Ghostbusters: Afterlife Review

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Dir: Jason Reitman

Starring: Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Celeste O'Conner, Logan Kim, Carrie Coon, and Paul Rudd

2h 4m

 

"Who you gonna call?" 

 

The cultural impact of Ivan Reitman's 1984 film "Ghostbusters" continues to display its influential grasp every year since its release. The repertory cinemas arranging screenings every Halloween, the hard to escape Ray Parker Jr. theme at parties, costumes with glowing proton packs, and the franchise's reboot with a female influence in 2016; "Ghostbusters" is undeniably a pop culture icon. 

 

Ivan Reitman, director of the original and sequel, created a not-so-scary film about ghosts with major crossover comedy appeal for audiences. Both of these films were met with mixed critical reactions. The reboot in 2016, directed by Paul Feig, gathered a group of hilarious women and placed them in a movie that had the simple goal of being an entertaining nostalgic revisit. The film received unnecessary hate from numerous regions of the internet. 

 

While the cards are stacked against "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," new director Jason Reitman takes the Ghostbuster's motto of "no job too big" and fashions an entertaining, kid-centric film that is also a loving tribute to his father, Ivan Reitman. Focusing solely on the original film as a jumping point for future events, Jason Reitman takes the ghostbusting out of the big city, transposes it into a small town, and hands the responsibility to a group of young people. "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" wears its heart on its sleeve proudly.

 

Egon Spengler, no longer known as a Ghostbuster but rather "the dirt farmer" in the small Oklahoma town where he lives a secluded life, is attacked and killed by an indiscernible entity. Callie (Carrie Coon), Egon's estranged daughter, struggles financially and decides to take her two kids to the farm to sort out the mysterious affairs left unresolved by her father. Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), the oldest of the siblings, is a teenager who finds work and a crush at the local diner. Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), an intelligent and curious 12-year-old, finds a fast friend named Podcast (Logan Kim) and begins to unravel the true nature of her grandfather's past. 

 

The town experiences small earthquakes and strange occurrences happening in the local abandoned mines. These disturbances catch the attention of Phoebe and her summer school teacher Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd). Once Phoebe begins investigating the unusual tremors and her grandfather's cryptic home, she discovers an evil force preparing its return to the world. 

 The introduction of "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" composes the most horror elements of the entire film; a chase scene with an unseen presence, lots of camera atmosphere, and a fun combination of scenarios help build the tension. An excellent introduction for a budding horror movie fan who might not be ready for more intense PG-13 horror films. The remainder of the film is less scary and more action and comedy-focused, featuring an eclectic group of characters committedly played by an ensemble of talented actors. 

 

The young actors bring the charm and heart out of "Ghostbusters: Afterlife." Mckenna Grace is a highlight as Phoebe; she imbues the character with the same dry wit and staunch composure as Harold Ramis playing Egon. Finn Wolfhard is also good, playing the committed and trustworthy older brother. Logan Kim, playing a humorous podcaster named Podcast, has terrific chemistry with every character on screen. The relationship between Phoebe and Podcast is the foundation for the film. 

 

The narrative brings pieces of the original film back into the frame while also developing some unique alterations and twists for new audiences. The story is a heartfelt attempt to pay homage to the original movie and redevelop the themes for a new generation. There are a few pacing issues with the film, which makes the final act feel a little rushed in the scheme of the story. But most of these issues go unnoticed because of the engaging cast and Jason Reitman's assured direction. 

 

"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" is a fun rehash of the original "Ghostbusters" film, utilizing young people to lead the charge. While it may not have the most engaging story to tell at times, it has a ton of heart and great humor. Jason Reitman has done a diligent job of updating this pop culture sensation for new audiences. 

 

Monte's Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

Ghostbusters Review

Ghostbusters

Dir: Paul Feig

Starring: Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth

“Awful”. "Terrible". "Disappointed". These were the overwhelming sentiments from social media and entertainment sites concerning the trailer for the rebooted “Ghostbusters” film well before it was set to arrive in theaters. Things got worse as some criticized the film’s decision to utilize an all female cast of lead characters. Cue the release of a poorly updated rendition of the Ray Parker Jr. theme song for this film, by none other than Fall Out Boy and Missy Elliot, and everything looked bleak for the reboot of the beloved 80’s film. Paul Feig’s “Ghostbusters” is far from terrible, in fact there are some really good moments supported by the cast of truly comedic women and some ingenious fan service offered throughout the film, but unfortunately it’s also far from impressive.

 

It’s not the same as the 1984 film but that doesn’t keep it from trying to be. Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) is on the cusp of getting tenure at the college that she teaches at, however an early career as a paranormal scientist disrupts this. Erin is forced to visit an old friend and colleague, Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), after a book the two them authored surfaces under strange circumstances. The investigation of an apparition leads to the formation of a team, adding Abby’s assistant Jillian (Kate McKinnon) and a subway worker named Patty (Leslie Jones), which is quickly dubbed the Ghostbusters. 

Much of the success of the first film rested in the capable casting and subsequent chemistry of the leading stars of the film, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson. Mr. Feig has done an exceptional job of organizing some of the most talented, funniest women working in film today into this project. Unfortunately these exceptional women are not always utilized in the best ways, particularly in ways that make them endearing throughout the film. Melissa McCarthy has a few funny moments but is very much restrained here, Kristen Wiig is impeccably awkward in the best way possible, Leslie Jones has a majority of the best punchlines, and Kate McKinnon gives a performance that you will either love or completely hate. Chris Hemsworth is also involved, playing a dimwitted hunk of a secretary who garners some great laughs. Individually these characters would not work but strangely enough, amidst some flaws, they become the driving force that keeps everything flowing in the right direction. Regardless of how poorly composed they may be, they are consistently amusing to watch on screen.

A majority of this film is dedicated to fan service, providing enough winks and nods to the original film that all the nostalgia can come back in a positive way. While some of the subtle moments of reflection work extremely well it also feels forced at times, especially when it comes to the more obvious callbacks. Still, there are some great surprises that will undoubtedly please those fond of the original.

The narrative is a quick mix of highlight, exposition, and tech talk. Do we really know how all this technology works? No. Do we need too? Absolutely not. That doesn't keep the film from rambling along with a rhythm of science words, a nice touch dedicated to the original film. 

What hurts the narrative is inconsistency; the plot never seems to extend beyond the simple aspects of ghosts and ghostbusters, we are given one scene that provides very little background into the nature of these characters passion for the unknown, and the antagonist mumbles something about an evil vortex but never achieves any real purpose besides wanting to destroy humanity. 

These are all criticisms about a film that seems more interested in pleasing the various expectations of the viewer, to the point that as long as the film is meeting the big complaints found on the Internet everything will be okay.  Is it still entertaining? Yes. Will it stand the test of time and become as beloved as the original? Not likely. So enjoy the reboot for what it is, an entertaining escape that provides quite a few laughs and will entice you to rewatch the original film that made you love the 80’s horror comedy.

Monte’s Rating

3.00 out of 5.00