Comedy legend

Rating: Null/10 (23 November 2012)

One of the best comedy films in existence, and for several good reasons. Ghostbusters is one of those rare films that manages to stand head and shoulders above its peers for its originality, sharp wit, masterful storytelling and a cast of humorous oddballs.
But what really sets this movie apart is the fact that it doesn't rely on pop culture references or inappropriate jokes, aimed to make the toddlers in the audience giggle. Rather it relies on sarcasm, visual creativity and the same brand of randomness that made the Monty Python group so successful. In essence, it's a timeless film, which humour stems from the human brilliance and not the lowest common denominator. It's a comedy film that even the most high brow film snobs can enjoy, as it doesn't treat its audience like idiots. There are several jokes that you can miss entirely and only get later when you have time to mull over the dialogue, which in my opinion is an extremely good thing.
Furthermore, it's a very quotable film. The dialogue is at times razor sharp and some of the verbal gymnastics between the main characters still make me blink my eyes in surprise. The cast is also very talented, and no less could have been accepted for this script, but luckily they managed to get the big boys and girls to play these characters. The chemistry between Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver is especially memorable.
If I were to nitpick, I'd say that the special effects haven't aged all that well. Some of them are still surprisingly good, like the ghost trapping beams, which should not be crossed, but some, like the guardian "dogs" of Zuul look really fake. It doesn't ruin the film, in some cases it even adds to the film's charm, but it's still an eyesore in certain scenes. And the ending has a certain amount of "love it or hate it" quality to it. I lean more towards hate it, but only slightly.
All in all this a classic. A comedy film that managed to create its own universe, its own cosmos and mythology. It did that with ambitious story, clever writing and a great cast of characters. It worked back then and it still does. Find it, see it, love it. Force other people to watch it.