‘Ghostbusters’ Reviews Roundup: All-Female Reboot Earns Positive Reviews

Ghostbusters, directed by Paul Feig, is opening in theaters this weekend to positive reviews from film’s top critics.

Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon play the titular ghostbusters in the all-female reboot of the 1984 comedy classic. In this iteration, paranormal enthusiasts Erin (Wiig) and Abby (McCarthy) team up with theoretical physicist Jillian Holtzmann (McKinnon) and subway operator Patty (Jones) to bust the ghosts out of New York City. Their secretary and right-hand-man is Kevin (Chris Hemsworth), who proves to be just as dim as he is attractive.

Ghostbusters Reviews

Ahead of Ghostbusters‘ release, fans of the original movie were convinced that it would prove to be a dud. However, the overwhelming majority of critics are praising Ghostbusters for being exactly what it should be – a light-hearted and endlessly amusing summer comedy. Those still reluctant to praise the film lumping it in with other recent sequels, which fail to live up to their hype or their source material.

“Those spiffy proton packs are in good hands. Director Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters, a reboot of the 1984 comedy classic, is a worthy chapter in the franchise and more than makes up for that poorly executed 1989 sequel we’d all like to forget. Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones capture the original quartet’s spirit and give it a modern touch in the often hilarious “Let’s get a team together!” first half, but get slimed as the new version moves toward its uneven all-streams-necessary action climax.” – Brian Truitt, USA Today

“Sunny, slimy and profoundly silly, the new, lady-centric reboot of “Ghostbusters” immediately silences the backlash and bluster that’s preceded it. Never deigning to take the skeptical and just plain sexist bait that’s been thrown its way since the project was first announced — and that came in buckets when the first trailer was released — this jokey ensemble piece seems engineered to remind viewers of what it was meant to be all along: neither a workhorse for arguments about gender politics nor a Trojan horse for desecrating precious generational shibboleths, but simply an easygoing, enjoyable family comedy.” – Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

“After all the online outrage, hand-wringing and cultural thinkpieces, the new Ghostbusters turns out to be business as usual — a bloated remake of a revered comedy that doesn’t reinvent its source material or add fresh perspective. […] With the exception of McKinnon, who creates funny stuff for herself to do, the actors aren’t given enough actual jokes. […] When Wiig quotes Tony Montana before taking down a ghost with her blaster — “Say hello to my little friend!” — her line reading is anemic, as if she were embarrassed, and you cringe right along with her. This cast deserved sharper, stronger material. So did the audience.” – Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald

“Sliding into theaters on a river of slime and an endless supply of good vibes, the new, cheerfully silly “Ghostbusters” is that rarest of big-studio offerings — a movie that is a lot of enjoyable, disposable fun. And enjoy it while you can because this doesn’t happen often, even in summer, which is supposed to be our season of collective moviegoing happiness. […] It’s at once satisfyingly familiar and satisfyingly different, kind of like a new production of “Macbeth” or a Christopher Nolan rethink of Batman. As it turns out, the original “Ghostbusters” is one of those durable pop entertainments that can support the weight of not only a lesser follow-up, but also a gender redo. That the new movie stars four women is a kind of gimmick, of course, but it’s one that the filmmakers and the excellent cast deepen with real comedy chemistry and emotionally fleshed-out performances.” – Manohla Dargis, New York Times

Ghostbusters is currently in wide release.