Film Review: Ghostbusters

As soon as Paul Feig announced his plan to direct an all-female reimagining of Ghostbusters, the world as we know it ended.

At least, that's what enraged fanboys across the world implied with their outraged reaction. Due to the furore - including unfairly having the most down-voted trailer in YouTube history - Feig's Ghostbusters would have to be perfect to prove the haters wrong. It's not, but it's still a damn entertaining romp with originality, self-awareness and zingers to spare. SNL veterans and comic geniuses Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and the consistently scene-stealing but slightly underused Kate McKinnon star as the eponymous paranormal experts, amateurs and exorcists, tasked with saving the world from a spectral invasion - despite a city full of people doubting their abilities.

Happily, the scepticism allows Feig and the actresses to make winking nods to the misogyny that has surrounded the project from day one. As the ghostbusters read comments on their online videos that say, "Ain't no bitches gonna hunt no ghosts" and "You don't have the proper equipment", the film displays a delightfully understated meta wit.

As for the straightforward blockbuster kicks, there are many. The ghosts have an old-school Halloweenish charm, and McKinnon gets the best moment of the film during the well-paced action sequences, kicking ass just as Ray Parker's classic theme song blasts. This isn't the only throwback, as cameos galore prove that the original actors are in full support of the franchise's resurrection. Although Chris Hemsworth's dumb beefcake secretary and the generic villain feel tired, Ghostbusters has enough zingers and zest to be remembered fondly.