After nearly 40 years since the original, directed by Ivan Reitman, it was time to pass down the reigns. In recent years we have had an attempted reboot of the franchise which didn't go all that well, but a fully fledged sequel to the 80's films was the vision from Ivan's son Jason Reitman. Filled with quirky new characters and littered with nostalgia, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a rip-roaringly fun adventure for all.
Written by Elliot Lines
Based many decades after the events in New York, Ghostbusters: Afterlife follows a family who have just lost their father/grandfather, who has a mysterious past. New York is a distant memory for many, ghost sightings have dried up and the kids have never even heard of the events. This takes us on a adventure of discovery with this family and some other additions, where they stumble upon their relatives legacy and look to carry it forward, discovering themselves in the process.
Bringing in a whole host of new characters could bring about some problems, but here characters fill into their roles perfectly. Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) is a curious, genius 12 year old, she loves to learn, and keeps herself out the limelight. Mckenna Grace captures the awkwardness and introverted nature perfectly, she is the driving force in the film bringing together everyone in the process. Unusual for her character, she makes friends with Podcast (Logan Kim), who provides some fantastic comic relief throughout the film, creating laughs aplenty. The film is stacked with talent which includes Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd and Finn Wolfhard, all of which diving right into their roles.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife is absolutely littered with nostalgia from the 80's films. The simplicity of the originals is clearly a inspiration for Jason Reitman, and even the look across the film pays homage to moments in the originals. You have the return of the proton pack (Used to capture those ghosts), the ghost traps (to keep hold of them) and who could forget the iconic ECTO-1. But you get these great new characters discovering and learning what these objects do.
As for the story, there is again a simplicity to it, and with the return of a known enemy it means you can just have fun with these characters in their discovery of ghosts. Any fan of the original will immediately recognise the aesthetic of the villains, Jason Reitman once again being inspired by his fathers work. At times it does feel a little ridiculous and stupid, but Ghostbusters: Afterlife is so easy to have fun with.
In the screening of this film, Jason Reitman spoke of how he remembers being on the set of Ghostbusters (1984) at the young age of 6, he remembers his father on set and even the marshmallow (shaving foam). Ghostbusters: Afterlife provides so much fun for all, with plenty of nostalgia throughout but Reitman's connection to the source material is what made this film shine.
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