Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Directed by Jason Reitman, Ghostbusters: Afterlife follows a single mom (Carrie Coon’s Callie) as she and her two kids (Mckenna Grace’s Phoebe and Finn Wolfhard’s Trevor) arrive in a small town and quickly discover an unexpected connection to the original Ghostbusters. Filmmaker Reitman, working from a script written with Gil Kenan, has infused Ghostbusters: Afterlife with a fun and nostalgic feel that does, for the most part, prove fairly difficult to resist, although, by that same token, it’s hard to deny that the movie’s bloated runtime paves the way for a handful of lulls within the sporadically hit-and-miss narrative – with this especially true of the overly lackadaisical opening stretch and continuing emphasis on Wolfhard’s palpably needless figure. There’s little doubt, then, that the picture benefits substantially from the appealing, charming efforts of stars Coon, Grace, and Paul Rudd, with the latter’s turn as a goofy teacher (and potential love interest for Callie) certainly enhancing the watchable atmosphere on an impressively recurring basis (and it’s clear, too, that Rudd’s character figures in the film’s most entertaining and engaging sequence, as the figure finds himself attacked by familiar apparitions in a local superstore). By the time the satisfying, fan-friendly climax rolls around, Ghostbusters: Afterlife has certainly cemented its place as a periodically pandering yet predominantly engrossing sequel that fares better, ultimately, than the series’ first followup and eventual remake.

*** out of ****