"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" Slathers on the Nostalgia and Doubles Down on the Heart in a Fantastically Worthy Sequel

 

I remember seeing the original Ghostbusters (1984) for the first time and thinking how amazing and funny it was. For the longest time I was obsessed with that film, and its sequel. As I've gotten older, those two films have become special pieces of my childhood that have stuck with me, and I believe they're some of the most iconic films in cinema history. The premise was crazy, the humor was on point, and the action was just pure cinematic fun. Paul Feig's revamped vision in 2016 was a hilarious addition to the franchise, though it got a ton of unwarranted hate for not appealing to the fanbase and for not being a direct sequel. I loved that movie, and found it entirely entertaining. I will say, though, that as much as I liked that film, I also held out hope that a potential Ghostbusters 3 would turn up one day. Well, that day has come. Ghostbusters: Afterlife has finally hit cinemas, a sequel to the original films, and let me tell you, it does not disappoint.

Single mom Callie (Carrie Coon) and her two kids Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace), who are down on their luck, learn that Callie's father left her his farm house out in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Hoping for a fresh start, they move out of the city and into the country, only to find that what was left to them wasn't much at all. Trevor and Phoebe begin to explore the grounds and soon discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather - original Ghostbuster Egon Spengler - left behind. This movie is such a fun and heart-warming ride, and it connects beautifully to the first Ghostbusters from 1984 without feeling forced and shoe-horned in. It beautifully enhances that original story, expanding the mythology, and allowing new characters to make their mark on the franchise. The humor, action, and over-the-topness is all here, and writer/director Jason Reitman (son of the orginal director of the first Ghostbusters, Ivan Reitman) knocked it out of the park.

Let me just get this out of the way, because I could speak for days on this: the acting/performances in this movie were spot on. Everyone did a great job, especially Carrie Coon and McKenna Grace, who honestly stole the movie. I think it's fair to say that McKenna Grace is probably the best child/young actor working today, and she kills it in the movie. Paul Rudd does what Paul Rudd does best, and he was great. Certain appearances from various characters made for really great moments, and never once did they overshadow the new characters. The movie does justice, I feel, to the characters of old while also setting up for potential continuations in this franchise.

There is a host of nostalgia in this movie, almost at every turn, but never once did it feel like it was blatant or distracting. You could tell that this film, this story, and the material within it was handled with love and a deep appreciation of the characters and films before. I laughed so much and enjoyed every little nugget of nostalgia being blasted into my eyeballs. The roller coaster of emotions was there for sure, culminating with an ending that honestly choked me up. Like I said, I've been a fan of this franchise for almost my entire life, and the ending of this movie hit me like a ton of bricks. It was awesome, and emotionally satisfying. There were some decisions made regarding a specific character, which I won't name here for sake of spoilers, that I was honestly surprised they went as far as they did with how the character was handled. It didn't feel unnecessary or ill-placed, and could have easily been disrespectful and botched. However, the way they handled this specific character was incredibly impactful and was clearly done with such care and love. If you're a fan of these films and have followed the characters and actors that played them as I have, you'll pick up on my cryptic explanation just fine. 

Everything you would want from a Ghostbusters movie is on display in this film. It's a fantastic ride, a worthy sequel, and one of my favorite movies of the year so far. I had a complete blast with this movie and left the theater feeling incredibly joyful. This franchise means a lot to many people, and it was so great to see a story being told as a sequel that doesn't take away from its predecessors, but pays homage to it while also being its own thing and its own segue into potential future stories. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a freaking great movie, and everyone should see it.