A high-spirited nostalgia trip.

While it’s not exactly a new concept, the recent rise in legacyquels is hard to ignore. With everything from Cobra Kai to Creed to Halloween doing their best to indulge our nostalgia while attempting to resuscitate a long-dormant franchise, these reboot/sequels have grown to become huge money-spinners.

Part sequel, part reboot, these hybrids offer the ideal way to service fans while paving a path to the future for a beloved franchise. Yet, despite the clear benefits of this approach, it remains a perilous proposition, as they risk ruining the legacy of a revered title forever.

However, while there are many potential pratfalls to this approach, the low bar the Ghostbusters series has set for itself after the misfire of 2016’s attempted reboot leaves the whole thing wide open for a glorious return. While it was far from a complete failure, few films have felt the wrath of its fans quite like Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters, and while another complete reset of things is now off the cards, a legacyquel offers the best (and potentially last) hope to reignite the franchise.

So here we are, picking up the Ghostbusters story 37 years on from our first encounter with Peter, Ray, Winston, and Egon, but can Ghostbusters: Afterlife actually revive a dying franchise? Or is it busted beyond repair?

Three decades after the Ghostbusters disbanded, the family of the recently deceased Egon Spangler (Harold Ramis) relocate from New York to his remote farm in Summerville, Oklahoma. While there, Egon’s estranged daughter, Callie (Carrie Coon), and her two children, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), begin to discover their connections to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.

It really is a thin line films such as Ghostbusters: Afterlife walk between a natural/organic progression of a story and a cynical, hollow attempt to milk an audience for all the nostalgia they’ve got. It’s a tough balancing act to pull off, and, however, this latest attempt to breathe life into the Ghostbusters franchise has a foot on both sides of this divide.

With nostalgia laid on thicker than ectoplasm throughout, there really isn’t any avoiding just how heavily Afterlife leans in on fan service. With cameos, nods, tributes, and Easter eggs galore, the film is a pure blast of nostalgia and an unabashed love letter to the franchise and its fans, and while there are moments that feel far too blatant, the result is the equivalent of a warm, comforting hug from an old friend.

With a great setup and a hook that feels remarkably organic, when Afterlife works, it really works, packing in impressive levels of heart and emotional heft. Helped hugely by director Jason Reitman’s personal connection to the material, the film hits deep, and while much of the fan service feels overzealous, it at least comes from a good place.

When Jason Reitman took over the Ghostbusters directorial reins from his father Ivan, the idea of legacy was always going to play a big part in the film, and in choosing to focus on Egon’s estranged family, a hook to the story is found that’s both logical and packed with emotion.

To this end, taking the story out of the iconic confines of New York City and into the dusty expanse of small-town Oklahoma, feels odd at first, yet works well to give the film a homely, low-key feel that, while different to the originals, nonetheless feels fresh.

With an adventurous tone more in line with the likes of Stranger Things and The Goonies, Afterlife certainly has a softer, more family-friendly energy to it than the sharp comedy stylings of its predecessors. And, while this broad, adventure-centric approach certainly dulls the acerbic edge that made Ghostbusters so special, it’s hard to deny the unbridled fun of it all.

The fun Afterlife brings to the table is certainly no nonsense in its approach, however, while there’s much to enjoy in that, this overt desire to playthings safe brings with it an overwhelming sense of familiarity. Hitting so many instantly recognisable Ghostbusters beats, Afterlife often comes off more like a straight up remake than a continuation of the story.

Complete with Gatekeepers, Keymasters, Gozers, Zuuls, and Marshmallow Men, Afterlife often struggles to find its own voice in amongst all the call-backs. It’s quite the chorus of iconic elements that, while fun, frequently feel unimaginative and expose a distinct lack of ambition.

As one might expect, action is central to Afterlife’s appeal, yet, as we speed towards its finale, something about it doesn’t quite click. As the spirit world springs to life and Summerville is inundated with ghosts and ghouls, you’d be forgiven for expecting a little more bang for your buck, however, the action outside our core cast frequently comes off as rushed and underdeveloped.

That said, the action with the central members of the cast is pretty fantastic, as we get stuck in with both the young and old sides of the group. The impact of the action may feel a little lacking outside of them, yet, when we’re with the key members of the ensemble in their battle with Gozer - Ecto-1, traps, proton packs and all - we hit right to the heart of the film’s appeal.

As the elder members of the group, Carey Coon and Paul Rudd are as exemplary as ever, with the former proving once again just how fantastic (and, sadly, underrated) a performer she is, while Paul Rudd is - well - Paul Rudd, as he slots neatly into the charming-but-goofy role vacated by Rick Moranis.

For all their fine work, however, Afterlife is all about the kids. As is the case with many of these legacyquels, a bridge must be built between the old and the new if longevity is to be achieved – and bridge these kids most certainly do.

It’s through their energy and infectious enthusiasm that Afterlife really comes to – umm – life, and while dropping inexperienced kids into a movie like this can so often feel forced and annoying, both Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace work perfectly.

Together, they make the film tick, however, it’s McKenna Grace that really steals the show, as she adds just the right amount of heart, spirit, and smarts, to keep Afterlife’s energy levels up. Barely recognisable from her previous rolls, Grace shows herself to be a true star in the making, driving both the film’s action and emotion, and lifting Afterlife above its problems.

While Wolfhard works well, exuding much of the same energy he did in Stranger Things and It, Grace really nails it. Playing the science nerd without delving into caricature, Grace makes the role of Egon Spangler’s granddaughter her own, deftly balancing an endearing geeky charm with a natural grasp on the action. And although it’s anyone’s guess where Ghostbusters goes from here, it’d be insane for it not to include her.

She is, undoubtedly, the beating heart of the film, and plays a huge part in making the entire thing tick. The film may come complete with a huge slab of emotional manipulation, yet thanks largely to Grace’s shining performance, the impact is cushioned, allowing Afterlife to be far better than it has any right to be.

Frequently getting its streams crossed between organic revival and nostalgic indulgence, there’s no doubt that Ghostbusters: Afterlife lays on the fan service thicker than ectoplasm, yet the film feels so full of love for both the franchise and its fans that it’s nigh on impossible to resist. With Jason Reitman’s heart in the right place and through Mckenna Grace’s star-making performance, Afterlife edges itself above its issues to offer a sequel that makes bustin’ feel good again.