Movie Review - Ghostbusters: Afterlife

 

I've got to be honest, I thought the franchise ended after the 2016 film failed (even though I'm among the handful that actually thought it was OK). But good that the franchise is continuing, and with a sequel to the original films no less. It is a great franchise overall that basically sent Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson and the late Harold Ramis into stardom. In addition to the films, we've had some video games, cartoons and the sales of Twinkies and marshmallows have gone through the roof since the very first film back in the 80s. Times have changed a lot since the first film, but with shows like Stranger Things keeping the nostalgia of the 80s very much alive, it would've no doubt made a return in some shape or form. I mean the 2016 film as well as Covid may have put a dampener on it ever being seen in cinemas again, but here we are with the third entry in the original series (fourth overall) and made by the son of the original director too. Let's take a look and see if the ghosts are worth busting this time around:

Decades have passed since New York had any kind of supernatural crisis, and much of the original Ghostbusters has become myth and legend in a way. Former Ghostbuster Egon Spengler (played by Oliver Cooper with the likeness of Harold Ramis) has since moved to Summerville in Oklahoma upon learning of the mining quarry that resides there that seems to house a powerful entity. He attempts to capture it, but when his trap doesn't work, he accepts his defeat and dies from a fatal heart attack. His estranged daughter Callie (played by Carrie Coon) moves in to his place with her children Phoebe (played by Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (played by Stranger Things star, Finn Wolfhard) upon being evicted from their own home and after learning that he died and left his house for them. As they settle in, they each begin to learn about their connections to him and the Ghostbusters while remaining (at least at first) unaware of the strange activity going on in the quarry.

Nostalgia is the driving force of the film as it aims to tailor to long time fans and new ones. Kind of like how the Star Wars sequel trilogy played out, as it's not really a reboot, but instead a continuation with old faces returning and a new generation forming. It is definitely better than the 2016 film and does well to be the most different of all the films in terms of setting and its characters. But it does feel all too familiar to the first film, and fan service may not go down well with all fans and movie goers. But I like it and glad that people gave the franchise another chance to shine on the big screen. Ain't no pandemic gonna stop people from calling the Ghostbusters! 9/10