The original 'Ghostbusters' is still enormously enjoyable entertainment, that fares even better from an adult perspective. The sequel was a step-down and not as good, but it has enough to make it watchable.
'Ghostbusters' (2016), coming from somebody who has seen the film and saw it with an open mind, was a complete and utter mess. To be honest, expectations were extremely low, it was a terrible idea from the start, it had some of the most terrible advertising of any film in recent memory, the practical war-zone online from both sides but especially defenders was reason alone to put me off seeing it and hearing the theme song was enough to make one squirm.
However, there are plenty of films out there that are badly advertised but actually turn out to be good to great films (for example, was expecting to dislike 'Lilo and Stitch' and 'Galaxy Quest', for examples, but ended up really liking and loving them respectively). Plus Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig and Chris Hemsworth have given good to great performances in the past. So this reviewer gave it the benefit of the doubt and made a real effort to judge it as its own entity.
It turned out to be every bit as awful as the advertising made it look. It's a disgrace to the original film but is a truly bad film on its own as well. Other than the spirited and reasonably entertaining performance of Cecily Strong, there is next to nothing about 'Ghostbusters'.
Visually, it's not pleasing at all, with the incomplete-looking editing and very artificially cartoonish special effects particularly standing out in a bad way. The music is generic and over-bearing, the theme song also has to be down there as one of the worst theme songs in film history.
Whereas the original 'Ghostbusters' has a great blend of comedy, horror and action, the reboot completely fails at all three. The horror is practically non-existent, there's too little and it's severely diluted by heavy overload of unintentional comedy, increasing predictability and lack of suspense and such. Action, if any, is barely noticeable.
Especially pitiful is the comedy, which suffers from being continually forced and contrived jokes-wise and a severe lack of wit in the script. The references to the original could have been affectionate, but felt thrown-in and forced. It's not for the easily offended either, the backlash against the film has veered on misogynistic admittedly but with its subtlety-of-an-axe, obnoxious and racist and sexist stereotypes (especially Leslie Jones' offensive, irritating and out of date character and the depiction of men) the film is every bit as guilty.
Story is paper thin, and when there is any it feels so rushed and incomplete that sense is next to zero, charm, heart and fun are all in the minus figures and the incomprehensibility factor is high. The direction is lethargic at best and inept at worst, chemistry between the actors is barely there, you couldn't have asked for a more pathetic or lamer villain and apart from Strong the acting is poor all round. Hemsworth has been described by some as a bright spot, but to me his scenes do slow down the film and the character is so much of a dumb dope with no likability that Hemsworth's easy-going charm, comic timing and swaggering charisma do not come through and he just grates. What a shameful waste of talent.
The four leads either phone in (especially a bored-looking McCarthy) or over-act, particularly Kate McKinnon. The less said about obnoxious Leslie Jones the better. Wiig fares best, but isn't enough to save it. Don't rely on the cameos or the supporting roles to give an entertainment or nostalgia factor, they are just an excuse to cram as many as possible and nearly all of them consist of wasted talent actually looking as if they were bribed into taking part, while they are placed very clumsily most of the time too. The return of some of the actors in the original 'Ghostbusters' add nothing, they have screen times too short and look miserable.
Overall, a pointless and awful reboot that improves nothing on the idea, that screamed of disaster from the get go, or the terrible advertising. 1/10 Bethany Cox
'Ghostbusters' (2016), coming from somebody who has seen the film and saw it with an open mind, was a complete and utter mess. To be honest, expectations were extremely low, it was a terrible idea from the start, it had some of the most terrible advertising of any film in recent memory, the practical war-zone online from both sides but especially defenders was reason alone to put me off seeing it and hearing the theme song was enough to make one squirm.
However, there are plenty of films out there that are badly advertised but actually turn out to be good to great films (for example, was expecting to dislike 'Lilo and Stitch' and 'Galaxy Quest', for examples, but ended up really liking and loving them respectively). Plus Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig and Chris Hemsworth have given good to great performances in the past. So this reviewer gave it the benefit of the doubt and made a real effort to judge it as its own entity.
It turned out to be every bit as awful as the advertising made it look. It's a disgrace to the original film but is a truly bad film on its own as well. Other than the spirited and reasonably entertaining performance of Cecily Strong, there is next to nothing about 'Ghostbusters'.
Visually, it's not pleasing at all, with the incomplete-looking editing and very artificially cartoonish special effects particularly standing out in a bad way. The music is generic and over-bearing, the theme song also has to be down there as one of the worst theme songs in film history.
Whereas the original 'Ghostbusters' has a great blend of comedy, horror and action, the reboot completely fails at all three. The horror is practically non-existent, there's too little and it's severely diluted by heavy overload of unintentional comedy, increasing predictability and lack of suspense and such. Action, if any, is barely noticeable.
Especially pitiful is the comedy, which suffers from being continually forced and contrived jokes-wise and a severe lack of wit in the script. The references to the original could have been affectionate, but felt thrown-in and forced. It's not for the easily offended either, the backlash against the film has veered on misogynistic admittedly but with its subtlety-of-an-axe, obnoxious and racist and sexist stereotypes (especially Leslie Jones' offensive, irritating and out of date character and the depiction of men) the film is every bit as guilty.
Story is paper thin, and when there is any it feels so rushed and incomplete that sense is next to zero, charm, heart and fun are all in the minus figures and the incomprehensibility factor is high. The direction is lethargic at best and inept at worst, chemistry between the actors is barely there, you couldn't have asked for a more pathetic or lamer villain and apart from Strong the acting is poor all round. Hemsworth has been described by some as a bright spot, but to me his scenes do slow down the film and the character is so much of a dumb dope with no likability that Hemsworth's easy-going charm, comic timing and swaggering charisma do not come through and he just grates. What a shameful waste of talent.
The four leads either phone in (especially a bored-looking McCarthy) or over-act, particularly Kate McKinnon. The less said about obnoxious Leslie Jones the better. Wiig fares best, but isn't enough to save it. Don't rely on the cameos or the supporting roles to give an entertainment or nostalgia factor, they are just an excuse to cram as many as possible and nearly all of them consist of wasted talent actually looking as if they were bribed into taking part, while they are placed very clumsily most of the time too. The return of some of the actors in the original 'Ghostbusters' add nothing, they have screen times too short and look miserable.
Overall, a pointless and awful reboot that improves nothing on the idea, that screamed of disaster from the get go, or the terrible advertising. 1/10 Bethany Cox