Many have comments. We’ve actually seen ‘Ghostbusters’ Bill Keveney and Bryan Alexander
Occasionally, a movie manages to become even bigger than itself. That’s certainly the case with the new Ghostbusters (in theaters Friday).
It’s hard enough to follow up the 1984 classic beloved by fans (even if 1989’s Ghostbusters II was entirely unforgivable). But when director Paul Feig had the audacity to replace the male cast with four of today’s funniest women — Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon — the backlash began in earnest, with the loudest voices carrying a clear misogynist tone.
We suggest you see the new film before deciding whether you love it, hate it or fall somewhere in between. But these were our thoughts when we did: THE NEW GHOSTBUSTERS HAVE CHEMISTRY (ALONG WITH DEGREES IN PHYSICS, ENGINEERING, ETC.). The casting of four women as the new Ghostbusters has drawn praise and criticism, but there’s no denying the comedic chops of the actresses donning the tan jumpsuits. They play well off one another, with McKinnon’s Jillian Holtzmann a clear standout, mixing brainiac daftness with a touch of flirty naughtiness that would have made Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman proud. Jones’ Patty Tolan, the subway worker who joins the team, is just as smart and a little more grounded than her wraith-wrestling colleagues. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR TRIBUTES. Feig ’s film honors the original, with cameos by inaugural Ghostbusters Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson, along with a funny, touching homage to the late Harold Ramis. Original ghosts appear, too, including Slimer and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. THE SUPPORTING CAST IS TALENTED, BUT THERE’S NO NEW LOUIS TULLY. HBO fans will enjoy appearances by Veep’s Matt Walsh and Sam Richardson and Silicon Valley’s Zach Woods, while Cecily Strong joins her SNL sistren as an officious mayoral aide. There don’t appear to be any breakout characters along the lines of haunted Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver), hard-boiled Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts) or clueless accountant Tully (Rick Moranis), though Chris Hemsworth’s handsome-but-addled office assistant deserves consideration. THEY AIN’T AFRAID OF NO TROLLS. Harsh criticism of the trailer and casting gets a shout-out as McCarthy’s Abby Yates and Wiig ’s Erin Gilbert read online comments after one of their ghost hunts that suggest, in sanitized parlance, that women have no business hunting ghosts. Their apt conclusion: Don’t read the comments. GHOSTS HAVE A SCREEN PRESENCE, BUT THE VILLAIN IS UNDERWHELMING. Special effects have come a long way in 30 years. Let’s face it, even the hilarious Slimer is seriously dated. Feig ’s new generation of ghosts are elaborately shot and impressive, especially Bess Rous as the slime-projecting Gertrude Aldridge Ghost.
But the new Ghostbusters has a villain problem: The new baddie is as middling evil as a guy named Rowan North (a troubled nerd played by actor and SNL writer Neil Casey) can be.
Even when Rowan takes on other forms, this villain gets lost in the convoluted and frankly underwhelming final act.