You know what? I wasn’t expecting to like this latest incarnation in the Ghostbusters film series, but, colour me surprised, I did. The reason for this was largely because director/co-writer Jason Reitman really respected what his father had done with the original film. Back in 1984 Ivan Reitman, the man behind other films like Twins, Kindergarten Cop, Meatballs, and Stripes, directed the original Ghostbusters and it was a hit at the box-office and with critics. A rare comedy that pleased everyone. There have been other Ghostbusters films made but none have reached the level of the first. Until now.
Jason Reitman, director of Young Adult and Juno, has dipped his filmmaking toe into the Ghostbusters pool. Now, I am sure many out there winced when they heard this as there is such a high chance of messing things up. Risk high, reward undetermined. Yet, he succeeded. Managed to make a film which is highly watchable for all ages or members of the family. A rare film in which the family can sit down to watch together and no one will be bored.
A single mom who is broke and finds herself evicted from her apartment decides to move with her two kids to a small town in Oklahoma. Why you ask? Well, she was left her estranged father’s property in his will. Callie (Carrie Coon – Gone Girl, Avengers: Infinity War) packs up her stuff and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard – from television’s Stranger Things) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace – I, Tonya, Malignant) and moves from New York City to Summerville, Oklahoma. No one is happy about the move, but they have no choice.
Trevor feels a little bit better after falling for a girl named Lucky (Celeste O’Connor – Freaky) and the uber-smart Phoebe finds a friend in Podcast (Logan Kim – first film) and a kindred spirit in her summer school teacher, Mr. Gooberson (Paul Rudd – Ant-Man, Clueless). Callie is having a little bit of a tougher time as she discovers that the locals all thought her father was a weirdo.
Strange things are going on in this small town. Mr. Gooberson has noted a series of strange earthquakes taking place. Phoebe uncovers that her grandfather, Egon Spengler, was a member of the Ghostbusters team that saved New York almost 30 years ago. She locates his old equipment and Trevor discovers the derelict Ghostbusters car. Soon they need all that as they are trying to catch ghosts themselves. They believe that the nearby mountain is possibly at the center of all the strange occurrences. That whatever is there might be trying to destroy the world.
Laughs, hijinx, and ghost catching. What could be more fun? Any out there who are old enough to have seen the original Ghostbusters will feel a total sense of nostalgia watching this one. It has that same kind of feel. You even get cameos from Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts. Plus JK Simmons in a cool role. All is done in the style of the original film. Goofy and a little off center.
Special Features:
-We Got One! Easter Eggs Revealed
-Ghostbusters: A Look Back
-Bringing Ecto-1 Back to Life
-The Gearhead’s Guide to Ghostbusters Gadgets
-Deleted Scene: Is It Ever Too Late?
-Special Effects: The Ghosts of Afterlife
-Summoning the Spirit: Making Ghostbusters: Afterlife