Ghostbusters: Forgive Me For My Excitement

Well, kinda. I’m not really saying sorry.

I know, it sounds brutal. Some people are upset. Some people question the story line, despite the trailer not really showing exactly what that is. Some rightfully call out the tropey qualities of the film’s leading woman of color. Others unrightfully think the uniforms and proton packs “look stupid” (direct quote). They think that an all-female leading cast means the movie should be completely and utterly separate from the franchise. They’re mad that it’s all-female, too.

Someone inevitably screams, “How dare you not apologize for your feels when everyone else is so outraged?” I know, I know. I recognize the concerns that are valid. I balance them with clarification from the actresses themselves, and prop them up with (perhaps misplaced, but ohpleaseplease) hopes that we just got shitty glimpses of a wonderfully diverse and balanced story.

I pack up every feel. Without hesitation, I put them in a box for reconsideration later. I remind myself that it’s okay to enjoy even potentially problematic content as long as your recognize what could have been done better and maybe pass that feedback on down the line.

And then I throw on some goggles, put on a “stupid” fucking proton pack, and prepare to make some noise.

Y’all, I’m so ready for this.

It is 2016 and we still just don’t get a lot of movies where women get to be the hero. When we are, it’s with an average of 75% of the dialogue still spoken by men. Movies can star women, cast women, put a woman on the front cover, and even be named after a woman all while we’re still struggling to be the most prominent part of the film. Ghostbusters appears, at least at first glance, to blast right through it. I’m not saying this to dismiss anyone’s concerns (especially those involving Leslie Jones’ character), but to praise what we do have going for us.

Y’all, little girls want to be Ghostbusters. Guarantee you some kid out there put down the baby doll they didn’t even want to play with in favor of a Jillian Holtzman action figure. Mine saw two trailers and determined that she’s no longer scared of the dark. The Ghostbusters will save her, she says. There are others, too.

So I’m taking the leap. I scooped up my ticket to see it at the opening showing in IMAX 3D, where I (as of 7 am this morning) am the only pre-sale ticket so far. I’m going to hope that those who demand diversity find at least part of what they’re looking for in Ghostbusters. My fingers are crossed that those grinning girls have gotten the action heroes (and science buffs) they deserve. I’m gonna pray that Melissa McCarthy’s character truly blasted past the “funny fat girl” trope. And, more than anything, I hope that we get at least half of the empowerment we gleaned from Imperator Furiosa because damn, do we need more of her.

Will you be watching the new Ghostbusters?