REVIEW: Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Set decades after the original, the latest installment of Ghostbusters explores a fresh chapter for the franchise—albeit by revisiting old themes and concepts, and certainly with the same magic and spirit(s).

While not as good (or as hokey) as the first Ghostbusters, this film comes close on both accounts. It features strong characters, interesting story elements and a heavy does of nostalgia.

The star of the show was the young lead, McKenna Grace, who played Phoebe, the granddaughter of one of the original Ghostbusters. She really stole the show, from her corny jokes to her acts of bravery—and defiance—throughout the movie. Paul Rudd, as always, was an utter delight, too.

The CGI in the movie was a bit off at times, but it wasn’t difficult to write off; it’s certainly an upgrade from the 1980s movies. There were moments where one must actively suspend disbelief in order to buy into the story, particularly near the end.

Overall, this is a home run of a sequel in my mind, and certainly lives up to what I hoped to get out of another Ghostbusters. You don’t have to see the first (and certainly not the second) to enjoy this movie, but it features a plethora of callbacks and Easter eggs for those who have.

For those with kids: If you let them see the first movie, then this one should be just fine. Any innuendo goes right over their head and there’s not much suggestive content, just a few bad words here and there. Our boys absolutely loved this movie, and were far more enthralled by the silly and scary ghosts and dad jokes than anything else the movie offered.

The bottom line: If you like the original Ghostbusters, give this one a whirl—I expect you’ll enjoy it. 9/10