Thursday 14 July 2016

Film: 'Ghostbusters'.

I so did not want to expend money and time on seeing this - but, hey, when duty calls........! Also, with screens filling up showing kiddies' films before most schools have even broken up for the Summer hols, my increasingly infrequent visits of late was starting to engender withdrawal symptoms in me. However, this film has had poor, even some stinking reviews (current IMDb average rating is 4/10) - and to add to all that, there's been talk of boycotts of the film for a perceived anti-male prejudice, as well as some (even many!) being let down by the titular gang of four being all-female whereas, of course, in the 1984 original film they were men.
I haven't seen that original one again, and its sequel of five years later, since they were first released half my lifetime in the past, and didn't find them particularly entertaining - just plain daft! (The sequel was just totally forgettable). So, all in all, this one had better be good! And, you know what? Against all the odds, I quite liked it.

The background story of how and why the quartet of fighters got together is not especially relevant. (Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon - the last being the only irritating one with her wisecracking, know-it-all attitude). 
The story itself is flimsy and little more than an excuse for employing spectacular special effects,  particularly in the extended final confrontation which takes up about a third of the film. Though yet....and yet....director Paul Feig (also the co-writer) does manage to hold it together with some flair, helped enormously by some sassy lines in a superior script. If there were any demeaning, anti-male barbs I missed them. The film held my attention right through without evincing a single yawn.
In addition to welcome cast member Charles Dance, there are a couple of brief cameo appearances from Bill Murray, one of the original 'gang'. (Another of that number, Dan Aykroyd, is the film's executive producer). Then, during the final credits, interspersed with several short, wind-it-up scenes, is a fleeting appearance from another of the original's cast, Sigourney Weaver.

So this is the second film in a row where my low expectations were confounded. I don't doubt that going in with that attitude helped me to enjoy the films more. And experiencing enjoyment is what it's all about.........6.


14 comments:

  1. I shall probably go to see this, because I rather like Melissa McCarthy. She makes me laugh.

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  2. Truth to tell, Judith, up to now M.McM.'s presences on the screen had made me cringe - though happily not so now. In fact here she's almost likeable (and I never thought I'd ever so that!). Actually she's one of several features of this film that saves it from being the disaster that many think it could have been. Trouble is though, lots still maintain that that is exactly how it's turned out. But do go and see for yourself.

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    1. Just popped back to tell you that i saw this last night and really liked it. It was fast, funny, goofy and engagingly daffy and I laughed. The leads had great chemistry and Chris Hemsworth was pretty. It certainly doesn't deserve the vitriol it's getting around the internet. As for perceived anti-male prejudice, that's just stupid. 7 out of 10 from me!

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    2. Glad you weren't put off from going, Judith. It sounds that maybe where you were laughing I was just smiling, but there were certainly enough entertaining moments to have made the time and expense a good investment. I see that Radio 5's Mark Kermode calls it 'fair enough' though felt it ought to have been better.
      As my starting point was lower in thinking it better than I was expecting I was in no way disappointed at my own reaction - no feeling of being let down.
      Oh, and my 6/10 would probably translate as a '7' for most people.

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  3. Totally agree. Another remake that should have been left alone. Summer remakes just don't hold up

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    1. You agree? From your comment doesn't sound like it to me. But what you say is the way I expected the film to have been - though in fact I didn't.

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  4. Just saw "Diary of a Teenage Girl" last night. A very different type of role for Kristen Wiig. Loved the film, by the way. In three years, when this Ghostbusters finally gets to our TV screen, we'll watch it.

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    1. Didn't see that 'Diary', Mitch, though not sure if it's opened here yet. If it's still coming I'll look out for it.
      'Ghostbusters' on TV? Well, I s'pose it'd be better than not seeing it at all, though others might be of a different opinion.

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  5. Glad to hear that they kept the original soundtrack theme.
    JP

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    1. It's only the tiniest snatch, JP (as the actress said to.....), in fact not much more than the marvellous heavy-beat intro. Pity that. And it's not over the closing credits either.

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  6. I did not enjoy the first one; I shan't see the second.

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    1. Well, I'm one of the few - possibly uniquely - who prefer this to the original, Dr Spo - though the first is considered (inexplicably) by many to be something of a 'cult classic' these days.

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  7. Ray,
    I'll probably see this film (although I didn't see the original) because I like all of the female actresses (and "actresses" is what I call them, not "actors"). I especially like Leslie Jones. I've only seen her in a commercial but I predict she will be a big star.
    Another welcome review. Thanks Ray.
    Ron

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    1. I never knew of Ms Jones at all, Ron. Maybe she was already known for TV work?
      I read that she's taken a lot of abuse on Twitter (whatever that is) for being, not just a woman but (oh horror!) for being a BLACK woman too. Particular aim at her was taken, I believe, by a certain personage who'd been shortly due to give a speech at a 'Gays for Trump' gathering in Cleveland. I'm sorry, but things are going too fast for me to keep up. The world seems to have turned topsy-turvy!

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