Throwback Thursday Review: 'The Bourne Legacy'

Sorry for the delayed review but I was very busy due to a multitude of things. This week I'm reviewing The Bourne Legacy to tie into the release of Jason Bourne, although from what I've heard Jason Bourne isn't connected to this installment whatsoever and rather serves as a sequel to The Bourne Ultimatum. Within the next week you can expect reviews of Nerve and Jason Bourne in addition to my Throwback Thursday Review of The Dark Knight and my full in depth non-spoiler review of Suicide Squad. The following week I will review the older incarnation of Pete's Dragon to tie in with Disney's new live action reboot and the subsequent week will begin my series of Throwback Thursday Reviews of the Harry Potter films where I will be rereading the books prior to watching each installment every two weeks till Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is released this November. 

'The Bourne Legacy' Review

The Bourne Legacy is a weird fit in the Bourne franchise because it clearly wants to play in the same sandbox as the Bourne Trilogy, but it can't really play with the same toys, Matt Damon's Bourne and director Paul Greengrass' vision. The Bourne Legacy wanted to spinoff from the Bourne Trilogy (The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum) and setup Jeremy Renner as a the new leading man, and in doing so forcibly ties itself to the Bourne Trilogy in every way possible by plastering Jason Bourne's face on news reports, speaking his name just about every ten minutes and even going as far as to recruit many of the same actors from Ultimatum to make brief cameos to hammer home that this film is set concurrently. 

The points aforementioned are what restrict Legacy from it's full potential. I feel as though it were initially pitched as a new action franchise but that didn't bode over well so they decided to try to force it into the Bourne franchise with mixed results. Tony Gilroy, writer behind Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum, and Legacy, steps up to direct and his vision was very murky. The screenplay formulated by Tony Gilroy and his brother Dan Gilroy is more convoluted than the Bourne Trilogy as government officials are extremely vague when discussing anything regarding this new super soldier program leading me to believe that they were simply holding it off for a big reveal.

However, this wasn't the case as there are a multitude of plot points left unaddressed and normally this wouldn't bother me but I know this installment isn't receiving a sequel (Jason Bourne doesn't qualify) and the story was so muddled that I had virtually no idea what the significance of anything occurring onscreen was and how these events really impacted the characters so an explanation behind some of those vague government programs would have been appreciated.

While Legacy's storytelling is mediocre, the action is a cut-above yet feels all too reminiscent of the vigorous action showcased in previous installments. My issue with Legacy's action is that no action set piece dared to try anything new and it feels as though it's ripping off it's own franchise. Sure, each previous Bourne film included visceral hand to hand combat scenes and exhilarating car chases but at least the Bourne Trilogy managed to inject freshness into them, making the action feel unique and differentiating from what has come before. The cinematography hinders Legacy even more thanks to an overdose of shaky-cam, and not to good effect, detracting from the action onscreen while making it difficult to watch.

Last but not least, the performances in this film range from clearly in-this-for-the-paycheck-to-perfectly fine. 2010-2012 was a weird period where quite a few blockbuster action franchises were poising Jeremy Renner to lead them, but each one just decided it wasn't going to work and moved forward either without him or instead utilizing him in a supporting capacity. Jeremy Renner makes for a great black ops agent in Aaron Cross thanks to his peak physicality and fierce intensity but he's no Bourne.

Damon's Bourne proved to be a much more compelling character as an highly skilled amnesiac whereas Renner's Cross is simply exceptional because he took some pills. Now on that note, I'm sure comparisons will be drawn to patriotic super soldier Captain America but I think the difference between the two is character. Captain America has a golden heart while Cross doesn't really seem to care about much aside from himself. Rachel Weisz plays Cross' damsel in distress Dr. Marta Shearing, who Cross must save NUMEROUS times and she's quite fine in the role but not a particularly amusing love interest.

Edward Norton is an actor that I admire and have the upmost respect for as he has turned in plenty of fascinating roles for abstract characters, but he's solely in this film for the paycheck. Norton does relatively little in the two hour fifteen minute runtime, isolated in a black ops operation center and while the previous Bourne films included similar antagonists, those characters verbally sparred with Bourne making for an interesting dynamic. Norton's Eric Byer only interests with Cross once or twice though and neither time was remotely interesting. Also I was quite pleased to observe an appearance from Oscar Isaac, now of Star Wars: The Force Awakens fame.

In conclusion, The Bourne Legacy is an entertaining action flick, but fails to deliver on the quality audiences have come to expect from a Bourne film with muddled story telling, derivative action sequences, and sub-par performances. Here's to hoping Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon can course-correct with Jason Bourne.

Film Assessment: D

Alternate Cut Review: 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice- Ultimate Edition'

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice proved to be one of the most controversial comic book movies in recent memory and upon release news soon arose that there would be a Director's Cut including 30 additional minutes of footage called the "Ultimate Edition" that would be in the Blu-Ray release. Technically, the "Ultimate Edition" debuted about a month ago digitally but I like to wait for Blu-Rays because I like getting the Blu-Ray disc, the DVD, and the digital copy all in one for nearly the same price so I waited out and my copy arrived recently but I had to wait till I had three hours to spare to watch it. So yes, this is a lengthy watch but I'll soon be able to inform whether it fixes issues with Batman v. Superman or opens up a new can of worms for Warner Bros. and that's primarily what this review will be, a comparison of the two versions of the film.

I won't exactly re-review the film as you can find my thoughts on the theatrical cut below but I will provide my updated thoughts and my newfound perspective. I also think I'm going to do something different in this review, I'm going to go back and alter my previous Film Assessment score on the Theatrical Cut because I feel I scored it a tad too high and in light of that decision will be modifying it because sometimes it takes a while for my opinion to truly settle in on a film. Be forewarned as in order to discuss the differences, I will be including slight spoilers for both the theatrical cut and The Ultimate Edition.

'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice- Ultimate Edition' Review

Theatrical Cut Review- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Review

"Ultimate Edition" Review- The Ultimate Edition of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is an improvement over the theatrical cut for many reasons. One, it's competently edited together. The editing in the theatrical cut was a complete disaster as scenes would jump from one subplot to another leading to a convoluted mess. The Ultimate Edition fixes this by allowing lead-in for these scenes so they don't feel misplaced or random and instead one scene flows into the next and the transitions are quite remarkable. 

Two,The Ultimate Edition fills in the major plot holes. In the theatrical cut, there is an African action sequence that is commonly referred to that we never got to actually see. Superman is blamed for killing several people and it seems farfetched since all he did was save Louis Lane but The Ultimate Edition elaborates by actually including the full Africa action set piece. This explains that Lex Luthor hired men to set Superman up and the logic behind it is actually quite smart. This made Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor more of a puppet master figure in the grand scheme of things and a slightly more interesting villain. With that being said, I still found Eisenberg to be too kooky for the role.

Three, it made for a better "Batman v. Superman" movie. No, there's not an additional fight between Batman and Superman and it actually takes two hours and thirty minutes for the two to throw down. However, the buildup to their showdown makes a lot more sense this time around. The Ultimate Edition explains why Superman is opposed to the way Batman has been operating by including a few scenes of Clark Kent investigating the Batman. The theatrical cut felt more like a Batman movie that happened to have Superman in it as a supporting character but the Ultimate Edition balances the heroes more effectively, which in turn makes Superman's death more compelling.

My one major gripe with the Ultimate Edition opposed to the theatrical cut is that the film still feels too long with a three hour runtime. Three hours is a big time commitment for a film, especially one that received such a mixed response, and this is no exception. The Ultimate Edition didn't really do much to alter my opinion of the performances as Ben Affleck's Batman remains to be the best part of the film, Henry Cavill is a serviceable Superman, and Gal Gadot still stole the third act with her full appearance in Wonder Woman regalia.

If you want to read my thoughts on the entire cast, you can find that above in my review of the theatrical cut. The visual effects are virtually the same with the only alterations being the additional footage and I can't really say that this changed my mind on Snyder's directing.

With all that being said, the Ultimate Edition is a competent film as opposed to the sloppy theatrical cut. I've come to my own conclusion that Warner Bros. likely asked Snyder to trim out thirty minutes and in doing so, the remaining patch work simply didn't fit together. I doubt the Ultimate Edition will change hater's minds about the "Martha" moment but it provides testament that a slightly better version of BvS does exist. The film still has problems but they aren't as glaring and numerous as the issues to found in the theatrical cut. From this point on, if I'm ever going to sit down and watch Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, I'll brave the three hour runtime of the Ultimate Edition for a more complete experience.

Film Assessment: B-

'Star Trek Beyond' Review

Nominated For: Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Star Trek Beyond picks up with the crew of the USS Enterprise three years into their five year voyage of uncharted space and the long journey has taken it's toll on each of the crew members respectively but that all has to be put on hold when they must investigate the scene of a distress signal only to find themselves under attack from an enemy they didn't see coming, can't predict, and have no hope against, Krall. With the crew now divided on a foreign planet they must use their wit and their will to reunite and stop Krall from waging war on the Federation. That's the basic setup and all you need to know going in for Star Trek Beyond.

Star Trek Beyond has been a worrisome development coming off the heels of the latest/most divisive film in the franchise Star Trek Into Darkness, and the first trailer for the film didn't do it any favors drawing comparisons to Fast and Furious and Guardians of the Galaxy, a complete deviation from the philosophical core of the franchise. Many worried that since Justin Lin was taking over the directors chair he would bring with him the nonsensical action featured in his most notable works from the Fast and Furious franchise (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast and the Furious, Fast Five, and Fast and Furious 6). Many feared how this cast would fare with the absence of J.J. Abrams, who kicked it all off with 2009's Star Trek and had his hands busy with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but the tide turned in favor of Star Trek Beyond with the release of it's subsequent marketing material and I'm overjoyed to tell you that Star Trek Beyond is a blast. 

Lin takes over the helm from Abrams bringing along with him the amusing action sequences from the Fast and Furious films and thankfully ensures Star Trek Beyond is not dumbed down to level of the Fast and Furious with the help of screenwriters Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. Pegg and Jung split up the crew, pairing up characters we typically don't see with one another and the writing duo manage carve out a nice story that explores not just the cosmos but but  crew of the Enterprise themselves. 

The visual effects in Star Trek Beyond are remarkable as the Enterprise looks illustrious traversing the final frontier and is even more beautiful when it engages in warp speed. The make-up, costuming, and production design is top notch creating authentic alien worlds, creatures, and space ship interiors. I must commend the work on Idris Elba's Krall prosthetic that looked magnificent in the first act. The action sequences are infectiously fun featuring exciting space ship combat, a thrilling motorcycle sequence, and the destruction of the NC-1701 that was undeniably awesome to watch. This Trek flick once again boasts engaging futuristic sound design and another one of Michael Giancchio's adventurous scores.

The star-studded cast step onto the Enterprise once more and this time around they feel like they've transitioned more into the personalities that make the Enterprise crew what they are. Chris Pine's Kirk and Zachary Quinto's Spock are provided engaging character drama as they must deal with significant events in their life. Pine brings out a charming captain in Kirk and finally seems to be a responsible leader as opposed to the rebellious daredevil.

Meanwhile, Quinto walks the fine line between reason and emotion, never leaning too heavily on either side, proving he makes for a terrific Spock. Karl Urban's Bones has a substantially larger role in this installment proving to be hilarious when paired with Quinto's Spock as the juxtaposing personality clash brings several laughs with it.

Simon Pegg's Scotty is once again comedic relief for the crew and has his most substantial role in the franchise yet. Zoe Saldana and John Cho still aren't given much to do as Lieutenant Uhura and Sulu but they fit the roles nicely and have a few of their own moments. Saldana's Uhura is primarily there for her relationship with Spock but gets to kick some butt once again and there's a very controversial decision made to portray Cho's Sulu as gay and I will say that it's present but merely a simple moment that doesn't pull focus away from the film.

Anton Yelchin brings perfect comedic timing and a convincing Russian accent to Chekov getting to primarily play off Pine's Kirk as they're stranded together and it was a very interesting dynamic. Sadly this will be Anton Yelchin's final voyage onboard the Enterprise because the actor tragically died in a car accident a few weeks ago. The film also address Leonard Nimoy's passing in a touching and respectful way and I think both Trek actors would have been very proud with the finished product.

Elsewhere, Sofia Boutella is a welcome addition to the franchise after proving herself in Kingsman: The Secret Service. Boutella's Jaylah makes for an awesome addition to the franchise as she can carry an action sequence and stands as a compelling character in her own right. It was fun to see her work off of the various crew members but especially delightful to see her chemistry with Pegg and Pine. 

My only real qualm with Star Trek Beyond lies in it's villain. Idris Elba's Krall is exceptionally malevolent, proving to be an exceptional strategist and overlooking threat to the crew and for the first two acts of the film stayed the course, but his motivation was still unclear. Elba is terrific in the role injecting gravitas and weight to Krall, but once all Krall's secrets are divulged I found myself scratching my head more than feeling a sense of relief. The reasoning behind Krall's actions made sense, but the reveal didn't elaborate enough for me to fully comprehend how he became what he was and if anything detracted from his antagonistic ambiance, a similar problem plaguing many a Marvel villain right now.

I saw Star Trek Beyond in IMAX 3D and felt that the experience was worth the price of an IMAX ticket so I'd recommend it for anyone willing to pay the extra dough. In conclusion, Star Trek Beyond proved to be a wildly entertaining science fiction adventure with fresh direction, astounding visuals, and a remarkable ensemble cast. Star Trek Beyond is bold and dares to go where J.J. Abrams hasn't gone before, crafting a Star Trek movie worthy of adopting the Trek monicker in it's 50th year while embracing the fun of a summer blockbuster.

Film Assessment: A-

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Star Trek Into Darkness'

Sorry for the delay but this week for my Throwback Thursday Review I'm reviewing Star Trek Into Darkness to correlate with the release of it's sequel Star Trek Beyond this weekend, a film I've seen and will review soon. Also I feel I should forewarn you that there will be spoilers in this review. This won't be the end of my Star Trek reviews this year as I might go back and review the original in celebration of Star Trek's 50th anniversary in one of the open slots for my Throwback Thursday Review schedule or I'll simply add it to a week where I think I can handle two Throwback Thursday Reviews. Next week I will be reviewing The Bourne Legacy to tie in with the release of Jason Bourne and the following week will review The Dark Knight along with the release of Suicide Squad. Till then expect reviews over all the films I just mentioned along with my thoughts on the Ultimate Edition of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and how I feel it compares to the theatrical cut since my Blu-Ray copy arrived yesterday afternoon. 

'Star Trek Into Darkness' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects.

Star Trek Into Darkness is probably one of the most divisive films in the franchise, simultaneously beloved by most critics as one of the best summer blockbusters of 2013 and voted the worst Star Trek film at a fan convention. Those are two very polarizing viewpoints, and since I grew up a massive Star Wars fan I wasn't bothered by many of the issues that plagued longstanding fans of Star Trek. Into Darkness builds upon the events of 2009's successful reboot Star Trek as the crew of the Enterprise must face Khan, a one man reign of terror. 

One of the most controversial aspects of Into Darkness was director J.J. Abrams' decision to keep it under wraps who Benedict Cumberbatch's villainous character was, going as far as to fabricate a smokescreen identity of John Harrison. Unfortunately fans called him out on it and found the Khan twist to be predictable. I personally don't mind his decision as I love going into Abrams' productions with no clue what's going to happen and I can't fault a director for that considering everything else he brings to the table.

Abrams with the assistance of his fantastic screenwriters Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof cleverly plays off the alterations previously made to Star Trek continuity in Star Trek by establishing direct links of the proceeding events to the destruction of the planet Vulcan causing the Enterprise to run into Khan much earlier than William Shatner and Leonord Nimoy did. Orci and Kurtzman once again manage to craft a fast-paced adventurous blockbuster and great dialogue for the crew of the Enterprise provided their familiarity with the characters writing the screenplay for Star Trek, while Lindelof is new to the table, his addition to the Star Trek Into Darkness writers room didn't shake things up too much.

Abrams ensures the pacing is quick and the visuals are sleek with ease and of course there are plenty of lens-flares to spot along the way. The visual effects are wondrous as the Enterprise looks gorgeous in warp speed and gallivanting about in space with slick costuming and makeup prosthetics, flashy production design, and all-encompassing sound design to accompany them. Into Darkness' score composed by Michael Giancchio evokes classic Trek leaving even the most casual viewer with a desire to venture where no one has gone before.

The action sequences are undeniably fun, but manage to feel hollow as some of the action is largely flashy effects and loud noise rather than proper service to the story. My main issues with Into Darkness are the lack of risks it takes with abundant small plot holes and an ending that's remarkably similar to that of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, but all things considered those are small nitpicks that don't detract too heavily from my opinion of the film.

The brilliant cast that make up the crew of the USS Enterprise are back and once again bring heart to the film with their great chemistry onscreen together and bring along some newcomers that only add to the film's grandeur. Chris Pine oozes charisma now that he's even more comfortable in the Captain's chair as Captain James Tiberius Kirk and Zachary Quinto once again captures the proper balance of logic and emotion stepping into the shoes of the Vulcan First Officer Spock. The two share a terrific chemistry onscreen likened to peanut butter and jelly and the exploration of their continuing friendship is one of Into Darkness' high marks. Quinto is afforded one scene where he gets to let loose with an emotional outburst as he fights Khan in the pivotal third act finale that's nothing short of incredible.

Zoe Saldana is provided with much more material this time around as Uhura and steps up to the plate proving to be capable supporting female action heroine. Karl Urban is terrific as Bones, although I'd like to see him onscreen a bit more he does make for great supporting comedic relief. John Cho once again doesn't have much to do as Sulu but is perfectly serviceable in the capacity used. Simon Pegg is infectiously delightful to watch as Scotty, bringing tons of levity to the series situations and Anton Yelchin's Russian accent hits the mark for a comedic Chekov.

Alice Eve's Carol is along for the ride purely to be a sexualized supporting character with little substance, so little that her character is absent from Star Trek Beyond. Bruce Greenwood's Pike gets his fair share of screen time with some emotionally grounded scenes vital to the plot and Peter Waller's Marcus makes for an interesting Star Fleet officer with his own motivation worth questioning. Leonard Nimoy even gets a chance to once again play a role in the proceeding events as an older Spock although this time it's more along the lines of a cameo.

Benedict Cumberbatch's British baritone lends itself naturally to the sophisticated and elusive Khan. Cumberbatch proves once again that he's an outstanding actor as Khan proves to be an enigma with both intellectual and physical strength determined to stop those in his way with any means necessary. Cumberbatch's Khan is another dividing point with fans due to the whitewashing of the role but I think he plays the villain with such gravitas it's difficult not to admire his performance, and he makes for much better villain than Eric Bana's Nero.

Overall, I found myself still enjoying the heck out of Star Trek Into Darkness regardless of it's flaws in it's story and think that it's not deserving of loyal fanboy hatred but rather find it to be an entertaining science fiction adventure. Thanks to stunning visuals, impressive production design, flashy action, a rousing score, and a talented cast, Star Trek Into Darkness is a worthy followup to Star Trek.

Film Assessment: B-

'Ghostbusters' (2016) Review

If Deadpool's marketing campaign is the most brilliant in recent memory, then Ghostbusters' is the most abysmal, as the trailers have been nothing special. The mediocre marketing material was a call to arms for internet haters as they soon defiled the film for various reasons: some against the idea of rebooting a film as classic as 1984's Ghostbusters, others weren't content with the idea of female Ghostbusters, and then there was everyone that just thought it simply didn't look funny. I myself wasn't impressed with anything I saw from the film's promotional material and was expecting to walk out disgusted but I actually left with a smile. All it takes is a willingness to accept something different. 

I promise this film won't ruin your childhood as many haters are screaming out that this film is an abomination without even really giving it the chance to prove them wrong. Trust me, Ghostbusters 2 already plunged this franchise down the toilet, and I can guarantee this is much better than Ghostbusters 2. Ghostbusters has a similar premise as the original but a whole new set of circumstances for our heroines as they all must band together to fight some ghosts. Keep in mind it's a reboot not a remake, meaning it doesn't retell the story we're familiar with by substituting the male characters for female ones but actually jumpstarts a new continuity.

Paul Feig, the director of Bridesmaids, The Heat, and Spy, takes up the responsibility of directing and manages to effectively pay homage to the 1984 classic while establishing a new world to bust ghosts in. This reboot is not connected to any of the Ghostbusters films that have come before but keep your eyes peeled for original cast members because almost each original cast member is featured at one point or another in delightful cameo appearances. They even found a clever way to pay proper respect to Harold Ramis after his recent tragic passing two years ago. 

However with all the obvious nods to the original, it's hard not to draw comparisons and I wish this incarnation had firmly planted it's feet and stood more confidently on its own. I wasn't personally bothered by the references, I actually really enjoyed them, but in some moments it just felt like Feig was trying to appease the fanbase rather than draw in a wide appeal with anything substantially new. Feig also manages to expertly blend the horror and comedy genre with scenes that sent chills down your spine and others that left me laughing hysterically. 

In addition to helming the paranormal comedy, Feig penned the screenplay alongside Katie Dippold and their dialogue is witty, smart and a surprising amount is directed towards internet haters had me dying of laughter due to the self referential nature of the humor. I laughed quite often, so I think Feig drummed up enough quality material to bring about an infectiously enjoyable cinematic experience. 

The visual effects are a sight to behold and a vast improvement over the original, although that's expected given the progression in technology since then. The visual renderings that popped to me were the proton streams and the ghosts themselves. There are ghosts like Slimer that look incredible, and then the other ghosts have a "sameness" of a sapphire sheen. I would have preferred a wider variety of color that could have splashed across the screen when the ghosts invade New York, but the azure aesthetic looked fine. 

The film even has it's fare share of remarkable practical effects including the slime and all the Ghostbustin' gear such as the proton packs, Ecto-1, and other various new supernatural weaponry. With that being said, I did actually think the effects looked great across the board and effectively meshed with Feig's new Ghostbustin' world. 

The film's third act also boasts some surprisingly cool action that channels tons of fun with the classic pop-synth of the "Ghostbusters", on that note there's like four versions of the classic hit in the film. Only the classic truly sticks, but the other arrangements serve their purpose of contributing to the infectiously fun tone. 

Despite my previous concerns about this female cast, I will say they all knocked my socks off playing against their typical type casting (ie. Leslie Jones just yells really loud and Melissa McCarthy plays a grouchy character). The chemistry between the four woman is tantalizing and helps to draw the viewer into this new world with their intriguing dynamics. One thing I do think the film's casting improves upon is that the group dynamic between the four ladies feels more cohesive as opposed to the focus on Murray and the decision to all, but ignore Hudson in the original making a massive imbalance among the team. I was also relieved to see these woman weren't female versions of the original male team and got to stand on their won as unique individual characters in this new universe. 

Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy ground the flick with their touching friendship as Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, bringing both emotion and humor to the proceedings. Leslie Jones plays the everywoman of the group as Patty Tolan, an MTA worker with extensive knowledge of New York, and brings more relatable characteristics as the non-scientist allowing for a decent amount of laughs. I see many critics raving that Leslie Jones was a standout but I can't agree as I found her to be just fine in the role. I was relieved to see she wasn't a cookie cutter negative black stereotype and was perceived as an actual person who was extremely knowledgable about the historical significance of New York's streets. 

Of the four leading ladies, it's Kate McKinnon who steals the show with the zany personality she injects in Jillian Holtzmann, and has one of the best action scenes in the entire film when she takes down a bunch of ghosts with her proton pistols. 

The film has it's fair share of supporting men where Chris Hemsworth proves he has comedic chops as Kevin, a dimwitted beefcake receptionist. I truly hope next year's Thor: Ragnarok will utilize Hemsworth in a comedic capacity because he excels in that arena. Other male supporting cast members I enjoyed included Game of Throne's Charles Dance, The Office's Zach Woods, and Deadpool's Karan Soni. Meanwhile in the antagonist camp, Neil Casey brings an awkward anti-social Rowan North, unfortunately a villain whose not the least bit compelling. 

When it comes down to it, Ghostbusters is harmless entertainment that won't ruin your childhood or disparage the legacy of the franchise but actually glorifies it's predecessor and leaves you wanting more of this new team and their adventures together. Reboots are difficult to traverse as they will always be compared to the original, while there are rare times when a reboot proves to be even better (ie. Star Trek) they typically fall a little short of the original's glory. I don't think this new adaptation was better than the 1984 classic, but I can say the film was wildly entertaining and defied my expectations, so I recommend true fans of 1984's Ghostbusters to give these ladies a call. 

Film Assessment: B-

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Ghostbusters 2'

Sorry for the late review as I watch both Ghostbusters 2 and Swiss Army Man Thursday and really felt Swiss Army Man was worth raving about, so I prioritized that review. This week brings with it the much talked about 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, so I found it only appropriate to review the pre-existing Ghostbusters films by shedding light on how I perceived Ghostbusters 2. Next week will see the release of Star Trek Beyond so I will review that and as a Throwback Thursday Review will review Star Trek Into Darkness and the following week Jason Bourne is being released so I will finish out my series of Bourne reviews with The Bourne Legacy.

'Ghostbusters 2' Review

In 1984 Ghostbusters took the world by storm, and became a phenomena so it only makes sense that a sequel would be a great idea. And I'm sure it was from a business standpoint, but the execution falls flat. Ghostbusters 2 picks up five years after the original, the team are supposed phonies again and have gone their separate ways while remaining in contact with one another. After a series of events the team must again unite to protect the city from ghosts. and the plot is basically the same of that in Ghostbusters only sloppily executed.

The one strength of the film is it's effects, and even those are half as great as the effects in the original because at least those held up to a degree. The screenplay crafted by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis feels like a regurgitation of their writing for the original with less charm. The dialogue is cheesier, the stakes feel lower, and the plot is just ridiculous.

The entire film rides on purple ooze fueled by the hatred of New Yorkers so to defeat it the Ghostbusters must invoke a positive spirit across the city. Yes, it's that dumb. And it didn't help that the film wasn't very funny either as I hardly even chuckled throughout the one hour fifty minute runtime. I couldn't even rely on the "Ghostbusters" song to put a smile on my face as this film features a cover of it that was lacking compared to the original.

Ivan Reitman helms the sequel and unfortunate isn't able to recreate the magic that occurred in 1984. What saves the flick from being a true disaster is that they were able to reunite the cast of the original and even they are half-baked versions of their former selves. Bill Murray's charisma wasn't enough this time as he's merely a more arrogant version of Dr. Peter Venkman. Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis inject the same cowardly and geeky personas to Dr. Raymond Stantz and Dr. Egon Spengler respectively failing to bring anything different to their characters. Ernie Hudson is faintly seen or heard once again as Winson Zeddmore but he brings a few laughs with his limited dialogue. 

Sigourney Weaver's Dana Barrett feels more flat as she's written to be a fairly one-dimensional over concerned mother as she passes the damsel in distress to Barrett's baby son for him to be the fellow in fear. Annie Potts is a more sexualized version of the catty secretary she brought in Ghostbusters while Rick Moranis is even more of a wimp and he brings the best moments in Ghostbusters 2.

Sequels rarely live up to the original and sadly Ghostbusters 2 doesn't either. What went wrong with Ghostbusters 2 is a mystery, but I can tell that in all departments the team responsible weren't spirited enough to even try to make a decent followup.

Film Assessment: D-