Who ya gonna call? How can anyone not respond to that question without saying, "Ghostbusters!" I grew up in the Ghostbusters era. The first two films are beloved by me. I watched The Real Ghostbusters animated series as well as the Filmation Ghostbusters series. I was a Ghostbuster for Halloween at least twice as a kid, and I had quite a few Ghostbusters toys. One that comes to mind is a footless Egon action figure thanks to our family dog. So, when it comes to the Ghostbusters, I guess I would call myself a fan.
But as a Ghostbusters fan it's been a while since I've had something to get excited about. I was too old when the Extreme Ghostbusters animated series came out, and it just seemed not that great anyway. The IDW comic books in recent years have never gotten my attention. And of course, the 2016 film was quite controversial. I didn't mind it, but I thought it was nowhere the level of 80's classics. Then came news that Jason Reitman, son of the original film's director, was going to tackle a new Ghostbusters sequel. Jason has directed such films as Juno, Thank You For Smoking, and Up In The Air. All of which I enjoy, so it got me excited for this new edition to the franchise. But then the trailers started to be released my excitement dwindled.
The first trailer had a bunch of kids driving Ecto-1 through a town and chasing a ghost (who at first, I thought was Slimer, but more on that later). The films and the animated series were full grown adults who could handle an apocalypse-level event with thermal nuclear weapons on their backs. Plus, they were funny as F$%K! These trailers made it look like Stranger Things the movie, not helped by the addition of Finn Wolfhard from the Netflix series. I spent the two weeks before seeing Afterlife introducing my 8-year-old daughter to the franchise. We watch the first two films, and a few episodes of The Real Ghostbusters. We sat down to watch Afterlife, and to be honest, I thought it was ok.
The daughter and grandchildren of Egon have moved to a smalltown after Egon's death and they soon find out that the original Ghostbuster villain, Gozer, is about to rise again, and it's up to little Phoebe (played by McKenna Grace) to organize her own ghost-busting team. This film is of course Sony's attempt to reboot the franchise and get a new generation into Ghostbusters. I say this because my 11-year-old nephew was sitting several seats down from me and I could hear his excitement. And my daughter also seemed into the film, getting several references from the previous movies we had recently watched. Maybe having a Ghostbusters film starring not all men (or women), but kids, could be just what the franchise needed.
I kept drawing parallels to The Force Awakens, in that it was a very similar plot to the first films in their franchises and had the returning veterans playing supporting characters. McKenna Grace is known for playing younger versions of women in films like I, Tonya and Captain Marvel, but I would call her the lead in this film. However, I think expanding on the troubles of her mother could have helped us get more invested. We get one quick scene to meet the three characters before being thrusted into the plot. Why was her mom behind on rent? Did she have a job? How good of a relationship does she have with her kids? And if Janine wasn't her mom, who was Egon's wife/baby momma?
Sexiest Man Alive, Paul Rudd, helped bring a gravitas to the film as he did what he does. But it seems like they forced the two adult characters of the film together just for the Keymaster and Gatekeeper pay-off, which also seemed like the writers almost forgot they needed to bring forth Gozer. Wolfhard's character was just there to drive the car it seems; and to crush on a girl. The real personality of this film came from Phoebe and her friend, Podcast, played by Logan Kim. They all seemed a little too young to be taking on an evil God, which is why I thought the original cast should have come in sooner.
Let's be honest, Annie Potts and Sigorney Weaver's parts were pointless. They were quick and added nothing. I wish after the phone call to Ray the three Ghostbusters would have gotten there sooner before the battle had started. And when they tried to stop Gozer, but couldn't, it would have made Phoebe's attempt more meaningful. I thought Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson's deliveries were great, but to me it just didn't seem like Bill Murray wanted to be there. Sure, he is older now, but I didn't feel the Venkman energy of wit I love so much. Bringing them in sooner would have given them more time for character development, or some kind of story instead of just semi-cameos. And speaking of cameos, no Slimer? I thought Munchie was cute, but come on! At one-point Slimer was more popular with Ghostbuster fans than the actual Ghostbusters!
"Are you a god?" Luckily Ray had the right answer this time around. The film is filled with plenty of easter eggs like Twinkies and marshmallow-covered heroes. The end of the film is beautiful with ghost Egon appearing as you see the original four in one shot. You get a father/daughter hug and it seems like the Ghostbusters are back in business as the film ends with Ecto-1 blaring through the streets of New York again. But why? I thought ghost-busting business had dried up in New York City? I know they are trying to set-up a sequel with that (and the post-credit scene with Winston) but I don't see how stopping a ghost in the Midwest equals ghost activity now up in New York?
I feel like I've written this review like I've hated the film, but I didn't. To me, this film was made for kids who can see themselves in Phoebe and Podcast, and grow up to carry the torch of this franchise for another lifetime. I thought Reitman did a decent job directing with some great camera shots and angles. While I wasn't thrilled with the teenage characters, I thought Phoebe and Podcast were great and carried this film well. I also may not have thought Afterlife was a worthy sequel to the others, but it's cute enough to entertain families and possibly spark more Ghostbusters films. And to this once one-legged, Egon action figure owner, that makes me happy.
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