‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Early Reviews Are Mixed: Nostalgia-Filled Mess Or Emotional, Honorable Tribute?

For decades, the idea of “Ghostbusters 3” has been something fans of the franchise have been dying to see. But as the years went on and after Harold Ramis’ passing, that seemed like a real pipedream and fans seemed content with the two films and ancillary material. But then, in 2016, “Ghostbusters” was rebooted and those fans rose up (in some truly scary and/or toxic ways, in some instances) to rage against Paul Feig’s film in a way that shocked many people. So, needless to say, when Sony decided it was a good idea to make another “Ghostbusters” film, fans were both excited and extremely apprehensive. And with early reviews for “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” it’s still not completely clear if Jason Reitman and his cast were able to deliver a film that will please diehards but also move the franchise forward.

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Before we get to the reviews, just so everyone is on the same page: “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” finds Jason Reitman, filmmaker and son of Ivan Reitman (the man who directed the first two ‘Ghostbuster’ films), bringing back most of the original cast along with a healthy dose of new faces to continue the legacy of the franchise decades after “Ghostbusters 2.” But early footage from the film looks to heavily lean into nostalgia, while also trying to appeal to a new generation of fans, which is a balancing act that can go horribly wrong.

So, how is the film? Sony debuted “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” a couple of days ago at New York Comic-Con and the reviews are, well, mixed.

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Over at Variety, the review is generally pretty positive, basically saying Jason Reitman was able to do the best he could to honor the past and move into the future:

“Some years back, there was talk of a possible ‘Ghostbusters 3,’ but then Harold Ramis died, leaving the team incomplete. ‘Afterlife’ finds an emotional way to honor his legacy, using a combination of technology and creative screenwriting to make his character felt in the run-up to the movie’s supernatural battle royal. In retrospect, there was only one right answer, and ‘Afterlife’ nails it.”

At EW, the review is a bit cooler on ‘Afterlife,’ saying that it really is only here for the diehard fans and won’t bring new ‘Busters to the fandom:

“Anyone looking for connections to the original ’80s blockbusters will find what they’re looking for, but it’s hard to imagine ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ minting a new generation of fans.”

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The AV Club review is a bit more nuanced, as the film’s nostalgia rubs the reviewer the wrong way, reminding them that Harold Ramis didn’t seem to be all that excited about continuing the franchise and Jason Reitman’s de facto tribute falls flat:

“‘Afterlife’ wants desperately to summon the spirit of watching the first movie back in 1984. It winds up ghoulish in the wrong way.”

For THR, the nostalgia is actually the worst part of the film and the real treat is the new cast:

“In this ‘Afterlife,’ nostalgia is a double-edged sword and little has changed: The ghosts are elaborately fantastical MacGuffins that have nothing to do with life and death. But they require vanquishing, and this time there’s more of a rooting interest, delightfully so, in the people called to do the job.”

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Perhaps one of the most damning reviews comes from The Guardian, which gave the film a 1-star review, with a headline claiming it’s a “stinking corpse of a sequel” and bashing the film’s reliance on nostalgia.

There are now more than two dozen reviews (ours is coming soon) for “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and the Rotten Tomatoes score sits at a decent 81%. So, while the 2016 reboot seems to have struck all the wrong chords, ‘Afterlife’ doesn’t appear to be the universal favorite that fans might have been hoping for. That said, if you are someone that adores the “Ghostbusters” franchise and love a heaping helping of nostalgia, perhaps Jason Reitman has you covered.

“Ghostbusters: Afterlife” hits theaters on November 19.