GHOSTBUSTERS

(director/writer: Paul Feig; screenwriters: Katie Dippold/ based on the 1984 film directed by Ivan Reitman, written by Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis; cinematographer: Robert Yeoman; editors: Brett White, Melissa Bretherton; music: Theodore Shapiro; cast: Melissa McCarthy (Abby Yates), Kristen Wiig (Erin Gilbert), Kate McKinnon (Jillian Holtzmann), Leslie Jones (Patty Tolan), Chris Hemsworth (Kevin), Ed Begley Jr. (Ed Mulgrave), Michael McDonald (Jonathan The Theater Manager), Neil Casey (Rowan North), Andy Garcia (Mayor), Ernie Hudson (Uncle Bill), Sigourney Weaver (Rebecca Gorin),Nate Corddry(Graffiti Artist),Katie Dippold (Rental agent), Dan Aykroyd (Cabbie), Bill Murray (Dr. Heiss), Steve Higgins (Dean), Karan Soni (Benny), Charles Dance (Harold Filmore); Runtime: 105; MPAA Rating: PG-13; producers: Ivan Reitman, Amy Pascal; Sony Pictures; 2016)

“A dreary Ghostbusters reboot of the Ivan Reitman classic from 1984.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A dreary Ghostbusters reboot of the Ivan Reitman classic from 1984. Paul Feig (“Bridesmaids”/”Spy”) directs and co-writes with Katie Dippold, as he overwhelms us with cheesy special effects, so much so that the four ghostbuster female leads (Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones) find their comedy gets blurred. The girl saviors are in pursuit of a demonic ghost’s attempt to destroy NYC. The film’s creep (Neil Casey) is hurt that he’s a neglected genius and as revenge plans to set the ghosts of NYC upon the city and bring it to its knees.

The girl power message is delivered in a heavy-handed manner and is not too funny. The film tries to see if women can carry a blockbuster comedy. Here they can’t, but if given a good script and jokes that weren’t so lame I’m sure they can.

The raunchy slapstick routines grew increasingly tiresome. Melissa McCarthy has become irritating doing her same feeble comic bits for every pic. The sexist reversal joke of the girls hiring a dumb beefcake receptionist (Chris Hemsworth) went on and on until it was no longer amusing. The SNL players, Wiig and Jones, give off with facial gestures and soul sister schticks that might work on television, but on the big screens it makes for a desperate attempt at comedy. McKinnon’s comic act of a science engineer geek did nothing that I found amusing, though she did try hard.

I found little that entertained me and much that was annoying. It also lacked any tension for its dramatic story.

REVIEWED ON 7/16/2016       GRADE: C–