Ghostbusters Review

Usual Spoiler Alert

When there’s trouble in your neighbourhood? Who you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! I aint afraid of no ghosts.

Yep.  The next film on the list is the first Ghostbusters film.  It’s on the list, because again it’s one of those films where if you haven’t watched it then people will say HOW HAVE YOU NOT WATCHED THIS SUPERNATURAL COMEDY MASTERPIECE? Trust me…people do react like that.

Ghostbusters follows the story of the four eponymous Ghostbusters who are ousted from their jobs of parapsychology professors and pursue a career catching and containing the city’s ghosts.  Everything is going swimmingly until some big-mouth pompous lawyer representing the EPA shuts the Ghostbusters down and inadvertently releases their captured ghosts into New York.  The rest of the film involves them tracking down these escaped ghosts, whilst also trying to prevent the Sumerian shape-shifting god Gozer the Gozerian from destroying the city.

The good: Ghostbusters is funny.  It definitely does have its moments of physical comedy, as well as some witty dialogue.  Bill Murray is the best at this, especially within the scene where Sigourney Weaver’s character, possessed by the demonic spirit Zuul, Gozer’s servant tries to seduce Murray’s character and he makes a point not to get involved with women influenced by demonic possession.  I did also really like the different characters of the Ghostbusters, from Zeddemore’s bluntness to Spengler’s rational science to Venkman’s crassness and flippancy and Stanz’ appeal as a loveable oaf.  

The bad: Like I said Ghostbusters is funny.  However, it isn’t that funny.  It’s more laugh out loud funny rather than rolling on the floor laughing. When watching this, I did chuckle a few times, but I certainly didn’t have any hearty belly-laughs.  Also, the special effects were alternately good and bad.  Whilst the demonic dogs looked good whilst they were stationary, they looked a whole lot worse when they were moving.  Although, I did really like the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow man and I respect Stanz’s reasons for creating it.  I would do the same under the circumstances.

The ugly: Lewis.  Gah, it’s needy, desperate guys like him, that are the reason that girls like Sigourney Weaver make use of the friendzone.

Rating: Good.  

Ghostbusters does have its elements of comedy and good characters, but as this isn’t consistent throughout the film, it doesn’t warrant a better rating.  Although, I will say that the Ghostbusters certainly did a lot of damage to their city, in apprehending the bad guys.  I wonder who will have to pay for all the damage.