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This isn’t a reboot — it’s damn near a paint-by-numbers remake of the 1984 original. But for a remake, it’s not too bad — thanks primarily to the all-female ensemble. While none of the women have a chance to truly soar with the material, they create a camaraderie that pulls the film together. Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy are the more level-headed of the foursome, while Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones play the more over-the-top characters. McKinnon, with her wild hair, tinted glasses, and somewhat erratic behavior nearly steals the show. So does co-star Chris Hemsworth as the dullard hunk of man meat the ladies hire as their receptionist. You can also look for no fewer than five cameos from the original film’s cast.

While I’m not sure an overly-slavish remake of a beloved classic film could ever be truly excellent, I do feel a different director could have helped this film out immensely. Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) doesn’t seem to know how or when to set up big moments and some of the jokes aren’t given proper time to land well with the audience (editing can be crucial to comedy). But for whatever it may be lacking, the new Ghostbusters movie still manages to entertain. It can’t hold a candle to the Ivan Reitman classic, but it’s better than Reitman’s 1989 sequel.

With Charles Dance and Ed Begley Jr.