This week brought our first look at “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” and Twitter Nation seemed happy with the results.
For starters, the new film is in no way, shape or form connected to the disastrous “Lady Ghostbusters” reboot. The director is Jason Reitman, son of original helmer Ivan Reitman (on board as a producer).
The trailer (below) boasts a serious “Strangers Things” vibe, down to mutual co-star Finn Wolfhard.
It still doesn’t solve the obvious puzzle tied to the “Ghostbusters” brand. Why bother in the first place?
Sacrilege, you say? Not so fast.
Let’s look at the original 1984 film. Oh, “Ghostbusters” is a classic for all the right reasons. The film successfully fused science fiction with comedy, an elixir rarely done right. The comedy captures Bill Murray at his prime while simultaneously telling a fun, cohesive yarn.
Too often breakout stars overwhelm the story in play. Not here. The elder Reitman found the perfect balance, letting Murray steal copious scenes while moving the narrative forward. Co-stars Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Annie Potts and Ernie Hudson provided able support. Sigourney Weaver? What a sublime straight woman to Murray’s antics.
Most shocking of all? The original film delivers a blast of libertarian goodness, landing an uppercut against bureaucratic overreach. Could any modern reboot or sequel clone that limited government spirit?
Not a chance.
The problems don’t end there. Does anyone remember “Ghostbusters II?” Do you know why? It’s terrible. Awful. A complete cash grab for all involved. The film sprinted out of the gate with a massive opening weekend in 1989, at least by that era’s standards. It sank quickly, earning less than half of the original film’s tally.
So we’re talking about a two-movie franchise where one installment’s a clunker. The 2016 reboot, which insulted hardcore fans and lost its studio $70 million, hardly helped matters. Nor did the liberal media’s full court press to make us love the reboot … or else.
Modern Hollywood is all about IP (Intellectual property) and world building. It’s why we just endured yet another “Charlie’s Angels” movie as well as a sixth “Terminator” actioner. They tried to squeeze new stories from cinematic stones.
The box office results weren’t pretty.
What kind of world does “Ghostbusters” offer in the 21st century? There’s no significant depth to the original story beyond the comic hijinks. That’s hardly criminal. It’s just stating the facts. Original “Ghostbuster” Harold Ramis sadly passed in 2014, dampening the planned reunion of the original troupe.
Yes, the surviving stars will return, but what about Murray? He’s been ducking the “Ghostbusters” franchise for years. It’s clear he’s disinterested, to say the least. Can we expect Prime Murray or the Phoned In version?
He clearly got roped into that “Lady Ghostbusters” cameo, and it showed. It’s the least engaged we’ve ever seen him on screen.
Is it even a “Ghostbusters” movie if Murray is relegated to sidekick status, or worse … another lackluster cameo? Paul Rudd is an underrated star, and his addition to “Afterlife” is promising. He’s still no Murray.
Who is?
Let’s go back to that “Afterlife” trailer. The tone is vastly different than the 1984 original. That may be part of the marketing rollout. Give ‘em a drip, drip drip of nostalgia and Easter eggs now, and hit with the funny stuff later.
Maybe. What if it’s a franchise extension in name only? It happens all the time. We’re about to see a “Fantasy Island” film which jettison the tone of the source material. It’s what we saw with the disastrous “CHiPs” remake from two years ago, too.
The young Reitman can take the franchise in any direction he chooses. Let’s not kid ourselves, though. The new film didn’t spring from a mad dash of inspiration or massive fan demand. The 2020 film exists because the studio needs to revive a dormant franchise.
Maybe Jason Reitman can conjure a little ‘80s magic for a new generation to savor. Fans of the brilliant original sure hope so, but we’re plenty afraid the ghosts of the original will not be pleased.
Related: ‘Racist, Misogynist Toxicity:’ Social Justice Warriors Melt Down Over New ‘Ghostbusters’ Trailer