Theoretically, there is life in a franchise like ghostbusters, as the concept is pretty basic. Four guys with varying personalities use their ghost hunting tech to save the world. But, this has been really hard to pull off. Even Ghostbusters II, featuring the original cast lacks a little bit of that magic. I actually liked the remake with the ladies, but most people don’t. Then, Ghostbusters: Afterlife had fun with blending the old and new, and riding that nostalgia train. Fine. But what do you do next?
inexplicably, everyone seemed to move to the Big Apple. They were all out on a farm in the middle of nowhere, and now they’re back at the Ghostbusters firehouse. The writers here aren’t really interested in explaining any of this. Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon are together, except they have almost no scenes that would suggest that. Rudd acts like a surrogate father to Phoebe (a stellar Mackenna Grace), but does very little to help her brother (Finn Wolfhard). He might still be teaching, it’s hard to tell. but, the new kids are the new ghostbusters, despite having very little experience doing so aside from Phoebe.
The movie even finds the worst and dumbest way to rope Podcast in here. he didn’t move, he just told his parents he’s at Space Camp. Like, forever? How long do your parents think Space camp is? And the former love interest for Wolfhard’s character now is some kind of scientist working at a secret facility that Ernie Hudson’s character built a long time ago. none of these people have any education in this field. no one here knows anything they are talking about.
Meanwhile, they’ve got Bill Murray popping in just because, Dan Aykroyd is doing Antiques Roadshow, but for items with connections to the spirit world, and Kumail Nanjiani plays the oddest new character. At first, he seems like he might be a villain, then you realize he’s just an idiot, then he turns out to be some magical wizard with powers to save the world.
Honestly, this movie was likely written by AI. I think humans used AI to try and come up with a Ghostbusters film because no one could think of what to do after the last film, or keep all the characters involved. I would be embarrassed to have writing credit on this, and Gil Kenan is just not a strong enough director to make this work. The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is still a thing, except now as essentially this franchises form on minions. They just seem to be there to do silly thins and move merchandise. Slimer is back, because nostalgia. They just can’t capture that ghost. At least make him useful like the cartoon did.
The only good thing here is Mackenna Grace, who somehow feels like she’s stealing this film against its will. She’s the smartest, and the audience can see that, and with her being sidelined for being too young so people like her mom can go bust ghosts is so inane. The cameo of who they got as the mayor is just more nostalgia bait. Emily Alan Lind actually does some nice work in a role that is impossible to believe is not a villain. She’s a ghost girl arraying around a book of matches. No matter how much she seems to click with Phoebe, this film does not do enough to make the reveal that she’s a villain a surprise. She seems like a pyromaniac, and they reveal much earlier than they should that she’s just using Phoebe.
So, is there anything to see here? I give two points for Mackenna Grace, which if we start at the bottom with an F, would pull it to a D. Paul Rudd does the most he can with how he’s written, as does Emily Alan Lind. Two performances that aren’t necessarily bad. So, one more point. Then I’ll add one more for that sweet nostalgia they are shooting for, by moving to the firehouse, retaining as much original cast as possible, and using branded Ghostbusters ghosts.
The audio description could do a better job describing some of the ghosts. Some of them just have names, and I’m not that confident everyone remembers what every ghost looks like. otherwise, there are almost no new characters, so it is hard to pin any character introductions down, and the film is pretty dumb.
If we make another, choices have to be made. this film proves you can’t have your cake and eat it too. you can’t have a family move to the middle of nowhere, with no discernible skills, and then suddenly move them to New York to be the new Ghostbusters. And for God’s sake. Do something with podcast, or write the character out. Space camp? Really?
Final Grade: C-