Well, everyone, first off, happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all have had a really fun holiday of it. Second, we are going to talk about the latest Ghostbusters film, well known as Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Apparently, like the Space Jam sequel, this third Ghostbusters film had been in development since around the 1980s, or 1990s, but didn’t officially get off the ground until recently. Well, better late than never. So here we go!
Plot: When a single mother named Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon), and her two children, Trevor, and Phoebe (Finn Wolfhand, and McKenna Grace respectively) are evicted from their current home in New York City, they then go to a home in Summerville, Oklahoma that was willed to them sometime ago by Callie’s late father, Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis). But sometime later, the children, along with new friends that make, find some mines, and a mountain, that could potentially be haunted. Can the children uncover the mystery in these areas before things most likely get worse for anyone living in the Summerville area?
Okay, first off, I have a confession to make. I didn’t see the Ghostbusters films until a few years ago at a friend’s place. Probably a good thing too, in a way, so that people like myself can have a better understanding of the storyline for the third film, and the franchise overall, eh? So, how was this third installment? Well, I must say really good. First off, despite this film coming out years after the last Ghostbusters movie, the director, and other filmmakers of this third film do a fantastic job of capturing the spirit of the other films. Yes, the score is most likely a little better composed. And, of course, the visuals are undeniably more stunning as well. That is especially when it comes to the designs of the ghosts. Still, the movie does a really great job of capturing the storyline of what these films are supposed to be about. Also, the comedy is satisfactory, despite most likely not being quite as hilarious as the other two films. As for the action, I’m not going to go into details on what kind of action scenes occur in this film. However, I will at least say that they will make the audience enjoy this movie even more. That is especially since a great many of them are suspenseful, most notably when it comes to a pre-climax moment, and the climax itself. Oh, and the premise gets surprisingly very creative at points. Sure, some of the creativity for this installment seems to be saved for near the end of this film. Still, that doesn’t keep Ghostbusters: Afterlife from being any less enjoyable. Oh, and how could one not like the mystery elements that are added to this film as well? Finally, one can’t forget to mention that there are certain pleasant surprises in this film as well.
So, are there any flaws for this film? Well, there may be at least a couple. First off, there were one, or two plot holes in this film. Second, there were a couple characters that felt a little stereotypical, and not as likable as some of the other main characters because of that. Yeah, even those not as likable characters seem to be more likable towards the end, but it may have felt a little too late in the game at that point, you know? Oh well!
And that’s my review for Ghostbusters: Afterlife. It is a very clever movie overall. Even if it may be predictable at times, the film also has some very good plot twists as well. Not only that, but the film does have some elements that make it very engaging, and fun. Sure, it might be a little scary for kids, but even they will be able to still enjoy this film overall. Definitely make a point to see this film, especially if you have been a huge fan of this franchise. You’d be surprised as to how great of a job the filmmakers did with recapturing the spirit of the older films. Because of that, this film is most definitely worth seeing.
Final Grade: A-
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 