Ghostbusters Afterlife Preview

It's been 32 years since the Ghostbusters saved the city of New York from Vigo the Carpathian.  A single mother, Callie (Carrie Coon) and her two children Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) are evicted from their home and move to a dilapidated farmhouse in Summerville, Oklahoma.  You'd think things would be quiet and boring in the middle of nowhere, but inexplicable earthquakes and other strange phenomena happen upon their arrival.  

From the trailer for Ghostbusters Afterlife, it looks like the kids discover some of the old Ghostbusters' equipment but have no idea what it is.  Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd) recognizes the equipment and shows the children video footage of who the Ghostbusters were.  As it turns out, there's a reason why the equipment is in their farmhouse.  It belonged to their grandfather, Egon Spengler, making them direct descendants of the Ghostbusters. 

Ghostbusters Afterlife is being hailed as the sequel fans have always wanted.  After the success of Ghostbusters 2 in 1989, several writing efforts went into making a 3rd installment, but some of the cast (namely Bill Murray) were more than just a little hesitant.  In 2016, instead of a sequel, a reboot was made and failed to deliver the same magic.  The original team got to work and created Ghostbusters Afterlife.

Even without a preview, Ghostbuster fans will be lining up to watch this long-awaited continuation.  Here's all you need to know:  it was directed by Jason Reitman (son of the original director Ivan Reitman); it was written by Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman and Dan Aykroyd; it was produced by Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd; and the list of appearances from the original films include Sigourney Weaver, BIll Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, the Ghost-mobile, and they Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.  What more could you want?  

If that wasn't enough, the preview should sell you.  Jason Reitman seems to show restraint and pay homage to the original films using the same effects for the ghost-catching equipment.  The ghostly creations just look cleaner, while still embodying the same feel of the original movies.  Modern CGI technology should enhance the effects in this installment, but not completely isolate itself from the 80's hits.  

The only question is the kids.  They're young, but they're seasoned veterans and this style of film should be right in their wheelhouse.  Finn Wolfhard is best known for his roles in Stranger Things and the modern Stephen King's It.  Mckenna Grace has an even longer resume with roles in The Handmaid's Tale, Designated Survivor, Ready Player One, and Amityville: The Awakening.  Neither are strangers to the big screen and both have experience in the spooky and the macabre.  And the preview shows them perfectly believable as the two Ghostbuster descendants fully capable of picking up the proton packs on their backs to carry on the legacy.

I am giving Ghostbusters Afterlife a 4.5 Star Prediction.  Now, remember, my rating scale doesn't necessarily mean this will be an Oscar-worthy film.  At the same time, a film I can admit should win Oscars and accolades, does not automatically mean I will give it a higher star rating.  It really has to do with how honestly the preview portrays the movie and how much I enjoyed it and want to watch it again.  I feel like, even if this wasn't somewhat of a redemption for the failure of the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, this movie would be a huge success.  Smart, new, fresh, funny, entertaining, with just the right amount of spooky.  It's one I hope I will thoroughly enjoy for both it's nostalgia and it's originality and one I hope I'll want to watch over and over again.  So, am I right?  We shall see.