Why You Need To Pre-order Ghostbusters Afterlife

Whilst I wasn’t born when the first ghostbusters film came out back in 1984, I have very fond memories of watching it as a kid on VHS and even now as an adult on 4K UHD. It still remains as one of my favourite comedy films of all time. After the disappointing 2016 reboot, I was a little concerned of what the franchise would look like moving forward, but luckily Sony employed the right people to take care of that. Their recently launched Ghost Corps sub-division has proven to be a welcomed addition to the Sony library. When it was announced that the remaining trio Ernie Hudson, Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd would be involved in some capacity and director Jason Reitman, son of Ivan Reitman who directed Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2, would be helming the project I was on board. So, with the film coming out soon on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K UHD, I am here today to tell you why you should be pre-ordering this one. So let’s go!

The Cast – The film boasts an impressive cast, led by the likes of Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon. Both actors have superb acting abilities but also amazing comedic timing. The real stars of this sequel though are the niece and nephew of the beloved Egon Spangler (played by the late great Harold Ramis) Finn Wolfhard as Trevor and McKenna Grace as Phoebe. The two are dynamic on screen, stealing a lot of the scenes they’re in. McKenna Grace feels like a descendent of Egon, which adds to the films established universe but also provides nice little nods to the original films. The cast bring Ghostbusters into a new age, paying respects to the films of the past whilst also paving the way for exciting new prospects moving forward.

The special effects – Ghostbusters has always had amazing visuals effects, even the original two films from the 1980s still hold-up to this day, but Ghostbusters: Afterlife goes a step further, with a near seamless blend of CGI and amazing practical effects. The hell dogs are bought to life again in a fun way, using animatronics and practical make-up effects. The designs of the new ghosts we are introduced to, specifically Muncher are a lot of fun. The character feels real in this established world and I had a lot of fun with him on-screen. These awesome effects elevate the action set-pieces as well, with a great car-chase sequence that takes place half way through the film, that you see glimpses of in the trailer was a lot of fun and one of the stand outs. 

Nostalgia – One of the big talking points coming out of Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the way Nostalgia features in the story. This is a he proponent of why the movie has been as successful as it has. The film showcases things that everyone remembers about Ghostbusters, whether it be little nods to visual gags from the first film or the way that Egon’s legacy carries out through the events of the film. We also get references to the technology used in the original film as well as Ecto 1, the classic Ghostbusters car which has a major role in the film. The film has a lot of heart that stems from this and I think it has given the franchise a different meaning and feeling, acknowledging the fanbase and giving the fans something to cheer about.

The Humour – The film has a great sense of humour that feels in line with the original film. The 2016 film used an improvisational direction for the humour, which didn’t really work. This film is more structured, with the humour feeling more like the original 1984 film. Paul Rudd has excellent comedic timing and works really well in the film. His energy and comedic musings really do elevate the material and make it feel more in-tone with the original films. The young cast as well, Finn Woofhard and McKenna Grace in particular, add their style of humour to the film which I also think elevates the comedic scenes. The humour is great!

The Legacy of creative talent involved – When it was announced that the remaining cast members from the original Dan Ackroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson would all be featured in some capacity, and the films original director Ivan Reitman would be also returning as a producer with his son Jason Reitman directing, I had faith that this was going to be better than most other reboots and sequels. And I was right. The inclusion of this talent behind and in-front of the camera, made the film feel like it was a little more weighty than your run of the mill sequel. Jason Reitman obviously has a love for his Dads films from the 1980s as you can really feel their influence on the film and its story. The presentation of the film benefits from this as well, as costuming, visuals and characters all feel in line with the original film. It really does feel like a legacy project and in a good way.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife was an absolute blast and a must watch for fans. If you have never seen Ghostbusters before as well, then this film also works as a great launching pad to begin watching these films. It has a great cast and provides you with a solid understanding of what the  franchise is about. Be sure to pre-order your copy on DVD, Blu-Ray or 4K UHD today from Sanity in-store or online.

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here