Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) Review

"My grandfather was a Ghostbuster. Something was coming and he knew it,"

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

Ghostbusters is considered to be a classic, with a plot of both comedy and excitement. The movie was a huge success, becoming the second-highest grossing film of 1984, and is still loved to this day. Ghostbusters II was created due to this success, but was poorly received as it practically reinstates the concept of the first film - they find a threat, no one believes them, then they save New York and everyone sees them as heroes. Despite this, there was still a try for a third instalment of the franchise, but the movie was never made due to both the poor box office performance of the second movie and Bill Murray turning down every script he received, believing them to be "not well executed". Even after these failed attempts of sequels, Feig did not give up. In 2016, a new Ghostbusters movie was released, creating controversy due to it's all-female led cast. As expected, this movie did not do well either - many critics consider it a mess and even an insult to the original movie as it tries to copy the same mix of comedy and excitement but to no avail.

So, you can imagine the fear a fan of Ghostbusters would experience when hearing of the next instalment to the franchise: Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife automatically calls back to the original movie in the first scene, where we see Dr. Egon Spengler again. However, his reappearance does not last long and he is then killed by a mysterious ghost. This introduces us to the plot of the movie, which centres around his daughter, who we learn he abandoned, and her two children who inherit his farm house, which the mother, Callie, hopes to use in order to help them with their current money-issues, in a small town in Oklahoma called Summerville.

The movie is centred around nostalgia in order to entice the audience. It brings back ghosts from the original movie, such as Muncher and Marshmallow Man, instead of creating anything new. Alongside these ghosts is the main antagonist of Ghostbusters (1984), Gozer, who plays the same role in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The use of the same villain from the original is a risky play, as a repetitive plot is the same thing that contributed to the failure of Ghostbusters II, but I believe it brings justice to this newest instalment by allowing the audience to be reunited with the same character who captured their interest back in 1984.

Phoebe, the youngest daughter of Callie and granddaughter of Elon Spengler, is the spotlight of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Portrayed by McKenna Grace, she is shown as an incredibly intelligent girl who is more interested in science than any social interaction. The character herself adds to the nostalgic theme of the movie simply through her appearance - both her hair and glasses resembling that of her late grandfather. McKenna Grace's performance is extraordinary, as expected, and carries the movie through both her witty lines and her ability to emit the raw emotion of a young girl continuing on a legacy. Alongside McKenna Grace is Stranger Things actor Finn Wolfhard who plays her brother, Trevor. Despite his lack of interest in science, he serves as comedic relief to the intensity of the movie and plays a vital role at the end in helping his sister complete what Spengler set out to finish.

It is safe to say that all the actors contributed fully to this movie, with Logan Kim and Paul Rudd being the perfect addition of comedy and Carrie Coon creating a fun mom whose goal is to give her children a great life despite their financial position, unlike her father did. And of course, the three actors who brought the movie altogether, where the surprise reappearance of the original Ghostbusters; Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson and Dan Aykroyd.

If the original ghosts returning was not enough to create nostalgia, then this was. Originally, Dan Aykroyd's cameo in the movie was all fans thought they were going to see of Ray Stantz. Although this cameo itself was enough to bring that sense of joy to lovers of the first film, there was, of course, something lacking without the rest of the Ghostbusters. Their reappearance during the final fight of the movie brings it to a final conclusion, alongside their witty dialogue, and allows the audience closure of what happened to their favourite Ghostbusters after 30 years.

The movie ends with a heart-warming and sentimental tone, through the return of Harold Ramis as Elon Spengler. Of course, since the movie is centred around his family, it would never be truly complete without seeing him again. It is melancholic, as we see him meet both his grandchildren for the first time as a ghost, and then see him reunite with his daughter. This unspoken scene between them shows his apology for not being there for her, and her forgiveness through a last hug until he disappears. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is, after all, a contribution to Harold Ramis, who died in 2014, and how his work on Ghostbusters shaped not only one generation, but many generations who are introduced to this iconic movie. In some ways, it is a love letter from his friends who he worked with in 1984 and remained friends with until his passing of how his work not only impacted fans across the whole world, but how it impacted them personally, too.

Overall, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the sequel to Ghostbusters (1984) that fans have been waiting for since it's initial release, with the perfect mix of comedy and excitement alongside nostalgia created by characters and music. It is a thank you to Ramis and the creators of the franchise. And, if the post-credit scene is anything to go by, it is unlikely to be the last instalment of this franchise. If we are lucky, the next Ghostbusters movie will be just as good as both this one and as the original one.