Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the 2021 film directed by Jason Reitman, the filmmaker behind The Front Runner and Juno, as well as the son of director Ivan Reitman, who helmed both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2. Afterlife is technically a direct sequel to Ghostbusters 2 (it’s also a retcon of the 2016 reboot), but this film is really more of a spiritual sequel and something of a revival for the series. Following the grandkids of Egon Spengler, this 2021 film hands the reins over to a new generation of busters in the making, who discover the legacy and work of their grandfather. What works best here is that the feeling of nostalgic sentimentality that Reitman imbues into the film as a tribute to his father’s most famous films never feels forced because the rediscovery of the Ghostbusters legacy feels genuine through the eyes of these new characters. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is certainly wearing its nostalgia on its sleeve, but writer/director Reitman alongside co-writer Gil Kenan keep the sense of wonder more authentic by grounding it through the lens of engaging characters. It helps that the script also wisely doesn’t let go of the wry humor that made the previous films so endearing, and the movie’s occasionally even self-deprecating tone gives it a more lightweight feeling. While the script has flaws and the plot is all but nonexistent, it’s Reitman’s ability to create a fulfilling nostalgic experience that doesn’t skimp on adventure, humor, and character that makes Ghostbusters: Afterlife such a surprising treat.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife works in great part thanks to its performances, namely its lead performer Mckenna Grace, who all but steals the show in the film. Grace, who has now long asserted herself as one of the brightest young performers working in Hollywood right now, gives what may be her best performance yet as Phoebe. Even when the script sometimes doesn’t delve deep enough into her character, Grace makes Phoebe a compelling and hilarious character to watch, and her curiosity towards rediscovering the Ghostbusters invites the audience to do the same. Also solid here is Paul Rudd, in a humble but still entertaining role as Mr. Grooberson, a teacher who becomes involved with the kids’ quest for finding out more about their grandfather. Finn Wolfhard has relatively little to do but is still engaging as Trevor, while newcomer Logan Kim makes a decidedly entertaining splash as the quirky Podcast.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife could have been rendered into a soulless cashgrab that rides on nostalgia for all its thrills, and while the film is clearly playing on a nostalgic element, Reitman manages to keep the sense of wonder surprisingly intact in this reboot-y sequel. Foremostly, the script benefits from slowing things down, which gives the movie a sense of building sense of curiosity that feels missing from many contemporary blockbusters. That isn’t to say the film is lacking in PG-13 scares, action, or pesky generic blockbuster CGI, but the more grounded approach toward the characters makes it feel like the audience is experiencing these events in real-time with the characters. The solid performers and sometimes cynical wit of the film helps keep the movie buoyant as well, and the film’s small but solid cast also helps keep it from failing under its own weight. As is typical with most Ghostbusters films, the plot is easily the weakest part – in this movie, it’s almost as good as nonexistent, but the film’s steady focus on Spengler’s grandchildren discovering their grandfather’s work is what drives the film. Ultimately, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is more sentimental than emotional, which leaves the characters sometimes a bit too unexplored, but director Reitman still manages to keep these new characters almost as interesting as their 80s counterparts. Overall, Ghostbusters: Afterlife makes for an unexpectedly solid escape at the movies – it’s old-fashioned, nostalgic, yet a smartly crafted film, even if it doesn’t break any new ground or feature a particularly compelling story.
Rishabh Vashishtha 
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