Sandy Kenyon reviews 'Ghostbusters,' reboot of 1984 classic

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The much-anticipated "Ghostbusters" reboot hits theaters this weekend with four very funny women at the helm. But does it live up to its name?

The trailers for the new movie are so good you might be fooled into believing it is actually worth seeing, but the film is a stunning misfire.

Hiring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones to be "Ghostbusters" was inspired, but the movie itself is a monument to Hollywood excess and a symbol of everything that's wrong with that town's blockbuster mentality.

The charm of the original, along with the goofy vibe that made it such a big hit, has been lost, though McKinnon comes closest to its free spirit.

McCarthy is best when free to improvise, but here she is in a comedic straight-jacket visibly constrained by over-the-top special effects that look all the more garish in 3-D.

The three ladies are scientists who gain a fourth member of the team via the MTA.

Jones is one of the saving graces of this movie, but the ladies hire a stupid man played by Chris Hemsworth. That doesn't say anything good about them, does it?

There are few instances of so much talent being wasted so thoroughly, and "Ghostbusters" just isn't funny enough. Given it's huge budget, it must be considered one of the biggest bombs in recent memory. Rarely has so much money been spent for so few laughs.