Jason Reitman directs Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon and McKenna Grace in this legacy sequel where Egon Spengler’s estranged grandchildren inherit the mantle of Ghostbusters.

A fascinating attempt to appease the fans and trap a new generation to boot. The first hour was pretty magical… littered with Easter eggs and moments of genuine reverence to the beloved 1984 smash (don’t expect many references to Vigo, the Master of Evil). Then you realise it doesn’t really have much more in the tank but a replay of the plot of the first movie with a younger cast. And that’s fine. That’s OK. Strange to watch something that was so hip and urbane thirty five years ago be so smoothed out though. We end on a Marvel-esque big CGI swirl finale. The jokes are pretty soft. This is more Ghostbusters by way of Spielberg or Lucas rather than Ivan Reitman or SNL. The always welcome Paul Rudd gets a little left behind in the ultimate narrative but Grace and Logan Kim make for nice Muppet Baby substitutes for Ramis and Aykroyd respectively. The FX in the first half are wonderful. Would I have wanted a smidge more from the original cast? Yes. Should there have been at least one more Ghostbusting set piece? Definitely. As lovely as the reprises from Elmer Bernstein’s score are… why not a bit of sexy funk too? Really what I want is more of that original flavour! This is trying to be its own thing without alienating the fans. Mission accomplished and accomplished pretty safely. A fun afternoon at the movies that I hope the tween market it is also made for love quite as much as I do the originals.

7

Perfect Double Bill: Ghostbusters (1984)

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