We’re serious, ‘Ghostbusters’ is well worth seeing
Reboot in good hands with actors Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Director Paul Feig.
Those spiffy proton packs are in good hands. Director Paul Feig ’s Ghostbusters
out of four; eee rated PG-13; in theaters nationwide Friday), a reboot of the 1984 comedy classic, is a worthy chapter in the franchise and more than makes up for that poorly executed 1989 sequel we’d all like to forget. Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones capture the original quartet’s spirit and give it a modern touch in the often-hilarious “Let’s get a team together!” first half but get slimed as the new version moves toward its uneven allstreams-necessary action climax.
As in the first film, the three brainiacs of the group — science whiz Abby (McCarthy), her estranged physics-loving best friend Erin (Wiig) and engineering master Holtzmann (McKinnon) — are the first to deal with a malevolent apparition. Erin, who has given up on ghosts, changes her tune when she winds up covered in green goo.
But it’s just the start of a massive infestation of weirdness in New York City, which is good for the scientists’ new Ghostbusters business, even though everyone thinks they’re kooks. (They especially have a problem with Internet trolls on YouTube, a knowing nod to the movie’s off-screen criticism.) Subway worker and Big Apple history buff Patty (Leslie Jones) joins the group, as does unbelievably dumb receptionist Kevin (Chris Hemsworth), and the Ghostbusters scramble to waylay PR nightmares.
McCarthy and Wiig are solid as the two pals who have to mend fences, but Jones is great as the quartet’s boisterous voice of reason, and McKinnon is the film’s biggest and quirkiest standout. Her character is in many ways the second coming of the late Harold Ramis’ lovable genius Egon, though instead of spores, molds and fungus, Holtzmann lives for cadavers, Pringles and DeBarge.
Feig and Katie Dippold’s screenplay features several story beats, references and influences from the original Ghostbusters, from blatant to subtle to (in one instance) touching. There is seemingly no end to different versions of the old Ray Parker Jr. theme song or variations on the iconic logo, so much so that this Ghostbus
ters suffers from an identity crisis in certain spots. On the plus side: Special effects have come a long way in 32 years, so the ghosts themselves — from monstrous Macy’s parade balloons to vengeful dead folk — look spectacular.
Many of the first film’s stars are back for cameos that boil down to fan service — only Bill Murray’s appearance is a cool plot addition. Instead, bustin’ feels best when
Ghostbusters embraces the new: Holtzmann is the group’s Q, giving them neato gadgets such as a “ghost chipper” that turns creepy beasts into ectoplasmic confetti, and rather than go the Babylonian god route again for its villain, creepy bad guy Rowan (Neil Casey) feels like a potential Ghostbuster gone wrong with his plans to turn NYC into Spook Central.
The 1984 Ghostbusters will always be the gold standard, yet the new film is a similarly inviting intro for the next generation. The only boos it deserves are the ones coming from its resident haunts.