Ghostbusters: Afterlife is one big nostalgia fest because it is filled with Easter Eggs, fan service, and nods to the original films — but it works!
Fans of the original Ghostbusters films can rejoice because Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the continuation of the franchise that we all needed (and wanted). It is chock-full of nods and Easter Eggs to the movies that started it all. It is not perfect, but it gets the job done. The whole point of this film is to reinvigorate the well loved movie while adding a little something new to the story.
Thanks to an incredible and committed cast and a blast of nostalgia, Ghostbusters: Afterlife achieves what it sets out to do — make long time fans smile from ear to ear as they clap, cheer, and even cry.
What Works With Ghostbusters: Afterlife
The whole cast is great in this movie, but one of the major standouts is Mckenna Grace, who plays Phoebe. She is a Science loving, dorky kid, and she brings a lot of the humor and heart to the story. Her on screen chemistry with Paul Rudd is one for the record books, as they deliver some of the best scenes in the film.
He plays Gary, the summer school teacher, and the two bond over their love of Science. Rudd is also amazing in the film, which is to be expected. He is absolutely hilarious and is the comedic relief, along with Logan Kim who portrays the ghost loving Podcast. These two will make even the most stubborn viewers crack up as they geek out of the Ghostbusters equipment.
An advantage that Afterlife has over its predecessors is that technology has advanced since the 1980s. Huge applause goes out to the VFX team for this movie because it looks fantastic. The ghosts each have their own look, and those that were seen in previous films get an upgrade while still having a similar style. The streams from the Proton Packs light up the screen and feel the same, but better.
The main reason that Ghostbusters: Afterlife works though is the nostalgia. This movie is the continuation that fans wanted from the start, and it is very exciting to get it, and have it done well. Sure, this means there is a lot of fan service here, which could be overwhelming for some. But for those who enjoy nods to their favorite films will have a blast with this movie. From similar scenes, to Easter Eggs, to lines spoken — get ready for a flood of nostalgia!
Related: Paul Rudd Discusses Family, Friends, & Humor in this Interview
What Doesn’t Work With Ghostbusters: Afterlife
The biggest problem with Ghostbusters: Afterlife is that it takes a while to settle into itself. The pacing is off at first, which causes moments to drag on. However, once the second act starts, things fall into place and the rest of the movie is a wild and fun ride. This needed to be done to build the new characters and set up the world that we are living in now, so just hang tight, the ghostbusting will come soon enough.
The other issue with this film is that it is extremely predictable. Particularly for those who have seen the original films — which is who is going to appreciate the movie most. It follows a lot of the same plot points, so don’t expect anything groundbreaking here.
Overall Thoughts
Ghostbusters: Afterlife was made for the fans. It features a lot of fan service, but also brings a little something refreshing to the franchise. Mckenna Grace, Logan Kim, and Paul Rudd are the standouts, but the entire cast does a fantastic job. There is not one person that feels underused or underappreciated.
This movie has nostalgia, humor, and even some heart. The underlying messages about family and friendship will have audiences shedding tears. Get ready to cheer and clap too, as old fan favorite moments are revisited, and new ones are created!
This movie was made for the fans. It is clearly a love letter to the originals and delivers many nods to them, but is special because of the amazing cast.
About Ghostbusters: Afterlife
From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. The film is written by Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife hits theaters everywhere on November 19th.
