The 80’s were jam-packed with great fantasy movies like Teen Wolf, Labyrinth, Gremlins, Beetlejuice, Legend, and Ghostbusters, to name a few.
When recalling the original Ghostbusters movies in 1984 and 1989, who doesn’t remember the epic theme song by Ray Parker Jr… with catchy lyrics: “Who are you gonna call? Ghostbusters!”?
After the terrible remake of Ghostbusters in 2016 (no offense meant if you liked this version), we had little hope for the franchise.
Early in 2020, when the first trailer for Ghostbusters Afterlife came out, we thought, another repeat of the 2016 debacle. What a pleasant surprise!
SPOILER ALERT
Short synopsis
When a single mom (the estranged daughter of Egon Spengler) and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.
WHAT WE LOVED ABOUT THIS MOVIE
· Brilliant post-credit scenes: In the post-credit scenes, Peter (portrayed by Bill Murray) is revealed to be married to Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver), his love interest from the 80s movies. Winston (Ernie Hudson), having become a wealthy business owner since leaving the Ghostbusters, returns the Ecto-1 to the Ghostbusters’ firehouse. In the basement, a light on the ecto-containment unit flashes red.
· Tribute to actor Harold Ramis: The actor portrayed Egan Spengler in the 1980s versions of Ghostbusters. He passed away on 24 February 2014, after suffering complications from autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis.
· Great integration with the previous two 80s Ghostbuster movies. Set nearly 40 years after the 1984 original, Afterlife serves as a direct sequel to the 80s movies and centres on the surviving family of Egon Spengler as they inherit his life’s work.
· Cameos galore: During the movie, we learned what happened to Egan, Peter, Ray and Winston. We also see Janine and Dana. Sadly, there is no mention of what happened to Slimer. One explanation was that Slimer is native to New York City, and would have no reason to be in Summerville, Oklahoma.
· Muncher: Although we didn’t get to see our favourite ghost, Slimer, Muncher (voiced by Josh Gad) was a welcome distraction.
· The original Ghostbusters: An epic moment in the movie is when the original Ghostbusters show up to fight Gozer the Gozerian. We see Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Dan Aykroyd putting on their gear and proton packs, as well as a CGI version of Harold Ramis, who sadly passed in 2014.
· The music: Some of the iconic Ghostbusters’ music was prominent in this movie, which contributed to an epic nostalgic journey.
· Clever usage of the old Ghostbuster movies footage: To contribute to the feeling of nostalgia, the producers used the old footage from the 80s movies in a very clever way, integrating with YouTube, and technology of 2021.
· Ecto-1: The original Ecto-1 was converted by the Miller-Meteor at the company’s Piqua, Ohio, plant and featured the large and beautifully styled tail fins of the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado. The converted Caddy is a pretty rare deal, with only around 400 being produced.
· Gozer actually looks like Gozer! Regarding the 1st 1984 movie, the actress that was cast as Gozer in 2021, was spot-on. As part of an interview, Ghostbusters: Afterlife director Jason Reitman touched on the return of franchise baddy; Gozer the Gozerian, revealing that not only did Olivia Wilde play the character in Afterlife, but two additional actresses had a hand in the character’s on-screen return!
· The Gatekeeper and Keymaster: Another epic return was the Gatekeeper and Keymaster, originally played in 1984 by Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis. Vinz Clortho, known as the Keymaster, and Zuul the Gatekeeper are harbingers of destruction and primary agents for summoning Gozer. Vinz Clortho appears as a corporeal Terror Dog, which is a large, powerful demonic monster with two horns and glowing red eyes.
· Little marshmallow men: Puffs Marshmallow Man first appeared in the 1984 film as a vessel for the evil Gozer, whilst showing up in The Real Ghostbusters, various comics and even the 2009 video game as a destroyer in New York City. While most thought this entity was gone, he returns in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, as dozens of cute mini versions of himself.
· Funny lines by Phoebe:
- What does a hamster have in common with a cigarette?
(Pause)
They’re harmless, unless you stick ’em in your mouth and light them on fire. - Why can’t you trust an atom?
Because they make up everything. - Mr. Grooberson says he knows what triangulate means.
Phoebe: Oh, I thought you were just being obtuse. (winks) - What do you call a fish with no eyes?
A fsh - There’s two whales in a bar, one says *whale sounds*
The other says “You need to go home you’re drunk.” - What do you call a dead polar bear?
Whatever you want, he can’t hear you - A grasshopper walks into a bar and the bartender says “We have a drink named after you!”
So the grasshopper says, “You have a drink named Steve?!”
Overall, Ghostbusters Afterlife is an enjoyable movie that we would definitely recommend.
