The biggest problem with Ghostbusters: Afterlife is its disregard for what makes the Ghostbusters tick. It’s like co-writer/director Jason Reitman racked his brain to find the most uncharacteristic thing the original characters could have done and just went from there.
At the same time, that very thing was the only new or original thought that went into the making of this film, which accommodates three generations of characters but has no room for a single iconic image or memorable line of dialogue.
Despite (or because of) its attempt to pass the torch to a new generation, Ghostbusters Afterlife fails to capture the essence of what made the franchise so beloved — namely, the humor, charm, wit, and chemistry —, instead opting for a more generic and uninspired approach, sending long-time fans home feeling like we have been cheated.
The movie’s other fatal flaw is that it has no idea what it wants to be. Say what you will about the previous entry in the franchise, but at least it knew that it wanted to be an all-girl reboot, and that’s exactly what it was (that it never aspired to be anything else is another story).
What is Afterlife, though? A sequel, a remake, a spin-off, all of the above, none of the above? Technically, it is a ‘legacy sequel’ (a concept beautifully defined in Scream), but it plays more like a rerun — nothing we haven’t seen before or couldn’t see again on TCM.
Without a strong identity or purpose, it falls short of creating a lasting impact akin to its predecessors, which achieved enduring success through their bold and unapologetic approach. It tries to appeal to too many different audiences at once, resulting in a lack of focus and cohesion.
The film struggles to find its own voice, relying largely on nostalgia and rehashing plot points from previous installments. This lack of originality results in a missed opportunity to breathe new life into the franchise.
All things considered, if I wanted to watch a Ghostbusters movie, I’d watch the first one. And if I wanted to watch a redo of the first film, I’d watch the second.
And if a new Ghostbusters movie is deemed necessary, I would build it around the original Ghostbusters, who maintain excellent chemistry and comedic timing despite their age (the standout moments in this film are undoubtedly the cameos by Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson). And, of course, I would ask Aykroyd to write the script; then we could have a legitimate continuation of the Ghostbusters franchise, drawing on his deep understanding of the characters and their dynamics.
90% of Everything is Crap 