IR Film Review: GHOSTBUSTERS - AFTERLIFE [Sony]
The draw of Jason Reitman to his father's opus of sorts in "Ghostbusters" has been a dynamic path and one perhaps he shied away from for obvious reasons. He captures more of the flavor of the original in many ways here but the sense of scale or even dread is not there yet there is a sense of tenderness and nostalgia especially within he character of Phoebe. "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" is an admirable try and actually throws certain degrees of texture to the wind while others are closely followed. The movie pays homage and explains the aspect of how the myth of the Ghostbusters in the 80s was built up and why it waned. However then some of the characters take severe perspectives of truth.
Carrie Coon and Paul Rudd play different sides of this angle with differing aspects of reflection. Coon as a realization of her father's indifference never quite makes the bridge even though the possibility is there. Rudd is more a plot device but gives rise to the levity needed. An entire sequence in Wal Mart is really unneeded but fun. The aspect of Janine (Annie Potts) comes into play but there are suspect holes in the family tree that are never quite rectified. That is one of the issues with the film is that the story wanders and most pot points in fact don't have exceptional reflection to the other. Every moment should have a reason but maybe that wasn't the movie Reitman wanted to make. As the reboot showed, one can't satisfy everybody's need in what a "Ghostbusters" film should be.
The part that does work in the film is the aspect of Egon which did need to be done in very specific structure since Harold Ramis died a couple years ago. It is oddly fitting and well done in how this was accomplished and it is these plot points that are razor sharp. Even though the impact of the returning Ghostbusters makes sense, their arrival does seem anti-climactic save for one because of what is perspective it adds. However, to allow the franchise to move forward, it was needed. But moving back to the Egon storyline ,the path is very clear though the crux of it is unusual and not explained in words per se. The true MVP of "Afterlife" by proxy with Egon is McKenna Grace as Phoebe. While some of the adventures she goes on with her brother and a new friend in town seem out there, dangerous and without consequence, her embracement and parallel to her grandfather in Egon is wonderfully done. She has the ticks, the curiosity, the awkward comedy and the anti-social behavior down. The music and the way the effects are done really harks back to the original and even the basis of the power behind Summerville (a reflection to Sumerian) and its founder in Evo Shandor is a direct reflection to the basis of "Ghostbusters".
Gil Kenan, who wrote "Monster House" is utterly stooped in the lore which is why this film works on many levels. Certain sequences like a chess game that leads to a downstairs laboratory with Phoebe are beautifully done and angle to an Amblin style of filmmaking. The issue becomes that as the film move towards the end it is almost too similar in structure to what was before. The issue is that the reboot was tried one way with a lack of true success. This is perhaps a better perspective but makes sense if Phoebe trails into a series of her own at some point. The texture though is that the mythology that is painted in this film gives a certain reason for why the ghosts are there....although the last shot pays a perspective to one that might be looming.
The film isn't so much a comedy though but Rudd does bring what he can especially when the kids start discovering the old tech from the 80s. But the star of the film beyond the exceptional Grace is the person who is not there and it is that irony and unusual story device that does well in the payoff. "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" in many ways is a coda for Harold Ramis while satisfying the looming shadow of this franchise which had so much potential but because of the way it was structured never quite expanded. With this installment, it closes that book in a way (which it needed to do), to open perhaps a new perspective that wasn't quite possible before. B
By Tim Wassberg
