Critics' first reactions to Ghostbusters: Afterlife are reassuring for fans of the '80s classic.
After months of uncertainty surrounding its theatrical release due to pandemic delays, the Paul Rudd sequel is about to make it to the big screen and critics are getting goosebumps from the previews.
The latest instalment in the comedy-fantasy franchise is centred on a single mother and her two children who move to a new town. They soon discover that they have a connection to the original Ghostbusters and their grandfather's secret legacy.
New York Post’s Johnny Oleksinski, reassures fans they "finally have an unembarrassing sequel to love" after the 2016 gender-swapped remake did not fare too well.
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TheWrap's William Bibbiani however believes that "those who enjoyed the 1984 film and who actually wanted a new instalment to offer something different may be disappointed, but they can probably settle for its slick, formulaic craftsmanship."
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For Empire Magazine, Olly Richards praised the movie for its love of the original while it also "establishes its own new generation". He continued: "On the potential here, Ghostbusters still has plenty of life in it."
Praising the cast, Sherl Linden wrote in The Hollywood Reporter how they have the "comic beats down, and they also play more fully fleshed people than the first film offered, reflecting the director's interest in character-driven stories."
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Meanwhile, Entertainment Weekly's Christian Holub said: "Intentional or not, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a stark reminder of how much of modern American culture consists of excavating the ruins of past glories."
Total Film's Jane Crowther's verdict reads: "It's a movie that lives up to the promise of its provenance. Bustin', it turns out, does make you feel good."
With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 84% at the time of writing, this one is not one to miss
Ghostbusters: Afterlife is coming out in cinemas on November 19, 2021 in the US and the UK.
