Ghostbusters: Afterlife review – Ghosts, spirits and a lot of heart

In an age where sequels and reboots are plentiful – and questionable – it’s understandable to approach Ghostbusters: Afterlife with some trepidation. Could it possibly live up to the hype? Do we need it? Is it worth seeing? In short: Yes, yes, and yes. I saw an advanced screening of the movie and I’ve never seen a sequel so lovingly delivered as Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

This particular screening in Los Angeles for journalists and a handful of fans coincided with a special screening taking place simultaneously at New York Comic Con during the movie’s panel. There, director Jason Reitman and the cast surprised fans at an Afterlife panel with the full movie instead of a handful of clips.

As I sat in the darkened theater in LA, my first time back in a full theater since before the pandemic, it didn’t take long to realize I was surrounded by fellow fans. There was laughter at the inside jokes, there were choruses of gasps and sighs when familiar music started playing. And there were tears. For the first time in a long while, things felt normal.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the sequel that fans needed

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is everything you could hope for in a sequel that’s possibly (hopefully) setting up a future for a beloved franchise. Jason Reitman, following in his father Ivan’s footsteps, understands how much the franchise means to fans and he’s adding to the mythos, not changing it. Afterlife is a dedicated love letter to fans and it shows in everything from the brilliantly crafted story to the cast, from the music to the set design and in every prop and every Easter egg.

I’m sticking with the generalities of the story because this movie deserves to be experienced on its own merit without being spoiled, but since there’s a synopsis available I’ll go with that. A single mother (Carrie Coon) moves her kids Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) to a new town in Oklahoma after her father passes away and they find themselves in need of a place to stay.

A twelve-year old science lover and loner, Phoebe connects with her teacher, Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd), who explains that the town has been subject to mysterious earthquakes. What he doesn’t realize is that Phoebe is a genius and she quickly starts working through the problem with him. She meets a new friend (Logan Kim as Podcast) and soon Phoebe starts to see that there’s much more happening in town than she ever could imagine. And it’s all connected to the Ghostbusters.

Afterlife isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, and that’s what makes it such a great movie. This story is a continuation of the original movies, and a very natural one at that. In fact, it feels like it could have taken place right after the original 1984 film, only it’s 30-plus years later. It’s absolutely organic.

What’s more is that it doesn’t have to work to establish the connection to the Ghostbusters, and when connections are made it’s more of a “yes, of course, because that makes sense” reaction. It all makes sense.

Mckenna Grace owns the movie. When she wrinkles her nose to keep her wire-rimmed glasses from falling off her nose, she sells the role. But it’s the moments when she digs her heels in and stands up for herself that makes her the hero this generation needs. Phoebe is the character I would have been on the elementary school playground back in the late 1980s, and I love that she’ll be the character so many little kids will embrace on playgrounds all over the world.

Finn Wolfhard might be known for his work in Stranger Things, but Afterlife will be his new legacy. His performance reminds me of the initially disbelieving but ultimately supportive older brother from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. The way he supports his sister is touching, and it makes the film stronger as a result.

Writing credits for the film go to Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan, Dan Ackroyd and Harold Ramis. Ackroyd and Ramis penned the original Ghostbusters script and the essence of their original story can be felt throughout Afterlife. I can only imagine the conversations that took place in developing this script to make sure that it embraced all the elements that made the first movie so special.

I can’t tell you the exact moment the movie sold me, or the moment I knew this was a new classic that will be cherished by fans young and old. I’m not going to spoil it for anyone. But I can tell you the movie has a lot of heart. It’s the little details, like that handful of familiar notes from the original movie’s score, inserted at just the right moment. It’s the way the young characters figure things out on their own without being overly reliant on technology. It’s in the pluck and determination of a young girl who has always been an outsider. And it’s the film’s spirit.

Look, we’ve been through a lot over the past 18 months. We’ve been brought together and torn apart. I walked into that movie theater not knowing what to expect, and I emerged feeling like the weight of the world had been lifted from my soul for a little while, and that’s what we all need right now. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the sequel we needed after all these years, and it will keep the torch burning bright for the future of the franchise.