When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to save the world.
Based on Ghostbusters by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, director Gil Kenan delivers high production values, solid setups, and staging. There are great special effects, fantastic cinematography from Eric Steelberg (especially the sweeping cityscapes), and a first-class fitting score by Dario Marianelli.
Kenan and Jason Reitman’s screenplay injects some on-the-money gags into a spooky enough Ghostbusters story. The change of location from Summerville, Oklahoma, to New York City, teased in the last film with more of NYC and the iconic firehouse, is more than welcomed, giving it a Ghostbusters feel.
While it lacks the punch, charm, and simplicity of the original two, like Afterlife it has enough going on, offering some emotion and top performances from the leads including Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace. Patton Oswalt is a great addition. Grace is particularly notable and holds her own against beloved Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and William Atherton, who reprise their roles. Aykroyd and Hudson’s Lethal Weapon banter is a highlight, and Murray effortlessly steals the show.
Choppy editing and the abundance of mini-marshmallow men aside, in fact, there’s a little too much muddled exposition and too many characters. Kenan and Reitman shoehorn a lot of iffy subplot and unnecessary world-building shenanigans. Also, given the plot, there was a missed opportunity to bring back more ghosts from previous installments, even if briefly. Additionally, with all the appearances from past cast members, it’s a pity that Sigourney Weaver’s Danna Barrett and Louis Tully (Rick Moranis dragged from retirement) or an adult Oscar didn’t show up.
Overall, while the storytelling may be a bit wobbly, the film shines with its great special effects, atmospheric setting, spine-chilling moments, and a plethora of one-liners. These elements set the stage for another adventure with the Spengler family and gang, which would be perfectly proton-pack welcomed. Recommend.
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