Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a 2021 supernatural comedy directed by Jason Reitman, who co-wrote the screenplay with Gil Kenan. It is the sequel to Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989), and the fourth film overall in the Ghostbusters franchise. Jason is the son of Ivan Reitman, who directed the first two films. Like father like son.

The screenplay for the original film came from Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, who is also one of the stars. After the second film released in 1989, a follow-up film was in development but kept getting delayed because one of the stars of the films, Bill Murray, refused to commit to the project. Aykroyd and Reitman tried for years to get Murray on board, but according to Murray himself he wasn’t happy with the scripts and said they wouldn’t come close to the quality of the first film, which was a huge hit with critics and viewers. It seems likely that the lesser success of the sequel had something to do with his reluctance.

Set thirty years after the events of the second film, a single mother and her two children move to a small town in Oklahoma, where they discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and their grandfather's secret legacy.

The film stars Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and Paul Rudd, while Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts reprise their roles from the original films.

After a number of delays related to the pandemic, Ghostbusters: Afterlife finally hit theaters on November 19th, 2021 (3D and IMAX in select theaters).

THE GOOD

Ghostbusters is a storied franchise, that fact is simply undeniable. The original hit theaters way back in 1984, with a stacked cast consisting of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver. As I touched on above, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is touted as a direct sequel to the first two films, which had me excited from the start. I grew up with this iconic franchise, and I honestly believe that the Ghostbusters logo is one of the most recognizable logos in the last 35+ years. That is impressive if you ask me. Every kid dressed up as a Ghostbuster for Halloween, and most adults have at least one Ghostbusters shirt hanging in their closet. Because of the popularity they have tried repeatedly to reboot this franchise, with mixed results. Will this be the time they finally hit a home run? Keep reading to find out!

Alright I know the suspense is killing you so I will get right to it, I really enjoyed this movie! The immersive “Ghostbusters universe” sucked me in right away, and I could tell from the first few minutes this was going to be a great movie. We have seen a ton of spinoff films over the years, but nothing comes close to living up to the original. And rightfully so, the 1984 film was groundbreaking and honestly ahead of its time. Ghostbusters: Afterlife recreates that slapstick feel without coming across as corny, which is a difficult balance. The film has a ton of quality humor, and a really good balance of interesting characters. I felt like having a strong cast with genuine chemistry would make or break this film, and they pulled it off and then some. I really liked how the story came together and connected to the first two films, and let me just say the ending is incredible. If you are a fan of this franchise, the way they end this movie will have you giddy in your seat I guarantee it. Bottom line, they hit the nail on the head and more than likely lit a brand new fire underneath this franchise.

Paul Rudd is nothing short of fantastic in this movie, as he takes on the the role of Gary Grooberson, a laid back summer school teacher who is smarter than he looks. I mean seriously, who doesn’t love Paul Rudd? As of late he has really taken off as Marvel’s Ant-Man, but you can go all the way back to his supporting role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, or what I consider to be a fantastic yet underrated performance in the feel good comedy drama, Our Idiot Brother. I mean, the 52 year-old actor who doesn’t look a day over 40 has 127 acting credits on his resume, that is bananas. He was recently voted Sexiest Man Alive for a reason, and its not weird that I am pointing that out. Not to take anything away from the rest of the cast, but his on-screen presence made the movie for me. He has that quirky and infectious humor element he is known for in full swing for Ghostbusters: Afterlife. I just hope he sticks around if the franchise gets the re-boot that it deserves. Perhaps he is the next Bill Murray?! High bar sure, but one can dream.

Okay, so enough praising of The Sexiest Man Alive, lets talk about the rest of the cast for a bit. In true Ghostbusters fashion, the cast is a big strength of the film. Actress Carrie Coon plays the mother of Trevor, a teenager trying to find his way played by Stranger Things star Finn Woldhard, and Phoebe, a way-too-smart and slightly socially awkward middle school student (think Young Sheldon) played by 15-year-old actress Mckenna Grace, who is building quite an impressive career for herself. Coon is great as the no nonsense single mom who is struggling to make ends meet, and Wolfhard and Grace share great chemistry with her. Most importantly they are believable as a family, and the two kids are very different which helps the dynamic as well. As a family they tend to “tell it like it is”, which is refreshing. I enjoyed Logan Kim as Phoebe’s friend Podcast, as well as Celeste O’Connor as Trevor’s love interest, Lucky. As you may have expected, Ghostbusters: Afterlife treats viewers to some powerhouse cameo appearances. The original Ghostbusters make an appearance, hopefully that’s not a spoiler, and it is GLORIOUS. Everything about that final scene made me so happy and so sad at the same time. We get a few other awesome cameos which I will let you discover for yourself, but we are also treated to brief supporting roles from J.K. Simmons, and Bokeem Woodbine.

The writing for Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a big reason why the movie works so well. Original writers Dan Aykroyd and the late Harold Ramis are credited, but the primary screenplay duties for the film are split between Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman. I loved how they made this feel like a direct sequel to the original 1984 and 1989 films, and I also felt like the connection they made between the two had an authentic feel that fans should appreciate. The story roars to life, and their ability to create this “lived in world” feel as we are returned to the Ghostbusters universe, is just perfection. This is as much a homage to the original film as it is a re-boot for the franchise, and I truly hope they continue things from here and see where the next generation of Ghostbusters can take us.

On the technical side of things, Ghostbusters: Afterlife left me satisfied and then some. The CGI felt like a Ghostbusters movie, which needless to say was very important. A few of the ghosts are pretty creepy, but for the most part they are more on the goofy side. The soundtrack is high energy and very much compliments the more exciting sequences. I also really enjoyed the cinematography as it brought the small town of Summerville to life. I thought the location was fitting for the story to effectively unfold as well. Filming took place in Canada, primarily in Calgary and Alberta. The farmhouse, located in a rural area of Calgary, was actually built specifically for the film.

Touching on the CGI again, the unsung heroes of this movie are without a doubt the little marshmallow men, or more accurately the “Mini Pufts”. One of the most iconic characters from the 1984 film is The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, so bringing back some mini versions of him is the kind of genius that makes for a great film. I don’t want to give anything away, but they bring a sort of Minions type vibe, and the scene with Paul Rudd where they are introduced is just too good. You may feel a bit conflicted as they are doing some extremely questionable things to each other while looking just too damn cute, but I was grinning ear to ear the entire time. Just give these guys their own movie.

THE BAD

I genuinely enjoyed Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and for that reason I really don’t have many issues to talk about here. They do put extra effort into unraveling the history of the Ghostbusters which might make things feel a little slow for some viewers at times, but if you have a love for this franchise like I do you will enjoy every second of it.

I will say that as a sequel of a franchise with such a gigantic following, some of the more hardcore fans are sure to disagree with the direction of the film. And I get it, you waited essentially 30+ years for the third movie which is obviously way too long, and for that reason you wanted it to be perfect. Now no movie is perfect and as I’ve said I thought the screenplay was everything I hoped it would be, but I think some people may have been hoping for more direct tie ins to the first two films. For me the strength of the Ghostbusters films has always been the idea that something more must be going on, and you get that with Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

THE VERDICT

Paving the way for a new generation of Ghostbusters while serving up a hefty dose of nostalgia for longtime fans, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a hilarious and immensely satisfying theater experience for the entire family. You will feel all of the emotions as this incredible story comes to life right before your eyes, especially when it comes to the ending. As I touched on in the review, I grew up watching these movies and I am just ecstatic to see such a legendary franchise on the forefront yet again. Do yourself a favor and see Ghostbusters: Afterlife in theaters sooner than later, because it deserves the big-screen treatment.

Just a side note, the film does feature a mid-credits scene, as well as an after the credits scene, so be sure to stick around for both.