Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Ghostbusters Blu-ray Movie Review

Wrong number.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 10, 2016

There's a popular YouTube channel called "Honest Trailers" that cuts its own movie trailers, provides its own voiceovers, and, rather than make a movie seem all flashy and cool and put it in the minds of audiences that it's something that they just have to see, tells the real story (as they see it) and provides a more realistic evaluation of the movie in question. It's pretty funny stuff, because most trailers aren't "honest." They sell a bill of goods that, more often than not, it seems, show all the best clips or that carefully edit a condensed version of a movie for maximum "wow" factor. Trailers are one of the most critical marketing tools for studios and probably the most enjoyed by movie fans, because if nothing else and even through the spin they offer a real glimpse, or "preview," of an unreleased movie. So it was with great anticipation that Sony released the trailer for the Ghostbusters reboot. And... Flop. Crash. Thud.

The trailer wasn't a hit, to say the least. It was met with disdain, igniting the Internet into a frenzy the likes of which it hadn't really seen before in response to a simple movie trailer. For its factually incorrect information ("four scientists..."), cringe-worthy gags, and eye-rolling dialogue, its reception was harsh at best and cruel at worst. Arguments exploded all over the Internet, with some claiming sexism as the root of the negative reaction and others citing the general poor performance of the movie depicted therein. The trailer became the most disliked in YouTube history. A prominent conservative voice was banned from Twitter after a feud with Ghostbusters Star Leslie Jones caused her to quit the service. Forums exploded. Emotions ran hot. If nothing else, the trailer got the word out in a way few ever have. All publicity is good publicity. Then the movie hit theaters. In a reversal of the (anecdotal) norm, critical reception was, generally, fair, while audience reaction was, generally, a bit more negative. Opinions remained divided, perhaps not running quite so hot as before, but the base critiques of the film, and its detractors, remained. Turns out, though, that Ghostbusters' trailer was pretty honest on its own. The movie doesn't work as a standalone entertainer or as a reboot of the 30-year-old franchise. It's by-and-large a disappointment, finding a few moments of charm, dramatic intrigue, and enjoyable special effects-laden action scattered amongst a script and execution that tries too hard and flops when it should fly, scuffles when it should star, drags when it should dazzle, suffocates when it should satisfy.

Ready for action.

Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) is hoping to nab a coveted tenure position at Columbia. She specializes in Theoretical Particle Physics but has been known to dabble around the fringes of accepted science in the past, all of which is in a book about ghosts that she once wrote and now hopes to keep under wraps from academia. Unfortunately, the book has suddenly become widely available and eventually leads to her dismissal. With nowhere to go, she turns to an old friend, a scientist named Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) who, it turns out, was the one to put the book back in circulation to begin with. Abby and Erin share a long history of paranormal studies, and when Abby receives a call to investigate a sighting at a prominent New York mansion, she, Erin, and Abby's colleague Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) confirm the sighting and engage the ghost. Soon, they find themselves in the middle of some serious paranormal activity. Using Jillian's gizmos and gadgets and finding help from an MTA employee named Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones), who has first-hand contact with a ghost, and an awkward receptionist named Kevin (Chris Hemsworth), the Ghostbusters set out to save New York from its most sinister and dangerous enemies yet.

Ghostbusters looks pretty good on the surface. The cast is decidedly affable and seems to really want to spark the movie to greatness. The problem is that they're saddled with a drag of a script that's got to be the epitome of the contemporary try-hard. It lacks not just the organic flow, situational laughs, and well constructed characterization of the original film but also tries the near-impossible of recreating iconic moments and lines from the original while still making the movie as uniquely individualized as possible. That's a really tough line to toe, one that few movies have really succeeded in walking. Star Trek is one that did it exceedingly well. Ghostbusters, on the other hand, is largely tone deaf, struggling not so much to put together a good core but rather all of the complimentary pieces around it. That core is fine -- the cast its enthusiastic, the visual effects are by-and-lage excellent, and the action is sufficiently entertaining -- but everything else crashes and burns. The performances suffer because the material with which the actors have to work isn't up to par. They commendably try their best, but they're left to flounder and force their lines because the movie is contextually lacking and substantively empty. Yes, it's Ghostbusters, and it doesn't need to be Shakespeare, but Writers Paul Feig (who also directed) and Katie Dippold spend too much effort on cramming in empty humor and less time really exploring the characters or the world around them in any meaningful, narrative-complimenting way. It never finds an identity or purpose, or at least a positive identity or purpose, instead bouncing from one flop of a gag to the next to the point that, by the time the movie gains some momentum in its third act, has been too much of a drag to really care about some of the great ideas it explores and the awesome visual effects that support them in the climax.

Ghostbusters Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

What a contrast between this Ghostbusters and the original. That older film's multiple Blu-ray releases (and its first in particular) ran afoul of some controversy for grain structure and density, but there's no such issue with this release. It's been digitally photographed and appears very smooth, a little noisy in places but manageable for those who prefer a cleaner look to films. However, the presentation isn't without some warts. Colors push extraordinarily hot. Flesh tones range from warm to burning, usually finding some middle ground favoring the less drastic side of the scale, but the entire palette appears overcooked and oversaturated, right to the fringes of excess. Faces often appear pasty and unnaturally smooth; very fine, intimate detail can be hard to come by, at least early on. Things seem to tighten up as the movie wears on. Whether the color saturation becomes less punchy or the eyes simply adjust to it, the image seems at least mildly more balanced and capable of better revealing many of the amazing textures seen throughout the film. Skin details become more prominent; the official Ghostbuster uniforms present all their tangible textures with striking, tactile ease; and various cityscape shots are clear and focused. Some of the best detail comes by way of the Ghostbuster equipment where exposed wires, conductors, motherboards, whatevers are a veritable playground of textural sharpness and a real treat for the eyes (not to mention a win for the production design team). Black levels are handsomely deep and true, even in nighttime exteriors and contrasting with many of the brighter ghost effects playing out in front. Aliasing is a mild concern; overhead city shots struggle with the problem, as do window blinds seen from outside the mansion relatively early in the movie. Despite some issues with small technical shortcomings as well as some questionable stylistic choices, the transfer, overall, satisfies far more often than not.

Ghostbusters Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The bad news is that Sony has once again decided to favor the "premium" status of its UHD line at the expense of its bread-and-butter 1080p Blu-ray audience by refusing to bring over the enhanced Atmos soundtrack from the pricier release. It would be nice if Sony could go even that half-extra mile and bump up to 7.1, but alas. The good news is that the included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is still fantastic. Ghostbusters is a movie that depends upon sound design from top to bottom, from small creaks and moans to the most explosive, bass-happy, full-spread sonic mayhem. The track never really disappoints. Even limited to the standard 5.1 channel layout, there are no discernible gaps in coverage. Music is wide and rich, effortlessly saturating the stage with score and energetic popular music alike. There are plenty of fantastic zip and zap effects that expertly ride through the stage like a roller coaster as the team tests out some of its big guns in a back alley. Information flies through the stage with precision effect and dynamic clarity. Bass is thunderous, particularly during the big extended battle at the end. The low end is not only deep and strong, but very complimentary. There's a momentum to it, like the proverbial snowball that grows as it rolls downhill. The track never seems to tire or relent, always pushing as hard as it can while still maintaining an excellence of clarity and balance. Each key effect plays with its own unique signature, and no matter how frenzied the track may become, all the different pieces never become jumbled together or, worse, drowned out by the most impressive bass lines. Lighter atmospherics richly define low key scenes and fill in basic background ambience with ease. Dialogue is accurate, well prioritized and naturally positioned in the front-center. Even without the extra layers of a 7.1 or Atmos/X track, this is a very, very good listen that serves the movie well.

Ghostbusters Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Ghostbusters contains two commentaries, deleted and extended scenes, and some featurettes. Two cuts of the film are included: Theatrical (1:56:34) and Extended (2:13:44). A UV digital copy code is included with purchase. Note that the digital copy voucher makes mention of "over an hour of additional extended and alternate scenes" but did not appear to be available at time of publication. This review will be updated when and if they appear online. One new digital-only supplement was available. Rowan's Manifesto (0:47) is a video message explaining Rowan's decision to unleash the ghosts on the Earth.

• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Paul Feig and Writer Katie Dippold deliver an affable and informative track. It's very broad in coverage, delving into both basic detail and more intimate, hands-on insights. Locations, casting, and performances are covered, but it's in the more anecdotal discussions where the track really shines. The track is available on both cuts.
• Audio Commentary: This is a "Department Heads" track. Participants include Editor Brent White, Producer Jessie Henderson, Production Designer Jeff Sage, Visual Effects Supervisor Pete Travers, and Special Effects Supervisor Mark Hawker. As with the first track, this is fun and breezy while still presenting plenty of in-depth detail into what the speakers do and how they worked on the movie. It's more technical in nature than the other track, making this a second quality companion piece to the movie. This track is also available on both cuts.
• Gag Reels (1080p): Because one gag reel is apparently not enough, the disc features Gag Reel Round 1 (7:30) and Gag Reel Round 2 (7:59).
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 9:22 total runtime): Scenes include Past Lives, The Big Test, The Breakup, and Where Are You?.
• Extended & Alternate Scenes (1080p, 21:14 total runtime): Erin Walks to Class, Phil & Phyllis, The Duke, The Dean, Bennie & Erin, Protect the Barrier, The Beasts of Mayhem, Casper, Visine, Where's the Walkie, and Rebecca Gorin.
• Jokes A Plenty (1080p, 34:30): This is essentially the usual Sony Line-O-Rama collection, renamed, offering a bunch of alternate line takes from the shoot. Included are Free for All, Holtzman Gone Wild, The Patty Show, Kevin Unleashed, The Dean Goes Down, and The Bird.
• Meet the Team (1080p, 8:04): Paul Feig and cast discuss the four main Ghostbuster characters in more depth and the qualities the actors brought to the roles.
• The Ghosts of Ghostbusters (1080p, 13:57): An interesting discussion of the various "tiers" of ghosts that appear in the movie, with in-depth insight into camera tests, costumes, makeup, practical and digital effects, and more.
• Visual Effects: 30 Years Later (1080p, 15:16): A detailed discussion of the film's cutting edge digital effects, with some interesting detail on how practical support pieces helped to enhance the digital end product.
• Slime Time (1080p, 5:15): As the title suggests, this piece is all about the iconic Ghostbusters slime that oozes through the movie.
• Chris Hemsworth is "Kevin" (1080p, 7:42): A closer look at the actor's role in the film, including his comedic chops and improvs.
• Photo Gallery (1080p): A hodgepodge of concept art images.

Ghostbusters Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Ghostbusters flashes potential. The cast is by-and-large enjoyable but suffers under the burden of empty writing and a lack of identity for the film. The action isn't bad, neither are the visual effects, and both come together in a splendidly realized climax. When the movie is on, it makes for an enjoyable modern spin on the franchise. The problem is that it there's about 80 minutes worth of unfunny dialogue and crudely paced construction to wade through to get there. Sony's Blu-ray release of Ghostbusters contains a healthy allotment of bonus content. Video is very good, just not great. Audio is excellent, but the studio's refusal to put the best soundtrack available on every release is disappointing, especially when competing studios are doing just that. Fans of the movie, who can't play back the UHD and don't want a 3D copy, can buy this release with confidence. Newcomers should rent before committing to a purchase.