Few movies in the history of cinema are as universally hated as Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters reboot, which is quite interesting because at the time of writing this post, we’re two months away from anyone actually seeing it. Before production even began, many diehard fans of the original film – and the deeply cherished franchise as a whole – had already decided that they hated everything about what Feig and company were trying to do, and that pre-release hate has been reflected by the nearly one-million down-votes the official trailer has to date received over on YouTube.
Simply put, Ghostbusters is already the most hated movie of all time.
Why all the hate? Well, a good portion of it comes from the fact that the original Ghostbusters is one of the most beloved movies of all time, so it was only natural that a remake of any sort would immediately rub many the wrong way. And whether anyone wants to admit it or not, the all-female main cast has been a large source of disdain when it comes to this particular project. Granted, it’s totally out of line to suggest that the mere opinion of not being into the film somehow makes you sexist, but you need only browse the comments underneath the aforementioned YouTube trailer to realize that there’s a whole lot of sexism currently being spread around the Ghostbusters community. It’s just the truth. A sad, ugly truth.
I’m not here to defend the film, as I of course have not yet seen it, but what I would like to propose to all Ghostbusters fans is that we not only hold off on making any judgments, but also spend these next two months appreciating something pretty awesome that is happening out there in the world. Whether it turns out to be a hunk of junk or a brand new comedy-horror gem for a whole new generation of fans – we won’t know until two months from now – the Ghostbusters reboot has already served to make the franchise more popular than it had been in quite some time. And if you consider yourself a fan of that franchise, I can’t think of a single reason why you wouldn’t be jumping for joy right about now.
Over the weekend I took a trip to my local Toys R Us and couldn’t help but smile ear-to-ear when I saw all the brand new Ghostbusters toys lining the shelves, which is something I hadn’t seen in many years. There was a squishy Slimer and a light-up Stay Puft Marshallow Man, as well as several Ecto-1 vehicles in different sizes and even a much cooler-looking Proton Pack than the one I remember playing with as a kid. Of course, that’s not even counting all the toys of new characters we haven’t yet met, and I must admit that based on the toy and the toy alone, I’ve already fallen in love with new villain Rowan.
In the interest of full disclosure, I’m playing with Rowan as I type this post.
Like the original film, the Ghostbusters reboot has spawned a full-on merchandising blitz, and what’s available in stores right now is merely the tip of the iceberg. Coming soon are “Key Lime Slime” Twinkies, character-shaped marshmallows, and all kinds of LEGOs, and let’s not forget the holy grail of all holy grails: on May 30th, Ecto Cooler is FINALLY coming back. And guess what? Even if you see the reboot and you absolutely hate it, and even if you flat out refuse to ever see it, you still get to enjoy all the incredible merchandise that it’s bringing along with it – most of which, it must be pointed out, is tied to the original franchise. Hell, we’re even getting brand new action figures of those original characters courtesy of Mattel, and the 1984 classic is soon being re-released into theaters, so there’s very little to not be happy about at the moment.
I repeat: ECTO COOLER IS COMING BACK.
Look, I get it. You LOVE Ghostbusters, and your hatred for the impending reboot is, underneath it all, a reflection of that very passion. The franchise means so very much to you, and it’s totally fair for you to be averse to the very idea of something you love being turned into something that may not actually be for you. But at the end of the day, the new movie is ultimately a small aspect of the full-on Ghostbusters resurgence it is directly responsible for, and if you choose to embrace that pop culture revival rather than resist it, I can almost promise that these next two months will be a whole lot of fun for you.
At the very least, I hope you smile when your taste buds reunite with Ecto Cooler.
I hope you feel like a kid again.
