“We can say this to all the pirates out there:
you’d better watch out, you’d better not try.”
-MPA

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'Ghostbusters (2016)'

Huh? So after the release of the terrible, terrible trailer, which fast became known as 'the worst trailer in movie history', and then the ensuing fake, PR-spun controversy about gender politics, the new Ghostbusters reboot turns out to be a decent watch after all?

I'm as surprised as any other Ghostbusters fan and hard-to-please movie fanatic.

Maybe it helps when you're expecting the very worst in a movie before you watch it. It's true, during production I was appalled by how the reboot of one of my favourite 80's films was shaping up. Changing the Ghostbusters to girls seemed like a fairly cynical marketing attempt at attracting girl fans to what was otherwise a boyish franchise. Heck, boy fans will go and see it ANYWAY, even if it sucks.

And watching the trailer only seemed to confirm my worst fears of what was coming. Like a lot of other fans I cringed and wondered if the whole thing wasn't some kind of absurd joke that I didn't get. What-in-all-hell-is this?

It turns out though (now I've watched the movie) that very little of the good stuff made it into the abysmal trailer. The main leads, especially, don't look so nearly as uncomfortable in the actual movie.

Really, the most surprising thing is how funny and well written the Ghostbusters reboot actually is.

Okay, so it's not up to the par of the orginal classics. Take that for granted. The direction and SFX are so-so. Some of the acting not quite so natural and easy. You ain't getting Ghostbusters 3 here.

But if you can drop any high hopes, then what you'll find is an excellent script with lots of good lines and a sense of fun, delivered by actors who seem to be enjoying the experience. Pacing that's much like the originals. Guest appearances from many of the old cast, and a welcome spot for Zack Woods of Silicon Valley fame (who we should really have seen way more of). Production by Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd. A refreshing girly take on all things spooky and gooey (and bimbo receptionists).

Despite some of the movie's faults it's a fun and worthy effort, and I happened to like it. By the end I was even hoping for a sequel, which says a lot (though by the sound of it that isn't likely to happen).

Definitely worth a watch and available now from the usual sources, along with the original classics.

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