First: Why a remake? I dunno. They're all comedic gold cast wise, but.. It's a mixed bag. Trying to re-create Ghostbusters is dumb on principle because it was a timed movie classic. The TIME it was made in and the society as it was constructed at that time and the cast themselves in their prime called for a perfect storm. It fell in at a perfect time in movie space, and any recreation is going to fall somewhat flat because of it. That'll be the first thing I say.
Outside of that, I was definitely NOT excited about this film and all of the ranting and raving about females vs males vs no-im-not-sexist-if-i-hate-the-movie and the whining made me take a deeper look and now? I want to see it. Objectively, this movie probably works just fine, and is falling flat because of the context of Ghostbusters.
I dunno the motivations for the black-female-sassy character. But first off: We're in an age where I feel like if Leslie Jones thought she was degrading black people she'd just fucking say so or say no. Is it a race thing at all? Doubtful. I'd even argue that people are racist for being quick to pounce at the whole stereotype thing. Like a black female actor has to be held to the highest of standards or else she's degrading her own race. Fuck off with that. That's the same complex that female drill sergeants have towards new recruits: Be three times as good in order to be seen as being equal.
Objectively... It echoes the original: three well established scientists, and a normal black person coming in to help out.
The original snubbed the black guy:
Ernie Hudson's Role In Ghostbusters Was Supposed To Be Very Different - CINEMABLEND
TLDR: He had a good story and was originally one of them, then just became a dude wanting a paycheck. In this case, the female subway lady has more to offer than Winston did in the original, sassy stereotype and all.
Leslie Jones Defends Her 'Ghostbusters' Character After Racial Controversy Arises Over New Trailer
I mean, seriously, in half the posters winston is not even shown. Leslie gets a front row seat.
AND Leslie Jones defends the character. You know why sassy black lady is a stereotype? Because sassy women are normal folk, and people notice it more from black people because racism. She's playing a normal person, she defends her role, and that's.. Good enough for me. No one should feel the need to prove they're speaking for their whole race in a role. That's sort of the whole fucking point of pointing out white privilege.. Yet, people feel the need to force her to speak for everyone still. Racism with good intentions is still racism people. I'd argue this character had more opportunity and more to offer than the finished product of the OGB, and.. Leslie Jones is a strong sassy woman.
Leslie Jones - I Heart White People - YouTube She is. That's what she does.. so.. really, I see HER in her performance. Not a stereotypical sassy black woman ughingly perpetuating racial stereotypes for a quick buck.
It'll never be enough. SJWs would complain if she was the engineer vs the quantum physics teacher if she changed positions with mechanics-mcgee. No one is batting an eye at, yet again, another dorky teacher white lady in dorky apparel. All the focus is on black people because fuck it, no one can just be happy.
She's fine, her role is fine, and if you're going to get mad, get mad at the original that this is trying to echo.
Other things I've noticed:
- The original film got comedians to play the main characters... and yet was shot in a horror film sense. So how does this compare to the new film? While the comedian part is definitely down with these four women...
.. the bright colors make it seem childish, and in no way scary besides maybe an occasional jumpscare and that's just the trailer.. sometimes trailers have better things that dont exist or even the best things from the movie now-a-days. While I wouldn't venture to say ghostbusters was intending to be scary... the elements of horror were there. And not just with a little lens flare or jump scare. The whole style was a horror movie. The cast of the OGB (original ghostbusters) were super into the paranormal, and the scenes in the movie (the infamous red haired lady possessed scene) were actually techniques one would deploy (as written by paranormal experts) in dealing with the possessed. Based on the graphics and ghost looks alone, I highly highly doubt the same attention to detail in the horror genre and paranormal expertise was given. But as I haven't seen the movie yet, maybe I am wrong there.
I just cannot be scared of a floating apparition in bright blue... we have come soooo far in horror genre effects, it seems so lame that CGI rainbow clouds were the ultimate product of this movie. Flashy.. but the original had some pretty scary stuff in it.. demonic dogs with gnashing teeth, and the possession was even creepier by far than what I was seeing in the trailer--some goofy slime cloud filtering into one's face and then smiling the way I did as a kid when I saw a piece of cake unattended.
This was the most immediate turn off to me about the movie.
- Again, the main problem is it scraps the original because it is a reboot. Like, not "Hey, we took over for the original cast, and this is our new age paranormal stuff." They didn't take the torch and run forward. They completely scratched the original movie. This is automatically going to create some hate. It is a reboot--which like I said should not exist really there's no reason to remake a perfect hit--but it COULD have been great as a "hey, this is the future, we're a long way from the 80s. Here's our super cool technology, ghostbusters is x now, and this is what we've done with it." cameos of the original cast would make a lot of sense and it could have been a LOT of fun. These girls could have owned the space without the film snubbing the original at all. But no. Reboot. Because it's easy to make the same story instead of creatively writing one within an already existing universe.
- Where is the main villain? Just a bunch of ghosts? Someone vaguely putting devices in the city? Immediately seems forgettable.
- The comedy does sound pretty good actually. I think there are some people who are so angry at this film that they'll automatically think the jokes will fall flat. I think the trailer saw some pretty good, if but cheesy at times, jokes. These are talented comedians, and I'm sure if the movie turns out good it will be owed to their performances in it.
- I still cannot get over the CGI bloodbath that is the graphics in today's movies.
Anyways, that's my initial impressions. I'll eventually watch it.