Sony’s embargo has been lifted and critics who saw early screenings of the new all-female Ghostbusters film have passed their judgement. In a word: Meh.
When going to a movie is a political statement, so too shall be the reviews. With the whirling controversy surrounding the movie’s release, few reviews focused entirely on the movie, as the facts of the controversy are far more interesting than another ’80s film reboot.
It is interesting to see the range of emotions brought on by this film, from gushing feminist glee to utter contempt at a shameless reboot of a classic. From the early reviews it is surprisingly difficult to determine whether or not the movie is actually good (or funny). It seems the reviewers disagreed on almost everything.
The insider mag, Hollywood Reporter, whole-heartedly panned the film.
“What’s most surprising is the curious shortage of chemistry among the four leads, who never quite appear comfortable as a unit despite their overlapping screen histories,” the review said.
But Buzzfeed, ardently in the “pro-reboot” camp from the start, basically said the opposite.
“Jones, McCarthy, McKinnon, and Wiig are so good together — and in ways that are distinctively theirs and not recycled from the past — that their message of not giving a damn resonates better than the movie’s underwhelming climax,” the site said.
Everyone seemed to agree that the ending sucked. Spoiler alert: The new Ghostbusters shoot the final boss in the balls.
The most glowing review came from Nigel Smith of The Guardian: “Fun oozes from almost every frame; likewise the energy of a team excited to be revolutionizing the blockbuster landscape. Let’s just hope everyone will enjoy the view.”
Unsurprisingly Smith has been goading “the haters” for months on Twitter.
Another reviewer, Jen Yamato of The Daily Beast, enthusiastically praised the film. But considering she was a part of the hate campaign on James Rolfe, the YouTube reviewer, who was callously branded a misogynist for saying he wouldn’t review the film, it is hard to take her opinion seriously.
Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun Times absolutely eviscerated the movie: “So bad. Ghostbusters is a horror from start to finish, and that’s not me saying it’s legitimately scary.”
And so does Vanity Fair: “It’s a real bummer that these filmmakers felt they had to be so careful — with beloved I.P., with a female-driven movie. It’s the dumbest of ironies, really, that they do, in the end, seem pretty afraid of a ghost.”
The absolute worst thing the new Ghostbusters could have done was be mediocre. Now both sides, the pro- and anti-reboot factions, both are left without a clear taste of victory.
While some on the pro side are declaring victory over a 77% Rotten Tomatoes score, that number is likely to change once the film gets released in the US and more reviewers see the film. Crap films like Batman v Superman and Amazing Spiderman 2 also started strong on the site before their US releases.
The verdict on Ghostbusters is still out until the release date, as it seems difficult for anyone to review this film without the weight of the controversy on their shoulders.