The original Ghostbusters was released almost 40 years ago, and in that time it has become a staple of pop culture. Thanks to its perfectly cast group of protagonists, hilarious script and absolute classic of a theme song, Ghostbusters instantly went down as one of the greatest comedy films of not just the 1980’s, but of all time. Since the original’s release in 1984, we’ve had an official sequel, an animated series, and a remake/reboot, but none have been able to recreate the magic of the original. Now, in 2021, Jason Reitman (son of original director Ivan Reitman) has brought his vision of the franchise to our screens with Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and I’m happy to say it’s successful as both a tribute to the original film, as well as a solid and entertaining film in its own right.
In Afterlife, we follow Phoebe (McKenna Grace), a very geeky 12 year old girl, and her mother and brother (played by Carrie Coon and Finn Wolfhard) after they move in to her estranged grandfather’s creepy old farmhouse, in the fictional town of Summerville, Oklahoma, after his recent death. As the family try to settle in to their new surroundings, Phoebe discovers there are some strange goings on in the town and she forms a mystery-solving crew with teacher and Ghostbusters super-fan Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd), and supernatural conspiracy theorist Podcast (Logan Kim). Initially, the film does take perhaps a bit too long to get going, but as the trio learn more about the history of the town, as well as Phoebe’s grandfather’s bizarre behavior, familiar names such as Shandor and Gozer start to pop up, piquing any Ghostbusters fans’ interest, as well as leading to a whole host of spooky and hilarious supernatural sequences in the film’s second half.
One of the most impressive things with the original Ghostbusters was the perfect casting of Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson in the lead roles, something I believe Jason Reitman must have considered when casting his protagonists for Afterlife. McKenna Grace may only be young but in the last few years has shown her incredible talent in a number of projects including Captain Marvel, The Haunting of Hill House, and Gifted, and she continues her terrific work here with a phenomenal performance for someone so young. Phoebe is a kid too smart for her age who struggles to make friends, and Grace finds a confidence in her which makes her an incredibly endearing young lead. As Phoebe learns about the Ghostbusters and their heroics in New York in 1984, we get to feel like kids again as she discovers proton packs, ghost traps and Ecto-1, putting us right back to where we were when we watched the classic film for the first time. Bringing an experienced comic actor like Paul Rudd into the proceedings is another masterstroke as he brings his impeccable comic timing and loveable every-man charm to his role. The rest of the supporting cast all do great work, Carrie Coon in particular with a wry performance which becomes incredibly emotional during the film’s latter stages. Shoutout also to Bokeem Woodbine who only has about 2 scenes but gets the honour of saying the legendary line of “Who ya gonna call?”.
There are a number of classic throwbacks and easter eggs for fans of the original and some viewers may find this tedious, feeling that the film as a whole leans a bit too much on the side of nostalgia, for this particular reviewer however, it worked perfectly. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a celebration of a film which will never be matched, and Jason Reitman has not tried to outdo his dad’s work, but instead make a film for the fans, and a younger generation who will collect all kinds of toys and memorabilia just as kids in the 80’s did. As the film moves towards it’s climax, there is a remarkable change in tone and things get surprisingly emotional for a Ghosbusters movie, to go into any greater detail would lead to spoilers but there is a very touching tribute to the legendary Harold Ramis who sadly left us in 2014, I guarantee you’ll be weeping by the time the credits roll!
When dealing with a franchise as iconic as Ghostbusters, it was never going to be an easy task to create a film which fans will appreciate as much as the original (and its underrated sequel!), but Jason Reitman has made a truly wonderful movie which contains much of the original’s charm, as well as putting it’s own unique stamp on what the potential of the franchise could be. McKenna Grace is the heart of the film and this is a star-making performance from the young actress as she embodies the childlike wonder and excitement of discovering the world of the Ghostbusters for the first time. Whilst nostalgia isn’t for everyone and its use here will be divisive, I had a thoroughly enjoyable time with Afterlife and every nod to the earlier films put a grin on my face. A couple of final bits of advice before watching the film, bring tissues for the final 20 minutes, you will need them! And make sure to stay behind for the credits for a couple of very special and exciting scenes. I feel a review for a franchise as iconic as this would be nothing without a cheesy final line so let’s just say Bustin’ still makes me feel good!
8/10
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