Skip to main content

A Review of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)”

 

image

After the massively disappointing Ghostbuster reboot in 2016, fans have been clamouring for a more respectful entry in the franchise. Incomes Ghostbusters: Afterlife, directed by Jason Reitman, son of the director of the original, Ivan Reitman. I’ll admit that Ghostbusters wasn’t a huge thing in my life. I’m not a massive fan of the franchise but I have watched all the movies in the franchise. The premise is “When a single mother and her two children move to a new town, they soon discover they have a connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind”. So does this honour the ghostbuster legacy or another failure like the reboot?

image

One of the biggest things I appreciate about Ghostbusters: Afterlife is how it respects Harold Ramis, one of the original Ghostbusters, who sadly passed away. His character, Egon Spengler, is treated respectfully in the story. Additionally, the other 3 original Ghostbusters return as well and are handled magnificently without taking the focus away from the new characters. I also enjoy the tone in Ghostbusters: Afterlife which is more of a family drama story. It ain’t the gritty humour that was in the original but it works for the story that is being told in this film and it still honours a lot of what the original did. It is also shot in a wonderful way where the shots feel more of a contrast to the original grim crowded city. The shots here feel more lifelike and colourful which elevates the tone even further. There are some genuinely heartfelt and emotional moments as well.

image

One worry I did have is that the new Ghostbusting crew were a group of kids. However, my worry was subverted as the cast did a great job. McKenna Grace plays Phoebe who is the main lead. She is awkward and nerdy and super interested in science. A character like that would normally be quite irritating but she isn’t in this film. She does a phenomenal job in making us root for her as she is incredibly likeable. I also enjoyed the friendship she has with Podcast, which is a stupid name though. Some might find Podcast annoying but the contrast in personality with Phoebe allows for enjoyable comedic moments between the two. Another actor I loved in this movie was Paul Rudd who plays Gary, the teacher in this new town. He is hilarious and lovable in this film. Surprisingly, the action and scare scenes are great. There is a great car chase sequence that I enjoyed and the scares are quite creepy for a family adventure film.

image

Unfortunately, there are some issues with the plot that I did have. Phoebe has a brother, Trevor, played by Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things fame. I enjoy Finn’s performance, but his character is just so boring. He has a plot where he gains a crush on a girl named Lucky but it is just so uninteresting compared to the main plot. It’s a lame teen romance inserted into the Ghostbuster plot and I honestly wish it was removed. This film also leans on nostalgia a lot! There is a lot of easter egg and reference to previous Ghostbuster films. It’s fine to do that but this movie does it to a point where it is starting to cause issues for the film. There are a lot of scenes where it is characters just walking while finding things from previous movies. It just goes on for way too long and slows the pacing. The final act is also beat for beat the same thing from the first Ghostbusters but in a different setting. It might have been done for nostalgic purposes but I feel like it would’ve been better if they just did something different.

image

Overall, Ghostbusters: Afterlife feels like a proper love letter to the fans. It treats its legacy characters with respect unlike the 2016 version and it gives a story that is a proper sequel. It contains a lot of easter eggs for the fans even though it does lean on it a bit too much. Ghostbusters: Afterlife would have been a perfect finale to the franchise but the ending does imply a potential sequel. However, the framework that this film left would certainly lead to me being interested in the sequel if it does happen.


 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A “QUICK!” Review of “Boy Kills World (2024)”

  Bill Skarsgard in an action movie? Yes Please! The story is a generic revenge flick with an interesting concept of a mute and deaf protagonist. The main character has an inner voice which is voiced by H. Jon Benjamin of Archer and Bob’s Burger fame. This sounds interesting on paper but the problem is that the lines are so obnoxious and there are too many. It is always some kind of stupid quip or stating an obvious. It has a lot of comedy but most didn’t land for me. However, you are here for the action and it delivers on those. It has a lot of gore, gunplay, martial arts and over-the-top set pieces. It really shines in the 3rd act in both the story and the action. The final fight is a top-tier choreographed fight. In the end, Boy Kills World knows what it is and gives you exactly that. A bloody, fun action comedy!    
Post a Comment
Read more

A “QUICK!” Review of “Badland Hunters (2024)“

  Ma Dong-Seok is one of the coolest dudes in Korean cinema. I do think the film is a little disappointing as the post-apocalyptic setting isn’t used in an exciting way. The plot is also nothing special. It is incredibly dumb and predictable while also having minimal explanation about anything. The characters are also very bland. There is barely any exploration of any of the characters including the main character. Due to this, they all come off as one-dimensional and this makes it very difficult to care about anyone. However, it has some incredibly well-choreographed and fun action sequences. Who doesn’t want to see Ma Dong-seok kick ass!
Post a Comment
Read more

A “QUICK!” Review of “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024)”

  When I found out after watching, that this was based on a Manhua (Chinese Comic book), it started to make sense. Characters that feel straightforward, the action scenes that defy physics in every way, the power of friendship, straight-up superpowered abilities, and countless flashbacks. The film suffers from juggling too many things. We have this fish out of water, self-discovery story with our main character. We have this gang conflict between those in the Walled City and the Triads. We have a revenge plot. We have a man dealing with his past—the growing of bonds. Unfortunately, the story is all incredibly predictable and lacks real depth. The constant talk about the past conflict sounded more interesting than the main plot. The ending is lacklustre and the final fight is so weird with the unexplained superpowers. However, if you like martial arts movies then there is certainly fun to be had here.
Post a Comment
Read more