Ghostbusters (2016)

June 8, 1984:  a date that will forever live in this movie fan’s mind.  This auspicious, red-circled date on my puppies and kitties’ wall calendar was when my sixth-grade self would run to the theater to see the release of both “Ghostbusters” and “Gremlins.” 

And, in this “G vs. G” head-to-head battle, hotshot, self-assured Peter Venkman way out-classed pocket-sized Gizmo.  And, thus began a three-decade-long comedy crush on all things Ghostbusters.  The mega-fandom for Ghostbusters, of course, extends to millions and even includes the Library of Congress, who in 2015, selected the original film to be part of the preservation of the National Film Registry.

Flash forward thirty-plus years.  After many waiting in vain for that often-talked-about, but never materialized third “Ghostbusters” installment, the Paul Feig-directed (“Bridesmaids,” “Spy”), female-led cast was immediately met with much vitriol online.  In fact, the trailer release for “Ghostbusters’ (2016) is the most disliked trailer in YouTube history and even comes in the Top 10 disliked videos of all time.  Unfortunately, the cultural and societal explanations of the reasons for the ferocity of such disdain for the gender-swapped ‘busters is beyond the scope of this review, but, suffice it to say that this alt-portal back into the world where comedy meets the paranormal is raucous and fun.

Kristen Wiig is a Columbia physics professor, Erin Gilbert, who has tried to push aside her paranormal interests, in an attempt to finally be accepted into the scientific mainstream and attain tenure.  Unfortunately, the ghost-hunting book she wrote years before with her estranged childhood friend and, now, community college science professor, Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), has come to the attention of those in New York City who are suddenly experiencing hauntings.  Reluctantly, at first, Gilbert teams up with Yates and her oddball engineering pal, Jillian Holtzman (the awesome Kate McKinnon of “SNL” fame), to investigate the repeated city-wide presence of spectral phenomena.  Along the way, the trio comes across NYC Transit Worker, Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) who rounds-out the group with her savvy knowledge of the city.  Chris Hemsworth (“Thor”) also hilariously comes on board as the quartet’s very ditsy secretary.  The ladies find soon themselves unexpectedly battling mounting paranormal threats in an effort to try to keep the living safe.

Be forewarned.   This is different from your childhood’s PG-rated “Ghostbusters.”  The plot and characters are altered.  And, the film’s ghosts are much scarier thanks to fantastic looking CGI in this PG-13 version than they were in the original. Yes, there are lots of original cast cameos (be on the lookout for even that of the late Harold Ramis), and a laundry list of original film references to appease fans of the original.  But, the overall sense of the film feels changed.  The original “Ghostbusters” played best into Bill Murray’s talents as a charmer, who always stayed one step ahead of “The Man,” and could playfully circumvent the rules of mainstream society with a nod and hilariously sarcastic remark.  Here, Feig strikes a different balance in “Ghostbusters” (2016), as the fight for legitimacy seems even more head-on, as the film repeatedly makes clear reference to these women’s abilities to get the job done (perhaps indirectly even taking on the complaints of real-life internet trolling of the film).  The new fight is not just against the paranormal but also against the faith of those who do not believe in their efficacy as women.

In all, Wiig and McCarthy are solid throughout the film.  As always, they are enjoyable to watch as comedians, and Wiig’s awkward-but-loveable approach (so honed in “Bridesmaids”) works here as well.   The always-funny Leslie Jones shines in each scene she graces, punctuating laughs to their fullest.  Kate McKinnon, however, is a standout, as the very odd and quirky engineer into her gadgets more than others, and lights up the film with her unexpectedly wacky reactions.  Further, the too-short scenes with Chris Hemsworth (but, stay tuned for more Hemsworth during the closing credits) reveal comedy talents not yet tapped by the Marvel Universe.  Unfortunately, the film falters some in its second half with a weak plot and strange plot holes (can you really “punch” a ghost?), but the charm of any incarnation of “Ghostbusters” has been its performers, not its plot.  The ladies make this version fun, witty, leave the audience smiling, and, hopefully, begin to further cement the idea that women are superheroes, too.