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‘Ghostbusters’, too: A remake done right
The new “Ghostbusters” opens with Dr. Erin Gilbert (played by the inimitable Kristen Wiig), a professor about to be granted tenure at the prestigious Columbia University. When Gilbert finds out that a book she co-authored years ago on the science of ghosts is now in circulation, she seeks out her old writing partner, Abby (Melissa McCarthy), in hopes of staving off potential embarrassment.
Despite Erin’s initial determination to repudiate the existence of ghosts, she, Abby, and tech genius Jillian Holtzmann will soon come face to face with supernatural forces that will make true believers out of the entire city.
Before long, the three team up with transit worker Patty (Leslie Jones) and arm themselves with Holtzmann’s equipment to take on every spook, specter, and ghost that comes their way as the world’s first professional paranormal investigations and eliminations service: the Ghostbusters.
From the moment it was announced, the 2016 take on 1984’s classic “Ghostbusters” drew flack, with three main groups of trolls taking their vitriol online: Those decrying the perceived assault on their collective childhoods, those dismissing it outright based on the gender of its leads and, perhaps least unreasonably, those turned off by the godawful nature of its marketing materials (the trailer is currently the most disliked video in YouTube history).
While one does acknowledge the inherent difficulty in maintaining objectivity in the face of nostalgia, it must be noted that the original film’s confluence of talent, timing, and material was so fortuitously specific that the very same people behind it were unable to recreate it when they made the 1989 sequel. To the credit of current director Paul Feig and screenwriter Katie Dippold, they don’t even try to redo it, wisely choosing to use the original as a springboard, rather than an obligation.
Beyond the base notion of disgraced scientists battling ghosts with unlicensed nuclear-powered backpacks, this is a largely fresh take, with a more manic vibe and energy to the proceedings. Tonally, the underdog element of misfits out to prove themselves is more pronounced here, and the remake soars when it isn’t beholden to what came before.
Where the original had a sardonic, almost-subversive, quality to its humor, the 2016 version opts for crowd-pleasing thrills and punchlines that actually manage to hit the mark more often than not. A lot of what’s here is pretty damn funny, with the narrative only ever really grinding to a halt for bouts of awkward fan service (nearly the entire original cast shows up at one point or another). Quibbles and one-too-many slapstick pratfalls notwithstanding, by the time our protagonists face their final challenge in a massively haunted Times Square set piece, you’ll be cheering for them — you’ll be cheering for the Ghostbusters.
McCarthy and Wiig play well off one another, displaying the same easy chemistry they showed in 2011’s “Bridesmaids”. That chemistry goes farther in selling their characters’ long-standing friendship than the actual script, where it’s introduced early on and largely forgotten until the finale. That misstep aside, the film does a surprisingly good job of letting us get to know and care about the characters before finally letting them go full Ghostbuster at an Ozzy Osborne concert.
Of the core group, it is Kate McKinnon’s gonzo turn as the team’s resident inventor that stands out; where McCarthy is playing it safe and Wiig flip-flops between rational and obsessed at the flip of a switch, the off-kilter energy that McKinnon brings to her character’s delivery, body language and reactions make for one of the films’ most memorable performances, as well as one of its best action sequences. Trust me, you’ll know it when you see it.
As Patty, Jones grounds the group with her real-world sensibilities, much in the way that Ernie Hudson’s Winston did in the original. Where Patty differs is that she also serves as the Ghostbusters’ guide to the real world and history of New York, beyond the realm of the acedeme and the supernatural.
The supporting players include the aforementioned original cast, “Silicon Valley’s” Zach Woods, “Mad TV’s” Michael McDonald, “SNL’s” Cecily Strong, and Andy Garcia — even “Deadpool’s” hapless cab driver is here as a delivery boy.
But it is Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, as incompetent receptionist Kevin that drew many of the biggest laughs. As far removed from a Norse god as one is ever likely to get, Kevin is so mind-bogglingly, loveably, moronic, one can’t help but wonder how he survives. Much as Paul Feig’s “Spy” did when it revealed big screen badass Jason Statham’s flair for comedy, one hopes that Hemsworth gets more roles that showcase his comedic (and dancing!) chops.
All told, what could very easily have turned into a cynical cash grab of a rehash ("Independence Day Resurgence", anyone?) may very well turn out to be the breakout hit of 2016’s largely disappointing summer blockbuster season. While it is highly unlikely that you’ll retain anything worth quoting once you finish watching 2016’s “Ghostbusters”, it’s just as likely you were having too much fun to notice.
When all is said and done, this isn’t my “Ghostbusters”, and it was never meant to be. But that doesn’t change the fact that this new film is a great time at the movies, and there’s not a damn thing wrong with that. — AT/BM, GMA News
