Paul Feig’s GHOSTBUSTERS reboot trailer is here… and it’s got plenty of slime in it

Paul Feig’s GHOSTBUSTERS reboot trailer is here… and it’s got plenty of slime in it
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As a big time fan of the original GHOSTBUSTERS, so much so that as a kid I built my own proton pack for Halloween with lights and sound (long before the days where there were official fan groups and kits), I’ve been pretty hesitant to get on board with Paul Feig’s gender-swap reboot. You have to understand, I adore the 1984 comedy. probably saw it 50 times in the theater… no, I’m not exaggerating. I’m also in the minority thinking that BRIDESMAIDS wasn’t that good, at least certainly not the comedy masterpiece it was made out to be for some reason. In fact the only film of Feig’s I’ve really liked so far is SPY, which I found funny but not ground-breaking. So to hand him a property like GHOSTBUSTERS and let him just throw in a gimmick like gender-swapping, it feels disrespectful. This is in no way me saying “women can’t be Ghostbusters” or something chauvinistic I’m sure someone will post in the comments. It’s not about that, it just feels like a cheap gimmick, almost as if someone walked into a studio boardroom and said “Picture this, the Ghostbusters are back, but this time they’re all women!” while making razzle dazzle hands. It feels unnecessary and forced. Hey, maybe I’m wrong, but with the premiere of the first trailer today, I can’t say I’m convinced just yet. Thing is I love pretty much all of these women on their own, with the exception of Melissa McCarthy who feels a little overexposed. I should like what I’m seeing, but this preview makes it look like a hip Disney-like effort with no real originality. It does officially tell us the movie is a sequel in a sense, as it acknowledges the first film and (we’re guessing) its characters. So it would appear these women have to step up and become the new Ghostbusters in a time where the old ones are no more. Slimer is in there too, as is slime which appears to be used a lot. And like most Hollywood sequels and reboots these days, it looks like this is yet another thinly-veiled remake of the first film. The sequence with the three of them in the library and a librarian ghost is right out of the original, them putting the team together and building equipment is too (we’re guessing Kate McKinnon is the “Egon” character and Kristen Wiig is the “Venkman” role), and even Leslie Jones showing up wanting a job is just like Ernie Hudson showing up in the first movie… and the spiritual possession aspect was also done in the original… and the sequel. So chances are we’re not going to see anything new here, which means this movie will live or die based on how well the humor works. Frankly, I’m not that enthusiastic based on what I’ve seen here, but I’m sure we’ll get another trailer or two before it opens. In the meantime, what do you think of this first look? Tell us in the comments below.

Thirty years after the original film took the world by storm, Ghostbusters is back and fully rebooted for a new generation. Director Paul Feig combines all the paranormal fighting elements that made the original franchise so beloved with a cast of new characters, played by the funniest actors working today. Get ready to watch them save the world this summer!

GHOSTBUSTERS opens July 15, 2016

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About the Author

Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff.