When the announcement hit that Paul Feig remake was going to helm a “Ghostbusters” reboot and that the all-male cast of the original was going to be replaced by an all-female ensemble, the internet freaked. On one side of the aisle was definite praise for a step forward in Hollywood’s neverending battle with gender equality, but on the other side of the spectrum there was the massive backlash from fans of the original. The latter didn’t want to believe that some of their most beloved movie characters were about to replaced by, shock, women! The massive social media trolling campaign that ensued damaged the film, with even some taking to IMDB and purposely rating the film the lowest score possible despite not having seen the film. The 5.3 IMDB rating it currently has is unfair and part of a the malicious campaign to destroy the film. It was harsh, and showcased the negative consequences that can arise from militant movie fandom.
Feig hasn’t really spoken about the whirlwind of emotions he must have felt watching the aforementioned chaotic circumstances unfold, but this week at Vulture Festival in L.A. he opened up about the regrets he had, and how politics overshadowed the actual movie.
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“I think it kind of hampered us a little bit because the movie became so much of a cause. I think for some of our audience, they were like, ‘What the fuck? We don’t wanna go to a cause. We just wanna watch a fuckin’ movie,’ ” he said.
“It was a great regret in my life that the movie didn’t do better, ’cause I really loved it,” Feig added. “It’s not a perfect movie. None of my movies are perfect. I liked what we were doing with it. It was only supposed to be there to entertain people.”
Feig’s “Ghostbusters” reboot was not deserving of the hateful backlash it received, but it was also not as good if taken as an actual movie. The cast was mostly spot-on, but there was nothing above-average about the film. Kristen Wiig was her usual awkward self, Leslie Jones did a great job with what was essentially a thinly written part, but, if there was a clear-cut standout in the film, it was Kate McKinnon, who stole the show as weirdo Jillian Holtzmann. The fact that McKinnon barely had any lines and still ended up being the funniest, most inventive character spoke volumes about not just her talent but the movie itself, which felt like a missed opportunity from Feig and company.