In the 2016 version of “Ghostbusters,” a group of scientists team up in an attempt to capture ghosts that have been mysteriously appearing in New York City. After many setbacks and inaccurately being accused of fraud, the gang uncovers the mysterious man behind the released ghouls. Now they’ll have to team up to save the city before it’s destroyed. Though a new plot from the 1984 version of “Ghostbusters,” the film remake features appearances of actors from the original cast including: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts and Ernie Hudson.
It is clear the director, Paul Feig, had no problem finding a remarkable cast to portray his main characters with Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones all on board. However, to live up to the classic “Ghostbusters” seemed near impossible. It is very rare that a sequel will surpass the original, but Paul Feig managed to accomplish this. Not only did he target baby boomers by making frequent references to classic movies, but he also satisfied millennials through his usage of graphics and special effects. Some of his most notable quotes include Kevin, the assistant, casually saying, “There’s a goat on the loose,” and in a later scene, Erin, a scientist, yelling hysterically at the mayor, “Don’t be like the mayor in ‘Jaws!’”
This new version of “Ghostbusters” features an entirely new plot and a surprisingly few amount of ideas from the original movie were incorporated into the remake. The costumes, for example, were similar to that of what the original “Ghostbusters” cast wore, with slight alterations. Variations of the original soundtrack can be heard of Ray Parker Jr.’s famed “Who You Gonna Call?” theme. The graphics were a huge step up from the ‘80s version (which is expected), and the crew gets slimed a few times. Of course, the infamous Stay Puft Marshmallow Man made an appearance as a floating balloon in the Macy’s Parade. However, all of these ideas were just enough to satisfy those fans of the classic, without ripping off the original.
In recent times, much controversy has spread on the internet regarding the lead roles being composed of females, thus, critics were harsh of the early trailers released. The gender reversal role also continued when the secretary was cast as a male, played by Chris Hemsworth. As many others, I walked into the theater dubious of my feelings at the finish. I had believed that if this movie were to fail, it would ruin the entire franchise. However, within the first 15 minutes of watching the film, I had an altered opinion. It made absolutely no difference that the "ghostbusters" were women -- the movie was hilarious despite this and even contained some very petrifying moments leaving me with ghostbumps.
Not only was the new “Ghostbusters” better than the original film, but it was one of the greatest movies I have ever seen -- which goes to show just how inaccurate movie reviews can be. I encourage moviegoers of all generations to witness this phenomenon, as it’s one that you are sure not to regret. I can say with confidence that I will be making another trip to the theaters to see this film again.
