Who you gonna call......................................
Plot
The pacing for this film was well done. The motives of every character are adequately explained. There are equal elements of campy humor, action, science fiction, and mild horror. These elements are handled very evenly through the first half of the film. I knew basically what each character’s motivations where and a general background for each. The film does falter in the areas of characterization and backstory. I felt that the film needed some key flashbacks and/or anecdotes to further flesh out certain relationships and past events within the film. We know that Kristen Wiig’s character (Erin Gilbert) and Melissa McCarthy’s character (Abby Yates) have known each other since childhood, these two also had prior supernatural experiences before the time this film took place. The inclusion of some additional scenes from their previous experiences would have helped to strengthen the relationship between the two characters on screen. Brief backstory information regarding Kate Mckinnon’s character (Jillian Holtzmann) and the villain portrayed by Neil Casey would also serve as great tools to further flesh out the reasons and circumstances that lead to key elements taking place within the plot. The last 30 minutes of the feel do feel a little rushed and hectic. The plot accelerates exponentially and the frequency of action scenes ramps up. My fellow Neeerdom friends and I also noticed that the Ghostbusters in this film seem to “kill” more ghosts than they actually “busted”. This may be due to the film emphasizing the “origin” nature of the Ghostbusters story at this time and the invent-as-you-go tech provided by Holtzman. In this case, the tech is relatively new and untested, so the ladies don't seem to have a way to contain or imprison a large quantity of ghosts. I actually enjoyed the “supernatural tech talk” which satisfied the nerdy vibe I enjoyed from the original films. The plot doesn’t get bogged down. The film progresses at a moderate pace and the plot is easy to follow. Various easter eggs and throwbacks to the original films appear throughout, this also satisfies that nostalgia many of us want when seeing a reboot or remake.
Visuals/Special Effects
The special effects and visuals in this movie are amazing. The CG ghosts and ghouls are a thrill to behold on the big screen. Things that were not possible to pull off well in the original films can now be realized thanks to the advances in technology. The proton pack beams visually popped on screen as well as the trademark ectoplasm. The city actually looked like it was living and breathing with lots of extras in the background. The original films where not over the top or heavy-handed with special effects. This film does a great job of using the special effect to enhance the movie but not “be” the movie. The overall look and feel of this film was actually very pleasing. It wasn’t too dull and at the same time it wasn’t too bright and overwhelming.
Cast/Characters
Kate McKinnon’s character Jillian Holtzmann stole the show!!!!! She was the clear standout in this film hands down! Her character is portrayed as a quirky, socially-awkward, and witty super genius. Like a human sized Chihuahua on a caffeine high, constantly moving onscreen. Everything she said and did in this film just WORKED! The rest of the cast was a little underwhelming. The one-liners where a little stale and the humor hit some roadblocks in certain areas. Chris Hemsworth’s character was supposed to be a steady dose of comic relief but……..the punch lines and delivery where severely lacking. Kristen Wigg’s character was adorable and a little dopey but endearing. Melissa McCarthy was her usual funny self. The dialogue and humor needed some fine tuning but the overall cast did a good job. This is a sci-fi comedy so the acting doesn’t need to be Oscar level.
Soundtrack
We were not fans of the Ghostbusters theme remix. I’ll just throw that out there first. I understand the need to differentiate this film from the originals. The theme just felt very…..bland and boring. The rest of the soundtrack was pretty good. The key moments in the film where highlighted adequately with the score. The frightening moments would have been highlighted better if the score was tweaked just a tad bit though.
Lasting Appeal
We all agreed that we would definitely watch a sequel to this film. Do yourself a favor and stay for the entire credit roll and special scene following the credits. The foundation is pretty stable for a franchise. If the studio can fine tune certain aspects and improve the chemistry and humor between the cast, this can be an interesting and fun ride in the subsequent movies. I can see myself viewing this movie multiple times, as well as going back to see sequels. I am a huge Ghostbusters fan. Many of my Childhood memories revolve around the movies and cartoon. The originals hold a place dear to me and I feel like this remake pays respect to its predecessor and manages to lay the foundation for a new generation of Ghostbusters fans!
Scores: 1-10 (1=Poor---10=Amazing)
Leonard:
Plot-7
Visuals/Special Effects-9
Cast/Characters-7
Soundtrack-8
Lasting Appeal-9
Josh:
Plot-7
Visuals/Special Effects-8
Cast/Characters-7
Soundtrack-6
Lasting Appeal-7
Dustin:
Plot-5
Visuals/Special Effects-9
Cast/Characters-9
Soundtrack-5
Lasting Appeal-7
Plot= 6.3
Visuals/Special Effects= 8.6
Cast/Characters= 7.6
Soundtrack= 6.3
Lasting Appeal= 7.6
Overall Score
7.3/10
Pros:
“There are equal elements of campy humor, action, science fiction, and mild horror.”
“The special effects and visuals in this movie are amazing. The CG ghosts and ghouls are a thrill to behold on the big screen”
“Kate McKinnon’s character Jillian Holtzmann stole the show!!!!!”
“We all agreed that we would definitely watch a sequel to this film.”
Cons:
“The film does falter in the areas of characterization and backstory.”
“The rest of the cast was a little underwhelming. The one-liners where a little stale and the humor hit some roadblocks in certain areas.”