Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016) (Part 1 of 3)

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016) (Part 1 of 3)

With all the shit talk between the various camps on this film, myself included, you would think something meaningful would come out of this movie. However, this cash-grab reboot by Sony is rather bland with a topping of an uneven and unfinished script. With all the poor creative decisions, I have to wonder if Sony was trolling us all. Even with a young/hip male cast, this movie would have failed too. (Point Break anyone?)

It says something that I found Ghostbusters II more entertaining than the reboot. This movie is just...well...lame. Or at least a lame duck. It won't destroy your childhood, but it won't stand out as interesting or funny either and that's a shame. With this cast, this could have been a great little romp in busting ghosts. (And, it could have taken the Force Awakens route and made it a sequel/relaunch by having it set in the same universe, but with a new group of characters.)

It comes across as just boring and unfocused. There is no way this movie tested well in its earlier stages.

So, where does most of this blame fall?

The Director (Feig Newton)

Paul Feig should have never touched this property. I honestly don't think he has the directing chops to pull off a effects heavy franchise such as this. Plus, there are behind the scenes stories of Feig being overwhelmed by the project. His disconnect from the movie actuall forced him to drop a major dance number.

Some have claimed he put in feminist ideas into the script because he hates men so much, but I feel there isn't much there. Feig should keep to making dirty action or character comedies. He's out of his element and it shows throughout the movie. He shut himself out from receiving input from the people that made the movies before this one. He could have even brought in some of the writers from the cartoon series or at least the VG.

He took the Mass Effect 3 approach to film-making for this movie. Shut yourself in a room and don't take suggestions. Really, nothing much changed from his pitch to Sony to the final product, which makes it a bit uneven and unfinished. Story points could have been fleshed out, but are simply forgotten. I blame Feig for this vapid mess.

And, keep in mind Feig already claimed he'd never do another project like this again. Yeah, stick to Bridesmaids II: Even Bride-ier. There is only one thing that I think he does lay in on thick and it has to do with the villain.

He's not interested in making an interesting story-line about ghost, but he is more into giving the cast a chance to riff off of each other. The old movie was a combination of both.

He didn't help matters either when he attacked the very people that could have helped make this movie a hit. However, the movie isn't as political as people think.