Classic 80's comedy.

Rating: 9/10 (17 May 2008)

My Take: Hilarious comedy carried by a hilarious ensemble cast, gimmicky effects, and big laughs.
A classic for bringing both special effects and comedy together successfully, GHOSTBUSTERS actually still holds up today. It's still a funny and elaborate fantasy with some fun special effects (which may not be as good in today's standards, but still enjoyable) and some very humorous performances by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis as the three leads. It's not as great as it might have been, but what do I know, this one is still very good.
Director Ivan Reitman keeps things as lively as possible. The early special effects work on creatures and spirits (including the infamous Marshmallow Man) are fun to look at. They're not as good as today's, and these may be even considered low-tech, but they have something some of today's special effects have, and that's imagination. It took some imagination to create strange wonders as these, and they're worth looking at.
Other than special effects, the real appeal of GHOSTBUSTERS comes from the actors and the rest of the crew. Lead actors, as well as supporting characters like the ones played by Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, Rick Moranis and Ernie Hudson, are very well played. The script is finely rewarding with funny one-liners to great jokes. It's also flavored with parodies (THE EXORCIST mainly) and some in-jokes. GHOSTBUSTERS proves that, even with the distractions of special effects, a comedy can still be funny at the same time.
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5.