GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE REVIEW
(CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS)
In 1984, the 4th Avenue theatre in downtown Anchorage was an actual movie theatre, and that’s where I saw Ghostbusters for the first time. There was nothing about it to dislike- it had ghosts, gore, comedy, special effects, and an underdog story playing out side-by-side with a love story. Oh, and a pretty killer 80s soundtrack.
Everything about the film became iconic, from the No Ghost logo, the Ecto 1, the song, and of course, the Ghostbusters themselves.
Do. Ray. Egooooonnnn.
So, it stands to reason that any future installment would have a lot to live up to. How does Ghostbusters: Afterlife hold up for a child of the 80s who loves the original?
Pretty freakin’ great.
Before jumping into everything there is to love about this film, there are just a few areas that could’ve been better.
Downside:
The writing was a little slow out of the gate and it never really felt like any of our heroes were in any serious danger.
This film lacked a creepy and sorta scary vibe the first Ghostbusters played with.
Slimer’s “replacement” seems pretty weak.
As much as I love Paul Rudd, it really felt like he was there just so they could put his face on the posters, not because the film needed his character. That Stranger Things kid is also a big nothing here, and his character could’ve been played by anyone.
The Upsides:
McKenna Grace, who plays 12 year old Phoebe Spengler, is pretty darn convincing as Egon’s granddaughter. She’s the most interesting of the new characters and Grace plays her with the talent of a much older, more experienced actor.
They not only nail the sound design of the proton packs and Ecto-1, but a lot of the soundtrack includes brief nods to the original, helping to summon that 1980s spectre charm. There was one small missed opportunity here, when they could’ve played a bit of Mick Smiley’s “Magic” from the OG GB SDTK, but the sound of this movie really went a long way to putting you in the Ghostbusters universe.
Only slightly updated effects. The containment streams from the Ghostbuster’s packs, while a little “cleaner,” look very much like the originals. The mod for the new ghost trap is pretty cool, too.
The Reunion. Not just one original Ghostbuster… not two… but all four. Wait! How is that even possible, since Harold Ramis died in 2014?
Yes, this new film is a respectful homage to the original in so many ways, but it is first and foremost a loving tribute to Harold Ramis and his character, Egon Spengler, and it was done in such a sincere and beautiful way that it almost didn’t feel like something that came out of Hollywood.