor colors like at 'The Haunted Mansion' the sad fact is the ghosts of 'Ghostbusters' simply don't look that great. The biggest letdown is the villain of the film, who is a cliche creepy pasty loner guy who just wants to destroy the world just because no one likes him. Really weak sauce guys, they have the equivalent of me as a teenager playing a villain in a major motion picture with millions of dollars funding it...Weak.

So there we have it, the film was OK. I stayed up and watched the whole movie till now so if it keeps my attention, those who know me will know how big of a deal that is. The movie is no masterpiece like the original, but then again neither was 'Ghostbusters 2' so why doesn't anyone ever criticize that film? To me, I liked this one better than '2' even with all of the flaws, its still really funny and fun to watch these women interact with one another. I recommend this one, check it out next time you're by the local RED BOX.