With all due respect (none) for the internet trolls that panned this movie based on its first trailer, I actually enjoyed the new Ghostbusters. It is not a sequel but a reboot of this franchise, and yes, they have laid the foundation in the post-trailer credits for a sequel.
The film is good – not great. The strengths – Kate McKinnon as the mad-scientist engineer of the group, Jillian Holtzmann. Yes, it’s the Egon role, but she brings us a new quirky character that made me laugh several times in the film. When she licks her guns before shooting – priceless – a move I intend to lift at GenCon when I’m role playing next month.
The special effects are awesome. My wife and I saw it in 3D and this is one of those rare films where 3D works well. The special effects aside, the film has a solid plot. It’s not a rehash of Ghostbuster’s films, but breathes fresh life into it.
The cameo’s make the film. Even the fleeting homage to Harold Ramis is well-done, tasteful, and not overpowering in the film. Everything was done respectfully, as it should be. Even the Ghostbuster’s iconic firehouse manages to stir emotions with the viewers. It’s like when you see the USS Enterprise in Star Trek – it is a character all on its own.
My only complaint was that Chris Hemsworth as comedy relief was okay (lukewarm at best), but not great. Put on the wig and pick up Mjolnir Chris – you are a perfect Thor. Trying to fill the Annie Potts/Rick Moranis roles is not your thing. Please, go get your hammer.
Comparisons to the original 1984 film are almost impossible to avoid, but I will. This film stands on its own. The writing was solid – as was the acting and character development. Now that we have cleared the hurdle of the film being its own entity, we can move forward with sequels.
I rate this a solid 4.5 out of five stars. Funny, good pacing, a rollicking fun romp through your memoires of the original film. A total protonic reversal on the cynical internet trolls!
#Ghostbusters
Notes From The Bunker 