GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE

US, 2021, 124 minutes, Colour.

Carrie , PauCoonl Rudd, Mckenna Grace, Logan Kim, Celeste O'Connor, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Sigourney Weaver, Bob Gunton, J.K.Simmons, Bokeem Woodbine, Stella Ackroyd, Olivia Wilde, Tracy Letts, voices of: Shohreh Aghdashloo, Josh Gad.

Directed by Jason Reitman.

Ghostbusters Jr!

If that is a disturbing alternate title and, as a devotee of the original film, you might want to reconsider. However, if you go along with this 21^st-century variation on the theme, help is at hand towards the end when who should turn up but the real Ghostbusters, Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Ernie Hudson and, because Harold Ramis, to whom the film is dedicated, died in 2014, there is a ghostly recreation of his presence. And, these are more than cameos, the three entering into the spirit of the busting of these recurring ghosts. (And, as some compensation for those who are not exactly on the Junior wavelength, there is a credit sequence where Sigourney Weaver turns up having a psychology session with Bill Murray; and, right at the end, an extended sequence where Ernie Hudson reflects on what happened and his aftermath success!).

The film was cowritten by Jason Reitman, son of Ivan Reitman, who produces here, and who directed the first two Ghostbusters films.

We are certainly no longer in New York City. We are in a drab rundown town in Oklahoma (although the exteriors were all shot in Alberta!). Single mother, Callie, and her son and daughter are evicted from their home and travel to a very rundown dirt farm left to Callie by her father. (And, to tantalise, there are mysterious chases and goes busting equipment at the opening of the film, racing towards the farm and the death of the old man.)

For a moment, this looks like one of those single mothers and children trying to make good in desperate circumstances, the son, Trevor, aged 15, pretending 17 (FinnWolfhead who would be a strong contender in a Timothee Chalamet lookalike competition) and Phoebe, 12, Mckenna Grace in a performance which really does control the whole film. She is precocious, bespectacled, articulate, scientist, sceptical of superstition, ever investigative, in command of what turns out to be the ghost busting operation. A very strong performance. And, fortunately for us and her, she befriends another 12-year-old at school, Podcast, who goes around with his camera and recorder, interviewing people. He is played by Lucas Kim who shows quite a sense of humour and excellent comic timing. Here’s hoping for a solid career for him.

And, there is school, desperate kids put in front of the screen to watch Cujo while the teacher, Mr Groobersman (Paul Rudd always enjoyably acceptable) carries on geographic investigations. A perfect match for Phoebe! There are daily rumblings and earth tremors, mysterious events…

And, by this time, we guessed it, the ghosts are somewhere there are in these Oklahoma mountains, gods from 3500 years ago, confined in an abandoned mine, ghosts and monsters ready to find the slightest excuse for erupting. And they do.

And, while Callie and Mr Groobersman are taken over by monstrous guard animals, it is up to the youngsters to do the ghost busting. But, they are apprentices and, to relief all round, Bill Murray and co-to turn up for a final confrontations. As does a ghostly re-created resurrected Harold Ramis who turns out to be Callie’s father and the younger generation’s grandfather.

Not sure how the older fans will manage, it is definitely for the younger, new fans.

1. Ghostbusters Jr? 35 years after the original? Popularity, continuing popularity, the new generations?
2. The Oklahoma settings, filmed in Alberta? The down and out town, yet the modern features, takeaway, supermarkets? Out of town, the dingy old farms, buildings, the abandoned mine? The underground caverns, the echoes of antiquity and gods? The musical score?
3. The opening, setting the tone, the family, hard times, evicted, mother and children, going to the town, the inheritance from her father, the desolation of the farm?
4. The opening tone, the vehicles, the machines, the country road, the bridges, the old farm, the Ghostbusters equipment, explosions?
5. Callie, not knowing her father, resentment, single mother, coping with the two children, the landlord, eviction, trying to settle into the new house, the reaction of the children? The children going to school, her encounter with Groobersman and not being aware of the children’s activities, her being taken over by the spirit of the ghosts, the ancient religion, Groobermsman taken over? The appearance of the goddess, their being the sentries?
6. The focus on the children, with their mother, 15 and 12, going to school, Trevor going to the diner, getting the job, the encounter with Lucky, the jeers of the other workers? His infatuation with Lucky, lying about his age? The contrast with Phoebe, 12, spectacles, intelligent, a reader, science, scepticism about superstitions? The investigations, her reading? At school, the encounter with Podcast?
7. Podcast, his age, the interviews, questions, interest, right remarks, laughing at Phoebe’s bad jokes, his sense of timing?
8. Groobersman at school, the students watching Cujo? Discussions with Phoebe, explaining maps, his own work, the tremors, the old mine, the geography, the mystery? The encounters with Callie, the meal with her? His being attacked? Transformed? He and Callie in subservience to the Goddess?
9. The equipment, the children, destruction in the town, arrests, the Sheriff?
10. The story of the mine, the young people investigating, the body of the founder of the mine, preserved? And his coming to life at the end?
11. The discovery of the ancient religions, the mine itself, the lift, the deep holes, the goddess? Her coming to life, domination?
12. The Ghostbusters arriving, their personalities, memories of the original? The youngsters, putting on the Ghostbusters overalls? The confrontation with the ghosts, the weapons, difficulties, Podcast and the breakdown of the fire, Phoebe proving herself a worthy Ghostbusters?
13. Callie, finding the underground room, the mementos from her father? His reappearing, with the Ghostbusters, the revelation of his knowledge of disasters, the dates, 2021, his building all the equipment to prepare for the invasion of the ghosts?
14. The special effects, the visuals of the ghosts and monsters, from vast animals to the impudent marshmallows?
15. The resolution, the heroism of the children, Phoebe? The presence of the Ghostbusters? Callie and group united?
16. The credits sequence, Sigourney Weaver and Bil Murray, the cards and the tests? The end, the focus on Ernie Hudson, his success? These additions to please the older audience?