A run-down of 'Ghostbusters Afterlife,' directed by Jason Reitman. A Sony release of a Columbia Pictures presentation, in association with Bron Creative, of an Ivan Reitman production. Reviewed at Oak Harbor Cinemas, Oak Harbor, Washington; November 22, 2021. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 124 MIN.
What worked:
Bridging the franchise from one generation to another in a way that works for all audiences
The re-telling of the original story, for younger audiences, mixed with nostalgia for the older crowds: This can be a lethal combo for many viewers, which I totally understand. However, it worked for me at a level I can easily say made this an enjoyable moviegoing experience.
Though predictable, the ending was well done, and a class act. Spoiler free.
The acting: I'd not heard of McKenna Grace prior to this, so to look her up and see what a transformation she went through in her role as Phoebe, really impressive, with a great, charming performance. All the kids were great, in fact.
The score: Using the original score (though I think it was a new recording?) - it's own character in the original film - was essential to bring the audience back into that world, especially when it takes place in Oklahoma.
The original was magic. One can't recreate special moments like that no matter how intense the effort. So considering that, it tried to do the impossible, and almost came close. For that I respect it, especially knowing this will definitely have its fans.
Paul Rudd.
What didn't work:
The return of Aykroyd, Hudson and Murray. It wasn't bad by any means, it was more their performances. They didn't feel 100% comfortable and it showed for the majority of their screen time. Murray did a good job bringing back that Venkman snark.
A simple plot, but at times scenes felt disconnected, or almost rushed - which is ironic figuring a Ghostbusters 3 has been rumored for decades leading up to this release.
Didn't buy Carrie Coon as Spengler's daughter, and I didn't buy the character - not even for a second.
The numerous examples of "fan service" weren't problematic for me - but when that bleeds into the actual plotting of the script - that is where I feel it's a bit lazy.
The original had an edge to it. This has none at all.
At the end of the day:
Overall, there's nothing to second-guess here - there should be no regrets. For the filmmakers, they did a great job with a herculean task, and there's a lot to admire. For the audiences, it goes above and beyond the bare minimum to ensure this isn't even close to being a disaster. The problem then is, it's just not memorable, and that's because it didn't carve out enough of its own identity. All the elements were there to make that happen, but they just couldn't get themselves across that finish line, and to the afterlife. Ba-dum-tiss.
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