My overriding feeling after watching Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters is that I would have preferred a different movie with this same cast. The chemistry between the four leads is right on, and all the supporting roles are slotted just as they should be, but the whole thing feels reverse-engineered to fit into the framework of the classic it is rebooting (a tough task no matter how much talent is assembled). There are plenty of great laugh lines (either improvised or just well-timed), because Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones are so in tune with what their unique reaction to every situation should be. They could pull that trick off no matter what the kooky premise. But what they lack is deep-rooted conviction. For them, Ghostbusters does not feel like a necessity, but instead just a good idea. The former gets you a singular vision, the latter gets you a pleasant diversion.
I give Ghostbusters 6 “It’s Funny Enough to Justify Itself’s” out of 10 “It’s Unnecessary’s.”
Jeff Malone is a voracious entertainment consumer and entertainment creator. He currently resides in New York City, where he received his Master’s in Media Studies at The New School. In addition to his pieces on TMRzoo.com and StarPulse.com, you can check out his blog (jmunney.wordpress.com), where he provides regular coverage of Community and Saturday Night Live, as well as other television, film, music, and the rest of pop culture.
