Big cities like New York are known to be completely crazy. Strange things happen here all the time. But even in remote places, things can suddenly get very turbulent. Just like it happens in the boring town of Summerville in Oklahoma, where suddenly mysterious things happen, and the question arises again: If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who are you gonna call? We get the answer in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Like so many other films, Ghostbusters: Afterlife was supposed to be released last year. That coincided with the 30th anniversary of one of the biggest inter-dimensional cross rips of all time, shortly with the release of Ghostbusters II.
But even the Ghostbusters were powerless against the poltergeist, who turned our lives upside down with its evil pranks and, thereby, prevented so many films from starting on time.
Therefore, fans around the globe had to be patient to finally be able to experience whether and how the Ghostbusters could find their way back to their old strength.
GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE – THE STORY
Phoebe is a science nerd. Instead of having fun with friends, she prefers to immerse herself in her own world. Despite her youth, Phoebe’s world is marked by serious study of the natural sciences.
It is obvious, the young scientist has been inhered not only by her looks, but also by her enormous thirst for knowledge from her grandfather, Dr. Egon Spengler.
Unfortunately, Phoebe was not able to get to know the former founding member of the Ghostbusters personally. Before she was born, Spengler had abandoned the family and preferred to devote himself to his secret research.
His daughter, Phoebe’s mother Callie, could never forgive him for this, not even after his sudden death. But now, she has to move penniless with Phoebe and her brother Trevor to the dirty shack at the end of the world that Spengler left behind after his death.
Not only does she have to rid the house of dirt and all the oddities that Egon has accumulated over time. Rather, she also has to face her own family history.
And as if that weren’t enough, the whole city suddenly starts going crazy. Phoebe, Trevor, and their funny friend Podcast try to get to the bottom of mysterious things and dive deeper and deeper into a very dark secret that Egon Spengler and his friends were on the trail of already 40 years ago.
THE CHARACTERS & CAST
PHOEBE (MCKENNA GRACE)
Phoebe embodies the new generation in a very authentic way. She questions things and is not afraid to make adults look like fools if necessary. Phoebe is an extremely personable mix of a hyper-intellectual scientist and a naive teenager.
Her jokes are as dry as the area around Summerville, the place where she ended up after her grandfather’s death. Many of her sayings not only make us laugh but also bring tears to our eyes.
At 15, Mckenna Grace is already a superstar. We know the actual blonde talent from the series Young Sheldon and from top films like Captain Marvel, in which she played the young Carol Danvers. She has also shone alongside top stars like Margot Robbie in “I, Tonya”, and Chris Evans in “Gifted.”
In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the Texas-born actress not only impresses artistically across the board. With her enchanting charm, she easily plays even the most experienced actors on the wall.
So, she reaches the new generation of Ghostbusters. In addition, her play and look immediately hit the hearts of the Ghostbusters fans from the very beginning. They will be reminded of Dr. Egon Spengler and Harold Ramis, respectively, and so drawn into the story on a very emotional level.
TREVOR (FINN WOLFHARD)
Even if Phoebe’s brother looks very much like his sister and both understand each other blind, they are still very different characters. The guy is a teenager in the middle of puberty. He can’t believe in spending the summer in this remote town. But that instantly changes when he meets the pretty Lucky who works in the drive-in. He immediately feels the first butterflies in his stomach.
Fascinated by Lucky, Trevor takes a temporary job in the drive-in. You have to find out for yourself whether this brings the pretty girl closer to him.
Like Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard is still very young. Nevertheless, we already know the 18-year-old Canadian from almost 40 films or series. Most people know him for his role in “Stranger Things.” Besides, we know him from the two new films of “It.” In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, he supports his film sister very well.
CALLIE (CARRIE COON)
Callie is not only a bit overwhelmed as a mother. She is generally not at peace with herself and her life. Among other things, she blames her father, Egon Spengler, for leaving her when she was a child. Calli represents the emotional conflict in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
It’s Carrie Coon, who we know from series such as “The Leftovers” and “Fargo” as well as Avengers: Infinity War, granted to take care of the most emotional moments in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Interestingly, these moments know how to touch both the old and the new Ghostbusters fans. But I don’t want to reveal more here.
MR. GROOBERSON (PAUL RUDD)
Ok, when we hear the name Paul Rudd, many of us immediately start to smile. His name stands for fun and a good mood, not just since the two Marvel Ant-Man blockbusters. Also, in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Paul Rudd knows how to entertain us with his charm and wit.
This time in the role of the substitute teacher Mr. Grooberson. Our diaphragm is activated every second, especially in cooperation with Phoebe, aka Mckenna Grace. Through his special slapstick and sympathetic performance, Paul Rudd succeeds in absolutely inspiring us in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
PODCAST (LOGAN KIM)
His name says it all. Everywhere podcasts try to fill his channel with mystical stories. It is a kind of a revelation for him when he meets the granddaughter of one of the real Ghostbusters. Podcast shows Phoebe mysterious places. Thereby he motivates her to a Ghostbusters revival of the next generation.
Logan Kim is still unknown. His Instagram account has just 10,000 followers. That should change quickly with the release of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Because Kim is one of the absolute highlights of the film.
Comparable to the once so perky and daring Corey Feldman, Logan dominates the scene with his wit and play. It’s just fun to watch his play.
LUCKY (CELESTE O’CONNOR)
Sure, no blockbuster without beauty. And what a beautiful heroine Lucky is shown from the first moment of her appearance.
Eloquent, self-confident, and energetic, she casts a spell over the film characters and us viewers. No wonder Trevor (Finn Wolfard) instantly falls in love with Lucky, played by Kenyan-born actress Celeste O’Connor.
So far, we know Celeste from the horror-comedy “Freaky.” However, we will certainly see the beautiful and talented Celeste O’Connor not only in many other films. Besides, it is to assume that we will see her also on many magazine covers and in campaigns by major fashion and beauty brands. The Instagram of the gorgeous American actress will surely burst at the seams after Ghostbusters: Afterlife comes to the cinemas.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS (BILL MURRAY, DAN AYKROYD, ERNIE HUDSON)
Of course, it’s a special moment to see the original Ghostbusters in action again, even if Harold Ramis can no longer stand by their side. For years he, Dan Aykroyd, and Bill Murray formed a comedy dream team.
All the Ghostbusters fans were shocked by the news of Ramis’ death in 2014, both humanly and with the fear that there will probably never be another Ghostbusters revival that could come.
Therefore, the appearance of the three remaining heroes/actors, Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Dr. Winston (Ernie Hudson), will be all the more touching. Moreover, when there’re so many funny references to the original, a tear can flow from laughing and deep emotion.
DANA BARRETT & JANINE MELNITZ (SIGOURNEY WEAVER & ANNIE POTTS)
In brief guest appearances, we see two more characters from the original Ghostbusters films again. On the one hand, we meet Dana Barrett again. She was once the first customer of the team of funny scientists. On the other hand, we meet Janine Melnitz. She supported the Ghostbusters as a secretary even despite her rather loose mouth.
Mysterious. Because it seems like the times passed by for Sigourney Weaver & Annie Potts just. As always, they take us back to the 80s through their appearance. With Sigourney Weaver, in particular, we can experience an incredibly comical scene. It will move anyone who knows the originals to tears of joy, laughter, and emotions.
GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE REVIEW
After Ghostbusters: Answer the Call went in the pants, all fans were, of course, worried that Ghostbusters: Afterlife could end up as an embarrassing sequel. After all, almost 40 years have passed since the great original.
So many questions arose. Can an authentic reference to the original values of the first two films still be made after such a long time? Is it possible to force the former heroes into their costumes again after almost four decades?
Are the oh-so enlightened generations Y and Z still interested in these imaginative and naive topics? Can you ever make amends for the faux pas of Ghostbusters: Who Answers The Call?
The answer to all of these questions is a resounding YES! Ghostbusters: Afterlife takes us back to the values of the originals. What’s more, the film touches our hearts. I haven’t been touched in a movie theater seat like I was on Ghostbusters: Afterlife in a long time.
In the press premiere, we saw a short statement from Jason Reitman. The director told us that his father Ivan, who had been responsible for the former Ghostbusters’ successes as a director, spent his time by his side almost every day.
“Can you imagine your parents accompanying you to work and looking over your shoulder critically all the time?”
Perhaps it was and is precisely this somewhat involuntary “collaboration” that made Ghostbusters: Afterlife cinema the old school.
The film spans all levels that a real blockbuster has to offer. There is a lot of humor, tension, drama, thrill, love, action, and social criticism. Moreover, the film stimulates you to reflect a little more on yourself.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife, to put it quite banally, is a funky, mind-blowing good film that comes at the right time. I can’t and don’t want to spoil. Howsoever, you can rely on leaving the cinema with a big smile.
Moreover, you will leave it with a lot of deep emotions and some tears in your eyes. And, you can count on having a lot of fun with the story and the characters beforehand.
Therefore, for this homage to the 80s, the original, and Harold Ramis as well as for the big tears in our eyes at the end of the film, we give mystical 9 points.
Text: Marco Kokkot
Images: Sony Pictures 2021
