- November 19th, 2021, 1:27 pm#4960555I really thought today I would be feeling so excited about all the new things we now have in our little GB world, but instead I've been feeling pretty weird all day. Maybe it's the result of such an extended period of build up, but I left the cinema last night not really knowing what to think.
I can't fault Jason's direction, I thought the cinematography was absolutely beautiful, the new cast were great, and the props looked (and sounded) incredible, but as others have mentioned the script and overall story structure is a major let down for me.
I had real smile on face as soon as Ray appeared again on screen (he was always the Ghostbuster I wanted to be when I was little) but his exchange with Phoebe on the phone was pure clunky exposition for the purpose of hastily explaining things to the audience. Plus, I simply can't get my head around Ray not believing Egon. If anything, it would be the other way around. Ray was always the excited big kid of the four - the fictional representation of Aykroyd himself and his wild ideas - while Egon brings him back down to earth with pure science - a mirror to how Ramis was so integral in bringing the original movie premise back down to earth. Ray has spent the last 32 years running his occult bookstore, he saw Gozer with his own eyes, yet he never once thought Egon may have a legitimate reason for taking off to Summerville? I just can't get there in my head.
I'm just really sad that, with so much love and effort that has been poured into this film, we have ended up barely anything new. The lore of Ghostbusters has so much potential - Jason and Gil could have come up with an amazing, rich plot line involving Shandor that still has links to 1984. They could have worked with Dan to shape some of the many ideas he has had over the years. Instead they decided to rehash the Gozer/Keymaster/Gatekeeper/Terror Dogs stuff almost beat for beat. It's just such a shame.
There was also the opportunity to create a whole slew of new ghostbusting equipment for us to spend the next 32 years obsessing over in exhaustive detail. Instead, we got a trap on wheels, the PKE meter with a (barely used) taser function and a thrower with some tape round the grip. Surely, in the 32 years since GB2, Egon would have invented some new amazing gear.
The OGs just showing up like that really grated and they didn't really seem like the characters we all know and love. Yes, they have aged of course, but there was more chemistry between them on Jimmy Fallon. Ray just seemed downtrodden and Peter just came across as a disheveled Bill Murray saying some lines he has been given to say. I did come away loving the development of Winston though - the idea of him finding so much career success yet remaining so emotionally attached to his time as a Ghostbuster was a lovely touch and the potential for a follow up is interesting, though I'm not sure how keen I am to see this as a franchise watered down by a slew of sequels.
GB1 will never be bettered, but there is so much potential in the GB universe and I was hoping for so much more. I am seeing the movie again on Monday so hopefully I will warm to it a little more.
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