Parents' Guide to

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Playful paranormal reboot offers funny frights for families.

Movie PG-13 2021 124 minutes
Ghostbusters: Afterlife Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 37 parent reviews

Abrown89
Abrown89 Adult
February 25, 2022
age 13+

Inappropriate for kids !

Honestly disappointed in the parents who said this was okay for a 10 year old. I went ahead and rented it. Only to have my kid hear " virgin, humping, 3rd base, sexual appeal, boning" and countless other curse words. Also, the mother mentions getting drunk multiple times.. If you don’t care what your kid learns learns go ahead and let then see this garbage.kid content at all.
Cazfamca
Cazfamca Adult
January 17, 2022
age 9+

For Kids who Love Scary...

We have an 8 year old who LOVES scary things - ghosts, zombies, monsters. NO idea why, is in his DNA. Not coming from us, or early exposure - it's just him - if you are parent, you know how this happens... (?!) Anyway, He loves the Ghostbusters movies, and he loved this. (He happened to be talking when the ref to "boning" the mom was made, which was convenient - that was really about the worst of the sex refs, but I wouldn't have wanted him to hear it or to explain it.) I was prepared for it to be horrible and was very pleasantly surprised. I thought the casting was good, the acting was good, and the characters were good. The girls were smart and brave, and dressed normally (THANK YOU.) The mom was a survivor. Paul Rudd was himself, ie amusing. There was no snark - people were nice (again, thank you movie people). The monsters weren't - in my view?? toooo scary (although scary enough). For what it was it was good! What a relief!! ; )
See all 37 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE, siblings Trevor (Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace) move to a small Oklahoma town with their mom, Callie (Carrie Coon), to take over their late grandfather's crumbling farm. When unusual activity starts happening around town, Phoebe's science teacher, Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd), tells her how current events seem to relate to the paranormal events of New York City in the 1980s. When a supernatural presence tries to communicate with Phoebe, she starts to understand her family's mysterious past.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (37 ):
Kids say (54 ):

The Ghostbusters franchise crosses streams to find new life as a family film that's frighteningly good fun. For anyone who remembers how the original '80s horror comedy shook pop culture like a ginormous Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man stomping through New York, it may have seemed like too much to hope for that a new version could match that magic (especially after the underwhelming 2016 reboot). And yet, Ghostbusters: Afterlife pulls it off. Writer-director Jason Reitman -- son of Ivan Reitman, who directed the 1984 classic -- grew up with this franchise. With Ivan now in the producing role and (according to Jason) sitting right next to his son on set, the duo prove to be the Keymaster and the Gatekeeper, truly re-creating the special feeling of an '80s comedy while adding a modern-day spin that fits with today's sensibilities.

While pulling back from the original's eyebrow-raising banter and behavior, this kidventure still respects its elders. The 1984 film was about four scientific misfits who don't quite fit into society but believe in themselves when no one else does and, through their courage and ingenuity, save the world. Here, the same premise is reignited: Four diverse kids come together to follow a similar path. The lead character in the ensemble is Phoebe, whose logical brain is a social hindrance (as she starts her first day of summer school, her mother jokingly calls out "Don't be yourself!"). But she's undeterred in her approach to life: She's comfortable in her own skin, and she ain't afraid of no ghosts ("overstimulation calms me" she coolly states while blasting a particularly hungry apparition named Muncher). The score, the lighting, the camera angles, the humor, the throwback references, the cameos, the script -- everything comes together perfectly to create the tingly feeling that we're watching Ghostbusters meets The Goonies, with a touch of Gremlins (without the parts that often worry parents). When it comes to the impossible challenge of rebooting a beloved, iconic comedy, the Reitmans can say "We came, we saw, we kicked its ass."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Ghostbusters is an iconic film and why it has endured. How do the Ghostbusters: Afterlife filmmakers reward fans of the original while introducing a new story for a new generation? Kids: How would you reimagine your favorite movie for a different audience?

  • How does Phoebe demonstrate self-control? Do you consider her a role model? Why, or why not?

  • How is the "fish out of water" idea used in Ghostbusters: Afterlife? Why do you think that theme is used so frequently in screenwriting?

  • This movie is like Ghostbusters meets The Goonies, but the language is significantly toned down from those '80s classics. Why do you think the writers eliminated most of the profanity? Why do you think they included any at all? Do you notice when characters curse, especially if they're kids? Do you notice if they don't? Does it impact your feelings about the film?

  • How do the kids demonstrate courage, perseverance, and teamwork? Why are these important life skills?

Movie Details

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