Screen Reviews

Published on July 26th, 2017 | by Andre Hidding

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Review: Ghostbusters (2016) Answer the call

Talking about Ghostbusters is the one thing people can wake me up for, even in the middle of the night, I love it that much. I collect it, heck I even run the largest active Ghostbusters fan group in the Netherlands (Ghostbusters Dutch Division). So when I got asked to write a review about Ghostbusters, I was naturally eager to accept. But then I realized I was to write about the new one, the one everybody seems to háte, the one that racked up an amazing amount of dislikes on Youtube, and did many more things, all of which will be deemed negative.

Ghostbusters-FullGhostbusters 2016 (Better known now as Ghostbusters: Answer the Call) was the most talked about movie of 2016 it seemed, and most (if not all) of it was bad. And now I have to review it? Well here comes the worst part for some: I liked it. And with that remark I will now take cover and review a movie that, for all that it is, never got a fair chance. Is it flawless? Nope! Is it as good as the original? No of course not, but it’s not the spawn of all that is evil either. It does what it should do, if it is given a fair chance. Too bad that most of the internet made up their minds for others, who then skipped it. And in hindsight, I hear a lot of people comment, that it wasn’t nearly as bad as it was made up to be, or that it was entertaining even.

At the time of it’s release on July 11th 2016, there had been a 27 year hiatus when it came to Ghostbusters. Yes we had the cartoons, we played a video-game, but there hadn’t been a Ghostbusters movie for over 27 years. Ghostbusters had been in limbo for what seemed forever, with the hope and promise of an actual Ghostbusters 3, popping up in some shape or form every now and then. So when the new movie was finally announced, there was rejoice. Well there was, until we found it would be a complete reboot, with no ties to the originals and, what seemed worst of all, women in the lead.

Months of arguing and making your mind up for others followed. I was not to keen on it at first, but after a while, I decided to give it a chance, see what it was and then form my own opinion. And then, there it was, after what seemed like an eternity of internet hatred and fights among “true fans”. The movie released on July 12nd 2016, but we (well me and a friend from the Division) got to see it early. When we sat down in the cinema and were about to experience something new from Ghostbusters, we couldn’t help but whisper “please don’t suck”. After the credits, we agreed, it didn’t. It was different, the feel, the look, the story, but somehow it all seemed familiar as well, with ton of nods to the old movies. Some say too much, I say “thank you”.

The movie introduced us to four new Ghostbusters: Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig), Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) and of course Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon). The story is pretty straightforward; the girls see a ghost, start a business, catch a ghost and then there is a big showdown in the end.

But it is all done with a Paul Feig (director) kinda twist. And that is where, I think at least, the people could lose interest. Feig is funny, the actresses are funny, but somehow the combination of those two kinds of funny doesn’t appeal to all of us. Where I laughed hard and enjoyed myself for the most part, I found a certain joke about air coming from a person’s body, to be really disruptive at first. And that disruptive feel goes for all the jokes. A common complaint, from the people who at least gave it a chance, was that the jokes followed up to fast, making them feel redundant. I didn’t mind, but I can totally imagine that others would have a problem with it.

As I said the movie is a reboot, with no ties to the previous installments of Ghostbusters. Now to be honest: for a movie, claiming to have no ties with the others, it borrows heavily from them (not only the name). It kinda takes you by surprise with some of these moments of nostalgia, like for instance all the cameos, that don’t really add anything to the movie, but are a nice touch nonetheless. The new gear, the new car, heck the new faces take some getting used to, but if you treat this movie as it was intended, -as entertainment- I think that you might actually enjoy it more with every viewing. I have seen it countless times, and I will see it countless times more. Why? Because I am entertained, and because it is Ghostbusters. Nothing will ever surpass the original for me, but when I see a whole new generation being introduced to Ghostbusters, loving Ghostbusters and even applying to members of the Ghostbusters Dutch Division, I can’t help but be happy that this movie is around.

And then the following happened on the day that I first saw Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, one year ago. During my lunchbreak I walked into the local “Kruitvat” (=drugstore) to see if they have the Ghostbusters figures they advertised and should have for only €4,99 a piece.

I walked over to the toy shelf, and there was only one left, one Abby Yates. I decided to skip it, since only full sets are really in demand. I was a bit bummed though. But on my way out, I saw three kids waiting at the counter, and they all had Ghostbusters figures in hand, even the extra Holtzmann I wanted. They had beaten me to it. But as I overheard them talking about how they were going to play with it, who got the be who and what ghosts they would fight (it’s bust kids, but ok), I couldn’t help but smile, feel happy and feel a tad proud. This movie, with all it’s negativity and hatred surrounding it, had touched these kids’ lives and got them into Ghostbusters. It had accomplished, what the original did for me when I was thát kid.

Happy 1st anniverary Ghostbusters 2016, ….I guess I’ll kick back and watch you again tonight.

 



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ghostbusters-2016-officialCast:
Melissa McCarthy
Kristen Wiig
Kate McKinnon
Leslie Jones
Charles Dance
Michael Kenneth Williams
and Chris Hemsworth

Directed by:
Paul Feig

Written by:
Paul Feig & Katie Dippold

Based on the film “Ghostbusters”
Written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis
and Directed by Ivan Reitman

Ghostbusters-2016-2Produced by:
Ivan Reitman
Amy Pascal

Executive Producers:
Michele Imperato Stabile
Paul Feig
Jessie Henderson
Dan Aykroyd
Tom Pollock
Joe Medjuck
Ali Bell
Ben Waisbren

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About the Author

Andre has been a huge Ghostbusters fan ever since he saw the first movie back in 1984. This got him into collecting everything related to Ghostbusters. From action figures from his childhood to recreating actual props from the movies, his passion for Ghostbusters is unparalleled. This passion led to him founding the Ghostbusters Dutch Division, the largest, active Ghostbusters fangroup in the Netherlands. They actively attend conventions, screening and charity throughout the year.



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