To be clear, this is a review of the 2016 Paul Feig Ghostbusters, not Ivan Reitman’s 1984 Ghostbusters. In almost every facet, from casting to special effects, drama to comedy, the new lives up to the old. The one thing that I missed was a particular line from Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Yes it’s true… This man has no dick. Do you remember that line?1

The film did have some great lines. Lines like this, I don’t go to Chinatown, I don’t drive wackos, and I ain’t afraid of no ghosts! That comes from Dan Aykroyd, who appears in a scene, as does Murray, Hudson and Weaver. Another is, Never compare me to the mayor in Jaws! Never! That comes from Andy Garcia’s wonderful Mayor of New York. From the updated sensibilities the film effect was, on the whole, kind of like J.J. Abram’s Star Trek. It was familiar and fresh, with a new villain and surprising faces. The only major difference is that Star Trek was kind of sexist and this was not. Somehow I think that Star Trek was still a better movie.

No Karan Soni, unfortunately.

Dr. Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), Dr. Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig), Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon), and Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones), Ghostbusters, © 2016 Columbia Pics.

The entire main cast was hilarious. My least favorite was probably Kate McKinnon, but she seems to be the favorite of most other people. Thus there is a Ghostbuster for everyone watching! Well, except for angry men out there who are just looking for something to hate. In their case they have Kevin—Chris Hemsworth, Thor—who is the least competent receptionist ever. But he is very attractive. This seems to have bothered people in a way that no incompetent female character ever has. Do not misunderstand me, he is gratingly obnoxious, but the ironic anger of some viewers makes his inclusion worthwhile, at least on a meta level. A lot in this film seems to function on a meta level, but almost all of it2 works for me. Good job Paul Feig.

****

1 Dr. Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd): Everything was fine with our system until the power grid was shut off by dickless here.
Walter Peck (the inimitable William Atherton): They caused an explosion!
Mayor (David Margulies): Is this true?
Dr. Peter Venkman: Yes it’s true. [pause] This man has no dick.↩
2 E.g. McCarthy reading an online review of her book, which is mean and sexist, to which McKinnon tells her not to read that crap.↩