Opening Thoughts
Hollywood may produce magical experiences, but it’s ultimately a business. As a business, it will never pass up an opportunity to make money. And what easier way is there to ensure some profit than by tapping into a strongly established fanbase? Especially a fanbase who have grown up and likely introduced their own children to it.
I give you The Force Awakens, Jurassic World, and now Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Legacyquels.
Films that update franchises with some form of ‘passing the torch’, with varying levels of nostalgia and care.
They are the reason that my reaction to Ghostbusters: Afterlife should be accepted with certain things in mind.
If you revisit my reviews for those films you’ll find they’re very positive. My feelings since may have mellowed, but I truly believe that what a film makes you feel on that first showing is hugely important. Time may change the feelings, but the initial emotions are no less valid.
The Actual Review!
In the dark of the cinema, with my daughter on my lap, both in our jumpsuits, I cried.
Tears of closure. Tears of what could come. We both enjoyed Ghostbusters: Afterlife immensely. She would lean in and point out “PKE!”, “Ecto-1!”, and a host of other references. I was so proud, but also struck by the mirroring of our responses. We were both so damn excited.
Even a casual GB fan will find plenty here to geek out over. There may be some things my super-fan eagle eyes may have noticed as possible bloopers, but there’s so much love here. From the music, to the pacing, to the use of longer shots that revel in showing detail, it’s a love letter.
The cast is impressive, with Grace McKenna a clear standout for me. She’s an amazing example of what a new Ghostbuster could and should be like. Starting off awkwardly, her growth as she gets increasingly comfortable feels earned.
The original film succeeded because of the characters and how they interacted it, mixed with some – at the time – great FX. Nowadays anyone could reproduce a ghost or blast from a Neutrona Wand. Afterlife has a lot of what you know you want from a GB film, but also the character and heart that you might not immediately think of.
Critics have been hard on it. Some have said it’s heavy-handed in its nostalgia. And for some it will be. Go watch it and make up your own mind! Personally, I embraced the emotions it solicited and rolled with it. These characters are core to me and I feel that whilst there may be some clumsiness, the overall approach and detail was the right way to go.
Feel free to write this off as a fanboy losing it over a carefully constructed nostalgia fest if you like. I know it’s not perfect…but I know how I felt. You can’t take that away or disagree with it. This ‘bustin made me feel good.
NOTE – For the parents out there, my four year old has seen the first two Ghostbusters films. She wasn’t scared by either at all, and this one is very much the same when it comes to levels of tensions or scares. Few S-Bombs though.
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