Rethinking the Reboot: Ghostbusters . . . don't hold your breath

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Rethinking the Reboot: Ghostbusters . . . dont hold your breath

Published: Tue 12 Jul 2016, 8:44 PM

Last updated: Wed 13 Jul 2016, 8:34 PM

As most of you know, the classic 90s film Ghostbusters has been remade and is due for release this week. The female reboot of the original 1984 classic film (which has a massive fan base) has been met with criticism since its conception.
The all female reboot has angered many fan boys who think the new fresh take on the supernatural action comedy won't live up to the original film. The reboot stars some major talent but the trailer which came out earlier this year left fans incredibly divided.
Allegedly, Sony pictures have been having a challenging time selling the female driven reboot to men. It's caused them to downplay the advertising campaigns which up to this point has been vague.
Here's what we think. Rebooting classics, never, ever works. Whether it's a female cast, an all black cast, bigger and better visual effects, it doesn't matter. Especially if the original film is a cult classic success. Reboots, for lack of a better word, are simply cringe-worthy. We can't think of a movie that has been remade in recent times that was better, or even on par with its original.
Clash of the Titans (terrible), The Karate Kid (The Smiths' segway to get Jaden into Hollywood), Arthur (we love you Helen Mirren and Russell Brand but, no), The Women (an insult to the original 1939 film and the play by Clare Boothe Luce), Fame (cheesy, weird and nonsensical - a massive step away from the poignant, brilliantly performed and controversial original) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (doesn't matter how talented Johnny Depp and Tim Burton are, this was a flop from the word, action) - we could go on but we have a word count.
We have another issue with Ghostbusters. The all female cast. Yup, we said it. This has nothing to do with the fact that we are massive fans of the original film or have a problem with seeing an all female driven action movie. It's precisely the opposite. Look at the incredible female talent involved in the remake, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and writer Katie Dippold. Each of those actresses can carry a movie alone, grouped together we want to see them break the box office in an original and interesting way - not by comparing them to their male counterparts in a film that was hugely succesfull. Look at Pitch Perfect, Bridesmaids, Sex and the City, Mean Girls, The Heat, The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants all of these were original films that have left their mark on pop culture and frankly if they were rebooted in an all male version, we'd be horrified.
We hope that Ghostbusters won't crash and burn, because if it does, it will be another set back for female driven comedy and action films.

By Maan Jalal

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