Ghostbusters: Afterlife is very respectful and kind to the original in a way that maybe the 2016 remake wasn’t. I liked that messy remake but this is not a great film but maybe is more appropriate for the franchise than the 2016 version.
It sadly collapses under the weight of its own nostalgia at times and the story is very bare-bones. It’s not remotely funny enough but everyone tries their best and the new child lead is fantastic. Everyone else is only so so. The CGI is good, as are the practical effects but there are only like 3 ghosts in the entire film which was a real shock. The budget was smaller than 2016 and it shows.
The plot was interesting at times but not well fleshed out. The ending was very rushed as well. The entire plot feels like it just dropped out of nowhere, suddenly there’s this thing in this podunk town and it matters a lot all of a sudden. Decent scenes dispersed in between long sequences of filler. The dialogue didn’t actually explain much and newer audiences will be left scratching their heads.
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The score is mostly the original film’s score, with some perfectly matched new material. Same with the sound design and visual effects. They properly capture the Ghostbuster’s feeling.
Overall it’s a fun family film. It’s not scary but it is thrilling. I would recommend but it doesn’t really justify its own existence beyond being a cash grab. I don’t think it’s trash, but I do feel it could have had more adult and horror content.
