(CNN)In a directorial father-son baton walk from Ivan Reitman to Jason Reitman ("Up successful the Air"), "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" is undeniably nostalgic and reasonably sweet, portion who-ya-gonna-calling straight backmost to the 1984 original. And yet with its absorption connected teenage heirs to that legacy, the movie simultaneously feels arsenic overmuch similar the Disney Channel mentation of "Ghostbusters" arsenic a long-delayed sequel.
Happily, the kids are the precise talented Mckenna Grace ("Gifted," "The Handmaid's Tale") and "Stranger Things'" Finn Wolfhard, the grandchildren of Egon Spengler (originally played by the precocious Harold Ramis). Egon has died, leaving a distant farmhouse to his estranged girl (Carrie Coon), who for fiscal reasons finds the determination timely.
Moving into the place, Phoebe (Grace) and Trevor (Wolfhard) observe a batch of unusual worldly happening astir municipality -- starting with each those unexplained earthquakes -- and immoderate nifty artifacts among grandpa's possesses. Phoebe possesses technological acumen acold beyond her years, portion her member mostly conscionable crushes connected 1 of his caller classmates (Celeste O'Connor).
Mom, meanwhile, strikes up a somewhat unexpected narration with 1 of the kids' teachers (Paul Rudd, seemingly everyplace astatine once), adding to an big constituent that produces immoderate laughs but frankly rides successful the rider spot for overmuch of the movie. (Coon is simply a talented actress, but there's a spot of the "E.T." ma syndrome here, wherever she can't spot each the weirdness happening her.)
Cleverly, the movie (written by Jason Reitman, Dan Aykroyd and Gil Kenan) does acceptable up a dense mythology connecting this flurry of spectral shenanigans backmost to the 1980s, portion playfully incorporating ocular touches that callback the "Ghostbusters" of the past. There are besides comic unrelated gags, specified arsenic Rudd's quality getting done summertime schoolhouse by simply moving wildly inappropriate fearfulness movies.
In immoderate respects, "Afterlife" represents a alternatively conspicuous workout successful instrumentality service, aft the bizarre temper tantrum thrown by immoderate successful effect to the female mentation of the conception that premiered 5 years ago. While that movie was flawed, the absorption seemed wholly retired of whack, elevating "Ghostbusters" to an overblown level of "You ruined my childhood!" exaltation.
The elder Reitman serves arsenic a shaper connected the movie, which -- with Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson promoting the movie -- isn't the lone nexus to its Reagan-era roots. Still, this is 1 of those films that doesn't truthful overmuch transverse the streams arsenic dip into a heavy good of goodwill, hoping to span the spread betwixt those who really saw the archetypal successful a theatre and kids and grandkids who volition hopefully place with the youthful protagonists.
At its champion "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" simply delivers a bully time, combining the upgraded peculiar effects with drama and youthful angst, portion taking a small excessively agelong to get to the bully stuff.
Broken down into those components, the younger Reitman has dutifully answered the telephone to transportation connected his household legacy, without rather conjuring the benignant of sparks that would person made "Afterlife" wholly emergence to the occasion.
"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" premieres Nov. 19 successful US theaters. It's rated PG-13.
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