Callie (Carrie Coon) moves with her two children,
Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckeena Grace), to Summerville, Oklahoma,
after the passing of Callie’s estranged father. Being completely sunk,
especially with income, the family of three settles into a farmhouse located on
a “dirt farm” left behind, which is also where Trevor and Phoebe’s grandfather
met with a sudden passing. As something wicked is coming nearby, it will be
left to the family, and a few familiar faces, to finish what was started years
ago.
The film has a strong cast, with much of the story
being carried by Mckeena Grace. The child actress, who has previously shown
audiences what she’s capable of with roles in “Captain Marvel,” “Annabelle
Comes Home,” “The Haunting of Hill House,” and many other films (while still
setting time aside to live as a child), was really wanting a challenge. Here, Grace
does another great entertaining role as the awkward, boring, and smart Phoebe. There
is a lot of humor, and heart, to be found while she is on screen with her new
friend Podcast (Logan Kim) and Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd). Obviously, it is
not a surprise that Rudd is the comedic relief in about every scene he’s in,
but there is also plenty of joking and fun from the entire cast. Hannon noted, “There
are scenes that take it too far in sheer goofiness, with Rudd and Coon’s Terror
Dog scene at the top of the list, coming off more like a parody or sketch
comedy.”
Changing the setting from New York City to a country
landscape was tricky, as the original films behave like love letters to the
city and its residents. The town of Summerville actually worked in the film’s
favor, letting more focus on family and adventure while also being covered in
mystery. This is a family-friendly film, but there are also moments of horror,
with Gozer’s possessed, current update being the winner. Like the original,
fear is outweighed by comedy and silly moments, as the cute, yet evilly insane
Stay Puft marshmallows steal the film.
Saying this is a sequel to one of the most celebrated
franchises ever created, fan service is expected. Even though there are a few
Easter eggs that appear too forced, many feel right for fans. Hannon said, “The
film takes place within the same universe, so seeing familiar brands and
references to the most famous ghostly take-down in history wouldn’t be
unrealistic. It also serves as backstory for new viewers, and gives nods to
longtime fans.” Everything ends with the best cameos, and one that is sure to
make a lot of fans cry.
“Ghostbusters: Afterlife” gives fans another
entertaining movie in the franchise, while successfully ending the first. However,
it doesn’t just look to the past and present, with the post-credit scene giving
viewers what could be possible for the future. Just like “Ghostbusters” was a entry
for many when they were children, we can think “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” will
act the same for this generation.
For a film that was in talks for years, especially
since Bill Murray was not interested in it for the longest time, especially
with his fallout with Harold Ramis, no one thought that there would be a third
film. The last film I wasn’t very fond of, but this film really delivered. As someone
who only saw glimpses of the films as a child and the cartoon, “Extreme
Ghostbusters” (since I wasn’t around when “The Real Ghostbusters” was on TV), and
getting into the films after seeing them in my 20s, I was really wanting a
third movie. Now that we finally got it, and this one ignores the second and
the 2016 film, I thought it did a job well done. See it in theaters if you love
Ghostbusters because you will love it, I promise. Especially if you’re a
Ghostbusters fan, you will thoroughly enjoy it.
Thank you for joining in on my review tonight. Look
out tomorrow to see what I will review next in “Disney Month 2021.”
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