Yeah I didn’t get my audience.. not a single laugh, nothing.. you could hear them crunching away on popcorn and candy..
When I clapped and shouted they turned around looking like “what’s this guys deal?”
Idk lol
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
- Thread starter ghostryder
- Start date
When I clapped and shouted they turned around looking like “what’s this guys deal?”
Idk lol
Should've doubled down & went full-on Max Cady in there.
HMSwolfe
Master Member
Just got out of the theater…
I kind of loved it. It wasn’t the original film, but I knew it wouldn’t be. It had a few laughs, a really great score, and as a few people have mentioned, something that shouldn’t have worked but really, really did. This is the Ghostbusters equivalent of The Force Awakens—if The Force Awakens was competently made, well-written, and reverent for the right aspects of the original.
(I was very happy to see some excellent practical puppets in the film)
I kind of loved it. It wasn’t the original film, but I knew it wouldn’t be. It had a few laughs, a really great score, and as a few people have mentioned, something that shouldn’t have worked but really, really did. This is the Ghostbusters equivalent of The Force Awakens—if The Force Awakens was competently made, well-written, and reverent for the right aspects of the original.
(I was very happy to see some excellent practical puppets in the film)
rocketeer25
Sr Member
Saw it tonight, and loved it! The tone is definitely different than the first 2, but it still works. Great cast, great writing, fantastic props, and it hits every nostalgic beat just right. I was nervous going into it because hopes were high and I had read some disappointing reviews. I'm usually pretty reserved but I clapped at the end of the movie, the only one in the theater to do so. I'm in for more!
So Ghostbusters: Afterlife is in essence a love letter to Harold Ramis. It treats the first movie with a lot of reverence and I appreciate that though it's also the source of the problem with this movie too. Honestly I found this movie to be very frustrating and as the movie reached it's climax I found myself rolling my eyes when I know Jason Reitman's hope was that I would be cheering at certain points but I just wasn't. I really wanted to love this movie and I enjoyed it, but it's good intentions weren't enough to fully win me over.
It's not offensive. It doesn't treat the original cast like losers and shows actual growth for them, but the plot of this movie is a direct rehash of the original film. Beat for beat rehash. They don't cover any new ground and actually have to fight off the same villain, the same types of specters and the only real difference is that the setting is different and the original Ghostbusters are older now. Staypuft is back. The Ecto 1. The traps, the proton packs. Gozer and the Terrordogs, Peter, Winstin, Ray, Egon in ghost form thanks to some insanely impressive CGI, Dana are all back in various capacities. The only two missing ingredients are Slimer and Louis Tully which would have rounded this out as the perfect reunion. Even the firehouse from the original film shows up.
The opening scene was intriguing and tastefully shows Egon's death, which showed something I haven't seen in a while in a modern popcorn flick. It showed some restraint. I was actually quite impressed with its execution and it implied everything you needed to know just through the visuals. The real issue is Egon's daughter and grandchildren and the pace of the movie. It's nothing against the cast, but they don't spend any time with them and literally within the first ten minutes of the movie they inherit Egon's old farm. We know nothing about them. Literally nothing and I waited the whole movie for some more depth on them which sadly never came.
For some unexplained reason Egon's daughter is unable to pay the rent in her tiny apartment where she and her two children live. This is never explained or established as to why they're broke. They never show her working or talking about work, so maybe she just lost her job? I don't know because they never say. If we had some sort of background we could relate to it would have helped us empathize with her a bit.
They establish that Egon's granddaughter is smart but quirky like her grandfather. Shortly after they arrive at the farm we are told that Egon's daughter resents her father because he abandoned her at a young age. We never meet the mother and it's never explained who she is, whether she raised the daughter, or anything else. Janine was apparently the arbiter of Egon's estate which is vaguely hinted at during one of the end credits scenes from deleted footage from the original film so when she shows up at the farmhouse to "welcome" Egon's daughter is feels cut short because there is no exposition or reason as to why Egon would leave all of this stuff to his daughter or why Janine wouldn't tell them anything. Not that the daughter even asks. Which is weird. You'd think if your father abandoned you and left you all this strange stuff after he died, you'd have a lot of questions.
So they set up the idea that the granddaughter is smart but for some unexplained reason she has to attend summer school? The kid is a genius because she's literally rewiring the electricity to do experiments in their tiny apartment (in who knows what state or city before they go the country, because they never say) and yet she has to attend summer school? Makes no sense. It's there that she meets Paul Rudd who is apparently a seismologist who is stuck teaching the class, but whose real interest in this town is the daily seismic activity engulfing the town. Yet this occurence happens daily and no one reacts to it. No one. It's like the people in this movie are zombies. He has a habit of playing old 80's horror movies to the dummies in class while he and Egon's granddaughter can go into his back office to set up the plot and exchange some exposition. It's a fun nod that made me chuckle, but it sort of wears thin when you realize this technique is often employed by other easter eggs throughout the movie. It's memberberries. It's not a deal breaker but they get distracting at points.
The grandson seems to be the only one of the bunch who is somewhat normal and is interested in a local girl and he fixes up the Ecto 1 but that's about as far as his character is developed. Strange things begin to happen, none of them really reacts to all the strange settings and events other than a few comments. When ghosts start appearing literally no one reacts. No screams. Other than perhaps a shocked look or two it's like everyone just acts like normal. Which is another really strange thing about this movie. There hasn't been a ghost sighting in 30 years and no one is scared by any of this? Not in the least?
Apparently no one lives in this town. Like no one. Paul Rudd's character stops as Walmart late one night which looks like he parked his car there after hours because there is literally only one other car in the lot and the overhead lights are dimmed as if the place is closed. He goes into the Walmart and literally NO ONE is there. No one. No cashiers. No other customers. The aisles are brightly lit and organized which is unrealistic if you've ever been to Walmart, but not a single shopping cart is even seen. And we have a big set piece with no single actor on screen but him. What should be a crazy exciting sequence is actually really boring other than the really impressive creature effects. From a production standpoint this movie is truly impressive. There are some truly stunning practical effects mixed in with the CGI elements.
So anyway other than Paul Rudd, a few mini marshmallow men and he's eventually chased out by a Terrordog. It makes zero sense why no one was around. Not another single person. Even the action scenes in the trailer, and the kids driving the Ecto 1 chasing a ghost and using the proton pack you see about 5 people and one or two other cars on the street. You'd think there should be people on the streets but there were literally only about 5-6 extras and they do say it's a small town and many people have died, but apparently no one really lives there? No business are really open. No people really work. It's like they only had so much in the budget and it all went to effects, props, and sets so they couldn't afford to hire extras? It just feels weird and not in a logical way. Maybe this was supposed to give the feel of something ominous approaching but considering how calm everyone seems to be, it doesn't come across that way?
Which leads me back to the money issue with the mother. Apparently they're broke but she goes out to dinner with Paul Rudd in a very forced and awkward date that sort of comes out of nowhere. You'd think if she's that strapped for cash she'd be hesitant to spend money she doesn't have, but since we know nothing about her ex husband and nothing about her, I guess, why not do something like that? I admit this was a nit pick, but you'd think the scene is set up for a slower moment where we can learn something about the characters but it's not long before something crazy happens and we don't get time to learn anything new. Or she could offer to cook him dinner because she can't afford to go out and this would allow the scene to breathe. We get to know her background. We get to know him. Then when we've set the mood for exposition then something weird happens on the farm? idk.
Eventually the kids suit up which is funny because Egon's lab has perfectly fitted jumpsuits to each of the kid's body types, despite everything else being scaled to fit a grown man. Each of the characters learn everything they need to know about the climax of the movie and Egon's ghost teaches his granddaughter everything? I mean it's kind of clever but they don't take their time with it and rush to the next scene so the pacing doesn't give room for the characters to breathe. There's really no set ups or pay offs. It's sort of like JJ Abrams in that sense where if you're caught up in the spectacle you'd gloss over those important establishing moments for the characters to actually come into their own in a meaningful way. Plus the tone of this movie is most assuredly meant to be a family movie with spooky elements. There is very little humor in it and while there's nothing wrong with that, I think it gives it a totally different feel from the other movies. It's just something worth noting and not a harsh criticism.
When the old gang shows up it does feel nice to see them but it's sort of wasted because since the new cast has been so bland, the audience may fall for that metanarrative where as audience know who they are, but after literally knowing about her grandfather for a week or two, suddenly the granddaughter character is so emotionally attached to him, because, science? And when Egon's daughter is supposed to have her moment with her father we feel nothing because we know nothing about her. Plus if he abandoned her, where did he get all those pictures of her, her whole life? Was the mother sending them? The mother is never mentioned once. Not at all. It just feels like we're missing a lot of info.
I swear these movies are like Mad Libs where they just fill in the blanks. This movie really means well and it wears it's earnestness on it's sleeve but I just feel like, if you can't establish your new characters well enough for us to care about them, why should I feel any emotion when they have a reconciliation with Egon when he shows up as a ghost. Or anything when the remaining three show up too?
They set it up for a possible sequel and have multiple end credit scenes so stay to the very end to catch them all, but they feel out of place and would have better worked peppered thoughout the movie if woven into the story more deftly. Perhaps this is why they were tacked on at the end because they didn't fit with the story all that well.
All in all, it's not a bad movie. It respects the legacy of the original, but in a lot of ways it failed to be it's own story because it hits all the beats of the original. Afterlife respected it's source material, but perhaps it forgot that in order for it to be truly great it actually has to tell a new story, and not just copy the one that started it all. If they do go forward I hope they take the time to really establish the new cast so that they have their own arcs.
It's not offensive. It doesn't treat the original cast like losers and shows actual growth for them, but the plot of this movie is a direct rehash of the original film. Beat for beat rehash. They don't cover any new ground and actually have to fight off the same villain, the same types of specters and the only real difference is that the setting is different and the original Ghostbusters are older now. Staypuft is back. The Ecto 1. The traps, the proton packs. Gozer and the Terrordogs, Peter, Winstin, Ray, Egon in ghost form thanks to some insanely impressive CGI, Dana are all back in various capacities. The only two missing ingredients are Slimer and Louis Tully which would have rounded this out as the perfect reunion. Even the firehouse from the original film shows up.
The opening scene was intriguing and tastefully shows Egon's death, which showed something I haven't seen in a while in a modern popcorn flick. It showed some restraint. I was actually quite impressed with its execution and it implied everything you needed to know just through the visuals. The real issue is Egon's daughter and grandchildren and the pace of the movie. It's nothing against the cast, but they don't spend any time with them and literally within the first ten minutes of the movie they inherit Egon's old farm. We know nothing about them. Literally nothing and I waited the whole movie for some more depth on them which sadly never came.
For some unexplained reason Egon's daughter is unable to pay the rent in her tiny apartment where she and her two children live. This is never explained or established as to why they're broke. They never show her working or talking about work, so maybe she just lost her job? I don't know because they never say. If we had some sort of background we could relate to it would have helped us empathize with her a bit.
They establish that Egon's granddaughter is smart but quirky like her grandfather. Shortly after they arrive at the farm we are told that Egon's daughter resents her father because he abandoned her at a young age. We never meet the mother and it's never explained who she is, whether she raised the daughter, or anything else. Janine was apparently the arbiter of Egon's estate which is vaguely hinted at during one of the end credits scenes from deleted footage from the original film so when she shows up at the farmhouse to "welcome" Egon's daughter is feels cut short because there is no exposition or reason as to why Egon would leave all of this stuff to his daughter or why Janine wouldn't tell them anything. Not that the daughter even asks. Which is weird. You'd think if your father abandoned you and left you all this strange stuff after he died, you'd have a lot of questions.
So they set up the idea that the granddaughter is smart but for some unexplained reason she has to attend summer school? The kid is a genius because she's literally rewiring the electricity to do experiments in their tiny apartment (in who knows what state or city before they go the country, because they never say) and yet she has to attend summer school? Makes no sense. It's there that she meets Paul Rudd who is apparently a seismologist who is stuck teaching the class, but whose real interest in this town is the daily seismic activity engulfing the town. Yet this occurence happens daily and no one reacts to it. No one. It's like the people in this movie are zombies. He has a habit of playing old 80's horror movies to the dummies in class while he and Egon's granddaughter can go into his back office to set up the plot and exchange some exposition. It's a fun nod that made me chuckle, but it sort of wears thin when you realize this technique is often employed by other easter eggs throughout the movie. It's memberberries. It's not a deal breaker but they get distracting at points.
The grandson seems to be the only one of the bunch who is somewhat normal and is interested in a local girl and he fixes up the Ecto 1 but that's about as far as his character is developed. Strange things begin to happen, none of them really reacts to all the strange settings and events other than a few comments. When ghosts start appearing literally no one reacts. No screams. Other than perhaps a shocked look or two it's like everyone just acts like normal. Which is another really strange thing about this movie. There hasn't been a ghost sighting in 30 years and no one is scared by any of this? Not in the least?
Apparently no one lives in this town. Like no one. Paul Rudd's character stops as Walmart late one night which looks like he parked his car there after hours because there is literally only one other car in the lot and the overhead lights are dimmed as if the place is closed. He goes into the Walmart and literally NO ONE is there. No one. No cashiers. No other customers. The aisles are brightly lit and organized which is unrealistic if you've ever been to Walmart, but not a single shopping cart is even seen. And we have a big set piece with no single actor on screen but him. What should be a crazy exciting sequence is actually really boring other than the really impressive creature effects. From a production standpoint this movie is truly impressive. There are some truly stunning practical effects mixed in with the CGI elements.
So anyway other than Paul Rudd, a few mini marshmallow men and he's eventually chased out by a Terrordog. It makes zero sense why no one was around. Not another single person. Even the action scenes in the trailer, and the kids driving the Ecto 1 chasing a ghost and using the proton pack you see about 5 people and one or two other cars on the street. You'd think there should be people on the streets but there were literally only about 5-6 extras and they do say it's a small town and many people have died, but apparently no one really lives there? No business are really open. No people really work. It's like they only had so much in the budget and it all went to effects, props, and sets so they couldn't afford to hire extras? It just feels weird and not in a logical way. Maybe this was supposed to give the feel of something ominous approaching but considering how calm everyone seems to be, it doesn't come across that way?
Which leads me back to the money issue with the mother. Apparently they're broke but she goes out to dinner with Paul Rudd in a very forced and awkward date that sort of comes out of nowhere. You'd think if she's that strapped for cash she'd be hesitant to spend money she doesn't have, but since we know nothing about her ex husband and nothing about her, I guess, why not do something like that? I admit this was a nit pick, but you'd think the scene is set up for a slower moment where we can learn something about the characters but it's not long before something crazy happens and we don't get time to learn anything new. Or she could offer to cook him dinner because she can't afford to go out and this would allow the scene to breathe. We get to know her background. We get to know him. Then when we've set the mood for exposition then something weird happens on the farm? idk.
Eventually the kids suit up which is funny because Egon's lab has perfectly fitted jumpsuits to each of the kid's body types, despite everything else being scaled to fit a grown man. Each of the characters learn everything they need to know about the climax of the movie and Egon's ghost teaches his granddaughter everything? I mean it's kind of clever but they don't take their time with it and rush to the next scene so the pacing doesn't give room for the characters to breathe. There's really no set ups or pay offs. It's sort of like JJ Abrams in that sense where if you're caught up in the spectacle you'd gloss over those important establishing moments for the characters to actually come into their own in a meaningful way. Plus the tone of this movie is most assuredly meant to be a family movie with spooky elements. There is very little humor in it and while there's nothing wrong with that, I think it gives it a totally different feel from the other movies. It's just something worth noting and not a harsh criticism.
When the old gang shows up it does feel nice to see them but it's sort of wasted because since the new cast has been so bland, the audience may fall for that metanarrative where as audience know who they are, but after literally knowing about her grandfather for a week or two, suddenly the granddaughter character is so emotionally attached to him, because, science? And when Egon's daughter is supposed to have her moment with her father we feel nothing because we know nothing about her. Plus if he abandoned her, where did he get all those pictures of her, her whole life? Was the mother sending them? The mother is never mentioned once. Not at all. It just feels like we're missing a lot of info.
I swear these movies are like Mad Libs where they just fill in the blanks. This movie really means well and it wears it's earnestness on it's sleeve but I just feel like, if you can't establish your new characters well enough for us to care about them, why should I feel any emotion when they have a reconciliation with Egon when he shows up as a ghost. Or anything when the remaining three show up too?
They set it up for a possible sequel and have multiple end credit scenes so stay to the very end to catch them all, but they feel out of place and would have better worked peppered thoughout the movie if woven into the story more deftly. Perhaps this is why they were tacked on at the end because they didn't fit with the story all that well.
All in all, it's not a bad movie. It respects the legacy of the original, but in a lot of ways it failed to be it's own story because it hits all the beats of the original. Afterlife respected it's source material, but perhaps it forgot that in order for it to be truly great it actually has to tell a new story, and not just copy the one that started it all. If they do go forward I hope they take the time to really establish the new cast so that they have their own arcs.
Andy
Well-Known Member
Pitch perfect, caught the early afternoon matinee after work, the general audience was totally behind it. While moments of the film are a beat for beat nostalgia trip it pays tremendous respect to its predecessor. Maybe it played it a tad too safe to not alienate people but it hit the right notes when the scenes called for it. Especially the total love letter to Harold Ramis the person and Egon the character. Unapologetic middle aged man welling with tears in a movie theater. My nieces are seeing it this weekend and that's the real shining point for me in this film is it will carry the franchise to a new audience which hopefully leads to new installments, toys, replica builds and interest which is ultimately going to be a total win for us.
signeddiamond
Well-Known Member
Palate cleanser is a perfect descripto. After the last attempt to reboot this franchise attempted to bend it to far a nice safe retread that hits you where it counts and very clearly gets the old guard together to pass the torch (unlike SW). I look forward to what’s next.
Rusty85
Sr Member
A few people asked this and I saw this article this morning: Ghostbusters: Afterlife Director Jason Reitman Addresses Whether Ghostbusters II Is Actually Canon
Ivo Shandor should have been the new antagonist. It would have tied to the original movie without having to reuse Gozer. Perhaps after death his spirit learned something about being able to bring Gozer back and Egon caught wind of it. Thus setting the stage for the confrontation.
Plot wise that was what kind of fell apart for me was leaning too far into the original movie with the antagonist reappearing. Perhaps Shandor was able to get the gatekeeper or the key master through to the land of the living and was trying to get the other through in the attempt to bring Gozer to earth.
I will say that nostalgia as a currency has diminishing returns. I'm kind of worn on familiar properties getting brought back after decades, though to its credit Afterlife is certainly a step in the right direction. It treats the old material with sincere affection. Something a lot of these movies fail to do but this one actually succeeds in that respect.
From a production standpoint with regards to set design, props and such, they are right on the money. Like RIGHT on the money. I was also really impressed that they used practical creature effects for key shots. Those terror dogs were insanely good and looked just like the originals albeit with better movement.
I'm glad that this landed for everyone here thus far and I know this is likely going to see an explosion of Ghostbusters props which are always fun to see!
Plot wise that was what kind of fell apart for me was leaning too far into the original movie with the antagonist reappearing. Perhaps Shandor was able to get the gatekeeper or the key master through to the land of the living and was trying to get the other through in the attempt to bring Gozer to earth.
I will say that nostalgia as a currency has diminishing returns. I'm kind of worn on familiar properties getting brought back after decades, though to its credit Afterlife is certainly a step in the right direction. It treats the old material with sincere affection. Something a lot of these movies fail to do but this one actually succeeds in that respect.
From a production standpoint with regards to set design, props and such, they are right on the money. Like RIGHT on the money. I was also really impressed that they used practical creature effects for key shots. Those terror dogs were insanely good and looked just like the originals albeit with better movement.
I'm glad that this landed for everyone here thus far and I know this is likely going to see an explosion of Ghostbusters props which are always fun to see!
DazzlerFan
Sr Member
I saw it Wednesday night and loved it. It also gave me an excuse to wear my Ghostbuster suit. Headed back this afternoon to take my wife and brother to see it.
CB2001
Master Member
The real question I'd like to know is if the Ghostbusters: The Video Game canon or not. I mean, it's stated that there hasn't been a ghost sighting in 30 years, and since the film released this year, 30 years ago is 1991, the year the game is set. Not to mention, the Mattel Spiengler Wand (made to tie-in with this film) features the alternate fire modes from the game.
Really enjoyed it. My kids were into the first 2. We saw the originals at a throwback showing when they were small and have the old blue Kenner proton pack and trap from when i was a kid.
We all sat through this with a big smile on our faces and for me a couple tears (knowing the story of the Ramis / Murray history)
I know it’s a rehash of the story but I can’t help it … I loved it. The practical effects, the sound of the packs, the score, and just seeing all of the original crew on screen, kitted up, and having fun. WOW was it satisfying!
We all sat through this with a big smile on our faces and for me a couple tears (knowing the story of the Ramis / Murray history)
I know it’s a rehash of the story but I can’t help it … I loved it. The practical effects, the sound of the packs, the score, and just seeing all of the original crew on screen, kitted up, and having fun. WOW was it satisfying!
Rusty85
Sr Member
Hopefully someone will hit him with this question in an interview at some point.
Yea, I was skeptical, but I loved it! I remember my parents taking me ( I was around 8 years old ), to see the original. This does tie into the original, but, it still feels like it's own story, in a sense. You can tell, that Jason Reitman, really put his heart into this. I won't give any spoilers, but it does pull on the heartstrings!
