[RichardLess]

I feel like this is GBA in a nutshell. The kids put on the Ghostbusters uniforms because…why? It’s one more thing that feels like they just did because it’s ghostbusters and well, we gotta have them wearing the suits! Which…ok! But give me something.

Of course they are just put on so the audience can see the kids in uniform. That’s about the extent of the thought seemingly put into it. But character wise? Story wise? Why?

It’s stuff like this that could be fixed so easy with dialogue. The movie is full of moments like this. Things happen not organically


It just could’ve taken something as simple as:

Lucky:Wait. Ew. Why are you putting that thing on? It’s like 40 years old. It probably has old man sweat in it!

Podcast: Cause we’re freakin Ghostbusters now & they look awesome! Plus..look(points to padding) incase we fall on our elbows or knees! Safety first!

Trevor: He’s right. Let’s suit up

Lucky: safety first? You’re worried about elbows & knees when We’ll be walking around with a miniaturized nuclear reactors on our …oh forget it.

Cut to them zipping up the suits

Podcast(in mock fashion show): And here we have podcast looking handsome & fabulous wearing the latest in paranormal investigation & elimination attire. The tanned khaki Aesthetic says “Yeah we’ll take care of your ghost problem and won’t charge an arm and a leg for it”

Phoebe: Very chic & surprisingly comfortable.

Lucky: Oh god. They they smell!

Podcast(whispers to Pheobe): Probably the old man sweat

Trevor: Spenglers don’t sweat

Both Pheobe & Trevor at the same time: We glisten!

Phoebe and Lucky head out of the room

Podcast looks at Trevor

Podcast: You think these things might be radioactive?

Trevor shrugs his shoulders

As they all leave they pass a photo of the original team wearing their jumpsuits after the battle with Gozer in ‘84. Hold on that photo as we CUT

*****

Something simple like that. Just acknowledging the “wait why bother with the suits” of it all. In the movie they just put them on for no reason and without comment. These are teenagers! They aren’t going to not comment on how old and /or cool something is.

[Sav C]

Also, all the flight suits fit really well. I take this as confirmation that either the Junior Ghostbusters existed in the live action world, and not just on RGB, or that one of the four of them really likes sewing!

[mrmichaelt]

I thought it was to honor Egon and his legacy as a Ghostbuster. Before they suited up, Phoebe put all the pieces together and realized what Egon's plan to save the world entailed. I suspect they cut a lot of out of the 'suit up' scene for pacing. Podcast clearly put his own name patch onto a flightsuit and she and Podcast had to modify theirs to fit. That takes some time and there's some passage of time from Phoebe going out to the field to them leaving the sheriff's station.

[prodestrian]

I suspect they cut a lot of out of the 'suit up' scene for pacing.

I thought that whole sequence was added later as new footage, which is why everyone looks (and sounds) a year older than in the rest of the film. So with the pandemic pushing the premiere back by a year, Jason tinkered with the film and decided it needed this sequence. Not sure if it was replacing something else though, or if they were all just suddenly wearing flightsuits in the next scene without explanation.

[mrmichaelt]

I thought that whole sequence was added later as new footage, which is why everyone looks (and sounds) a year older than in the rest of the film. So with the pandemic pushing the premiere back by a year, Jason tinkered with the film and decided it needed this sequence. Not sure if it was replacing something else though, or if they were all just suddenly wearing flightsuits in the next scene without explanation.

Yes, it was during reshoots when yes they were older, so they might have reshot the scene they filmed during principal. That interview video with Adam Savage implied the scene was always in the script or a version of. I don't recall at the moment what new scenes were added during reshoots if any. They did add Bug-Eye in later for sure.

[RichardLess]

I thought it was to honor Egon and his legacy as a Ghostbuster. Before they suited up, Phoebe put all the pieces together and realized what Egon's plan to save the world entailed. I suspect they cut a lot of out of the 'suit up' scene for pacing. Podcast clearly put his own name patch onto a flightsuit and she and Podcast had to modify theirs to fit. That takes some time and there's some passage of time from Phoebe going out to the field to them leaving the sheriff's station.

They put on a uniform to honour Egon’s legacy? They barely know anything about him. We know more than they do. And 3 of them have zero relationship with Egon. Pheobe putting on a suit? I get that. They could do that without much legwork. She has been sort of interacting with him and fascinated with him. But Trevor? Lucky? Podcast? Make a meal out of it! Instead it’s done for cheap “they wear the suits because they are ghostbusters now”. It’s that cheap fan service stuff.

This movie seems to really have a problem with story real estate. Cutting out scenes or ideas that would really improve it. Did we really need to hear about how “rivers are the moms of canyons”? You could lose 15 minutes of this movie easily to clear room for other scenes.

Trevor’s entire trip to the mine with the teenagers could go, having Shandor around can go, the mini pufts can go. The “who ya guna call” bit can go. Tighten up some odds and ends. Lucky & Trevor just stop the movie in the tracks. Anytime it’s not Podcast and Pheobe the movie struggles. Ok Callie and Grooberson are cute.

I know I knock on Afterlife a lot but it is not a well paced movie. The first movie is just bang bang bang. In and out of scenes with not a second wasted. This movie is just a sloooog. Why? Because we know more than the characters. When the audience knows the answers to mysteries that the characters are slowly discovering it the makes things seem slower.

I think I find Afterlife more frustrating than ATC. ATC is…there’s no fixing that. But the ingredients are there in Afterlife. When it’s podcast and Pheobe? The movie sings. When it gives us something new? Oh yeah.

But for some reason the suit thing just hit me like…why? Why are they doing that? Not because the characters had motivation and story reasoning. And anytime something happens for reasons other than that? It’s a fail.

For example…why are mini pufts in the Ecto 1?

I wonder how under the gun Jason and Gil were for the production of this movie because the script seems like a first draft. For example Gary and Callie’s date. That scene as it exists now is fairly purposeless. Maybe have Gary nerd out on Callie about her Dad. “Your dad was Egon Spengler! The Egon Spengler”. Tie the relationship between Egon and Callie and Gary together. They have Gary to half way into being a GB fan but don’t go all the way. He can tell her all about Egon and he realizes he’s kinda pushing too hard.

When Gary sees a terror dog, he should recognize it. From a drawing in Tobin spirit guide or from Ray/Peters/Egon’s book! He geeks out about seeing a terror dog. Takes out his cellphone. And realizes ghosts don’t photograph(which adds to the lore. Explains why Stay Puft wasn’t national news). At first he’s excited by it.

Do we know if the whole rumoured plot line about the towns people being in a sort of cult was true or BS? That would’ve been cool.

The movie needed a human villain. An authority figure villain,

[Kingpin]

Why not?

Kids in real life put on uniform hats and even repurpose uniform hats/shirts/trousers etc as part of their own personal wardrobe... It's what people do when you present them with components of a uniform and nobody to tell them not to start wearing them.

And can you honestly say that if you were 13 and had access to a hidden basement lab full of Ghostbusters equipment and jumpsuits that you wouldn't honestly try one on?

Phoebe, Trevor, Lucky and Podcast already had full unsupervised access to a Proton Pack, the RTV, the P.K.E. and Ecto-1... I guess they figured that as they were going to try resolve the problem, they might as well look the part? Go the final mile in getting to play Ghostbuster because it might be their one and only chance.


In the end there are some things that, while they could be given an on-screen explanation... Usually don't require one. We never got an explanation behind why the guys assembled that particular uniform in the first place back in the '80s, or what the equipment attached to it did, why they added the dark grey suits in 1989, or why Ecto-1 looked like Ecto-1 again instead of Ecto-1A.

There was a more important bit of exposition to be laid out in that scene than why the kids decided to wear the uniforms: The Trap field.

And, in the grand tradition of story-telling convenience, the justification happened during the jump-cuts/scene transition.

Trevor’s entire trip to the mine with the teenagers could go

Not without breaking the plot - you scub Trevor's trip to the mine, you remove the kids' biggest clue that the mine's ground zero for all the paranormal goings-on in Summerville, not to mention you lose a lovely creepy scene with the Terror Dog down the mineshaft.

having Shandor around can go

Scrub that and you lose the little bit of first-hand insight we have into Ivo Shandor.
While it may not move mountains in terms of the plot... His revival shows another one of the products of his dark, arcane research... And how for all the effort and time he poured into his schemes it bought him not a single iota of favour with Gozer.

the mini pufts can go.

You scrub them and you lose one of the fun parts of the movie. They may not be terribly original, being the spawn of Stay Puft and the Gremlins, but they provide comic relief.

I know I knock on Afterlife a lot but it is not a well paced movie. The first movie is just bang bang bang. In and out of scenes with not a second wasted. This movie is just a sloooog.

I think we're starting to stray into the area covered by the Ghostbusters: Afterlife Feature Talkback Thread again.

If people wish to continue speculating on why Phoebe, Trevor, Lucky and Podcast decided to wear Egon's old uniforms, then have at it.

If however this topic ends up just becoming another general critique thread for Afterlife, then I will probably merge it with the existing topic.

[wowbobwow]

The real reason "why" is because a good chunk of this movie's intended demographic wanted to put on the uniform as a kid.

As for the in-universe "why", they found out who the Ghostbusters were (if they didn't know already, which it sounds like maybe they did? through social osmosis) and one can assume they were enamored with their story. And when the opportunity arose to put on the uniforms... why not?

[WCat2000]

This is probably your worst shot at the movie. It’s not even a nitpick. It’s nothing. Kingpin gave the perfect reason. The Mini Pufts are the easiest thing to explain that doesn’t have an outright explanation. We don’t need to discuss that again. You know why they’re in the car.

There’s a user on BluRay forums that basically only posts in GB topics and criticizes Afterlife every chance they get. They did nothing but criticize it leading up to release and whenever it’s brought up or there’s news. Are Richardless and them the same person? Haha.

[RichardLess]

This is probably your worst shot at the movie. It’s not even a nitpick. It’s nothing. Kingpin gave the perfect reason. The Mini Pufts are the easiest thing to explain that doesn’t have an outright explanation. We don’t need to discuss that again. You know why they’re in the car.

There’s a user on BluRay forums that basically only posts in GB topics and criticizes Afterlife every chance they get. They did nothing but criticize it leading up to release and whenever it’s brought up or there’s news. Are Richardless and them the same person? Haha.

I love responses like this. “It’s nothing”. Ok. Maybe TO YOU, it’s nothing. But I ask a little more out of my movies. You don’t want characters to do things with motivation or story reasons? That’s fine. You have that right. But to say that a criticism is “nothing”. Like…what are you even doing? Don’t go around devaluing other peoples opinions because you don’t agree. Either offer up something to the discussion or go elsewhere.

Kingpins response doesn’t explains anything. These kids aren’t 8 years old. They are teenagers. Having them put on a uniform they have NO CONNECTION TO, is lazy. It’s lazy. It’s lazy. It’s lazy. Pheobe? Give her a moment for it. It’s treated like it’s nothing. This is a big moment in the film, or rather it should be. These are the characters really BECOMING ghostbusters in an iconography sense. They do nothing with it.

You wanna see how this is done right? Watch Ghostbusters 2. Rick Moranis suits up and they make a meal out of it. They give us a laugh. It’s a freakin character beat.

This movie? Again. Things are that are important are glossed over and not given their due.

And no to answer your “am I the same person” accusation. Sorry to disappoint. This is the only place I talk Ghostbusters. There’s nothing more boring than places that all have the same opinions. I tried Reddit once and it’s nothing but people agreeing with you about how crappy the movies are. Here you can occasionally get somewheee, really dig. Sometimes.

[RichardLess]

Why not?

Kids in real life put on uniform hats and even repurpose uniform hats/shirts/trousers etc as part of their own personal wardrobe... It's what people do when you present them with components of a uniform and nobody to tell them not to start wearing them.

And can you honestly say that if you were 13 and had access to a hidden basement lab full of Ghostbusters equipment and jumpsuits that you wouldn't honestly try one on?

Phoebe, Trevor, Lucky and Podcast already had full unsupervised access to a Proton Pack, the RTV, the P.K.E. and Ecto-1... I guess they figured that as they were going to try resolve the problem, they might as well look the part? Go the final mile in getting to play Ghostbuster because it might be their one and only chance.


In the end there are some things that, while they could be given an on-screen explanation... Usually don't require one. We never got an explanation behind why the guys assembled that particular uniform in the first place back in the '80s, or what the equipment attached to it did, why they added the dark grey suits in 1989, or why Ecto-1 looked like Ecto-1 again instead of Ecto-1A.

There was a more important bit of exposition to be laid out in that scene than why the kids decided to wear the uniforms: The Trap field.

And, in the grand tradition of story-telling convenience, the justification happened during the jump-cuts/scene transition.

Trevor’s entire trip to the mine with the teenagers could go

Not without breaking the plot - you scub Trevor's trip to the mine, you remove the kids' biggest clue that the mine's ground zero for all the paranormal goings-on in Summerville, not to mention you lose a lovely creepy scene with the Terror Dog down the mineshaft.

having Shandor around can go

Scrub that and you lose the little bit of first-hand insight we have into Ivo Shandor.
While it may not move mountains in terms of the plot... His revival shows another one of the products of his dark, arcane research... And how for all the effort and time he poured into his schemes it bought him not a single iota of favour with Gozer.

the mini pufts can go.

You scrub them and you lose one of the fun parts of the movie. They may not be terribly original, being the spawn of Stay Puft and the Gremlins, but they provide comic relief.

I know I knock on Afterlife a lot but it is not a well paced movie. The first movie is just bang bang bang. In and out of scenes with not a second wasted. This movie is just a sloooog.

I think we're starting to stray into the area covered by the Ghostbusters: Afterlife Feature Talkback Thread again.

If people wish to continue speculating on why Phoebe, Trevor, Lucky and Podcast decided to wear Egon's old uniforms, then have at it.

If however this topic ends up just becoming another general critique thread for Afterlife, then I will probably merge it with the existing topic.

Yeah you can just merge it. That’s cool with me.

Would I put on a Ghostbusters outfit? Of course. I would at any age. But again, you are thinking like a fan.

Think of it this way. This might be a better example because Ghostbusters means nothing to these kids.

Ok. Your grandpa that you *NEVER KNEW* was an exterminator. He wore overalls and a 40 year old corporate uniform and equipment that you find in a closet. You’re 13-17 years old.

You find a spiders nest. You puttin on that uniform? I doubt it.

Would you use the equipment? Sure. Equipments cool. But clothes? Old clothes? No way. The extermination company means nothing to you. It’s some moldy old suit worn by a dead guy.

Now. I’m not even saying they shouldn’t wear the uniforms. My issue is how it’s done. it’s done out of hand. Movies don’t need to be realistic but they need to make sense for the characters. Just cutting to these kids putting on a uniform that has no meaning to them? Again…the original movies show us the way and how to do it right. Imagine just seeing some quick cuts of Louis suiting up. You’d lose a lot.

There is no way in hell Lucky and Trevor put on those uniforms without some snarky back and forth. You may think “I don’t need to see that” but overcoming that teenage BS, accepting your heritage. That’s the film. And they do nothing with it. They didn’t think it was important. They aren’t mining for that comedy nugget, right? The uniform, putting on that uniform, that’s the Superhero costume of Ghostbusters. The lost potential for making something is bothersome

I’m just going to quickly ask this since someone said there’s a reason the mini pufts are in the car. What is that reason? I don’t want any behind the scenes reasons or fan theories please. How do they end up in that car as shown or explained in the movie?

As for the other things. “Little bit of insight we have into Ivo Shandor”. This movie isn’t called “Ivo Shandor”. All the insight we have we need. Ask yourself this: How does showing Ivo Shandor affect the movie. I don’t think it does. Does it? Does he reveal anything we didn’t know? Do anything? Did I like seeing him ripped in half? Hell yes. That was very cool, Would I prefer that time spent elsewhere? Also yes. We did not need to meet or see Ivo Shandor. Now if he were a Ghost? Ok. But he still has a body that wakes when Gozer starts to come out yet his insides look like TaunTaun guts?

Here’s how you do these things right:


Batman




GB2



Iron Man



MIB



John Wick

[Kingpin]

But clothes? Old clothes? No way.

Yes way. Kids and adults will dress up in old costume/uniform gear if it's laid out on the table before you... And especially if they discover it themselves. That's not viewing things through a fan's eyes, that's human nature.

For Phoebe the uniform was a tangible link she had to her grandfather, a validation of her interest in science and her intelligence, and the place in the world and calling that she'd discovered for herself.

For Podcast the uniform is the chance to walk in the footsteps of his newest fixation.

Trevor I can believe donned the uniform to show solidarity with Phoebe. Lucky I can believe because the others were wearing them, so why the hell not join in?

Just cutting to these kids putting on a uniform that has no meaning to them? Again…the original movies show us the way and how to do it right. Imagine just seeing some quick cuts of Louis suiting up.

When you get down to the nuts and bolts, the suiting-up scene in Ghostbusters: Afterlife is little different to the suiting up scene in Ghostbusters. The guys are suiting up for their job at the Sedgewick, the kids are suiting up for the confrontation with Gozer/attempted rescue of Callie. The first film provided about as much meaning and elaboration into the suiting sequence as the 2021 film did.

I’m just going to quickly ask this since someone said there’s a reason the mini pufts are in the car.

That can be asked in the Ghostbusters: Afterlife Feature Talkback Thread.

Does he reveal anything we didn’t know?

-That he was experimenting with reanimation, and that he succeeded.
-That he viewed the mine as more important than 550 Central Park West, given that's where his body was interred.

Here’s how you do these things right

Is it, though?
I know that the scene where Louis gets suited up, and the moment where the guys arrive in the museum get refered to as the "superhero" moments, but in the end... The Ghostbusters aren't superheroes, they're everyday joes... The ones who usually clean up after the superheroes.
For every world-threatening case they get, there's dozens of run-of-the-mill busts they would go on in between the big fish. Iron Man and Superman wear a costume when the world needs saving, the Ghostbusters wear their work uniform every day they're on the clock.

I feel the suiting-up scene in Ghostbusters is the more authentic depiction of them: 9-to-5ers rushing and breaking a sweat to get dressed to head out to the next call (like firefighters), rather than stopping to suck in their guts for a dramatic entrance (it's a good comedy moment, but feels less authentically blue-collar worker).

The suiting-up scene in Ghostbusters: Afterlife felt in-keeping with the original movie... It didn't need to be overladen with significance, they were getting dressed to try fight Gozer like Pheobe's grandfather had.

[DocLathropBrown]

Why did they do it? Because that's what Jason Reitman wanted. I think asking this question (with the seeming purpose only to criticize the film's logic) is excessively pedantic. Why did Egon have any flightsuits with him at all (especially since he didn't seem to be in uniform when he went into his final battle)? Why did he keep the Ectomobile around? Why is any of the iconography there? because it's a Ghostbusters movie, simple-as-that. I don't think it's inconceivable that the kids, knowing that the GBs wore the coveralls, combined with an understanding that fighting ghosts can be messy (three of them saw how slimy Muncher was), they can add two and two and realize that there's a practical use for the uniforms.

Rebutting every possible explanation is needlessly silly and could easily be seen as complaining purely for its own sake.

[RichardLess]

But clothes? Old clothes? No way.

Yes way. Kids and adults will dress up in old costume/uniform gear if it's laid out on the table before you... And especially if they discover it themselves. That's not viewing things through a fan's eyes, that's human nature.

For Phoebe the uniform was a tangible link she had to her grandfather, a validation of her interest in science and her intelligence, and the place in the world and calling that she'd discovered for herself.

For Podcast the uniform is the chance to walk in the footsteps of his newest fixation.

Trevor I can believe donned the uniform to show solidarity with Phoebe. Lucky I can believe because the others were wearing them, so why the hell not join in?

Just cutting to these kids putting on a uniform that has no meaning to them? Again…the original movies show us the way and how to do it right. Imagine just seeing some quick cuts of Louis suiting up.

When you get down to the nuts and bolts, the suiting-up scene in Ghostbusters: Afterlife is little different to the suiting up scene in Ghostbusters. The guys are suiting up for their job at the Sedgewick, the kids are suiting up for the confrontation with Gozer/attempted rescue of Callie. The first film provided about as much meaning and elaboration into the suiting sequence as the 2021 film did.

I’m just going to quickly ask this since someone said there’s a reason the mini pufts are in the car.

That can be asked in the Ghostbusters: Afterlife Feature Talkback Thread.

Does he reveal anything we didn’t know?

-That he was experimenting with reanimation, and that he succeeded.
-That he viewed the mine as more important than 550 Central Park West, given that's where his body was interred.

Here’s how you do these things right

Is it, though?
I know that the scene where Louis gets suited up, and the moment where the guys arrive in the museum get refered to as the "superhero" moments, but in the end... The Ghostbusters aren't superheroes, they're everyday joes... The ones who usually clean up after the superheroes.
For every world-threatening case they get, there's dozens of run-of-the-mill busts they would go on in between the big fish. Iron Man and Superman wear a costume when the world needs saving, the Ghostbusters wear their work uniform every day they're on the clock.

I feel the suiting-up scene in Ghostbusters is the more authentic depiction of them: 9-to-5ers rushing and breaking a sweat to get dressed to head out to the next call (like firefighters), rather than stopping to suck in their guts for a dramatic entrance (it's a good comedy moment, but feels less authentically blue-collar worker).

The suiting-up scene in Ghostbusters: Afterlife felt in-keeping with the original movie... It didn't need to be overladen with significance, they were getting dressed to try fight Gozer like Pheobe's grandfather had.

You’d put on a 40 year old outfit from someone you dont know because it’s laid out in front you? What? For real?That isn’t human nature at all. It would be human nature if they had a connection to it. Like a Ghostbusters uniform because they are a Ghostbusters fan or a Batman uniform and they are a Batman fan.

But teenagers or adults would not dress up in 40 year old clothes that have been worn by a stranger. Again, Egon is a stranger to these people.

I mean, yeah sure, they are similar sequences, if you remove all the context surrounding the the sequences. Which is everything. A business/work uniform Vs having zero functionality for these kids & they aren’t in a business. That’s be like “Hey I’m going to make some hamburgers and fries out back, mom you still got that 40 year old McDonald’s Uniform hanging around?” Or use the exterminator example. Up until a day before these kids had no idea what a ghostbuster was. Never met their grandfather. Make something of the moment. Make it funny, make it poignant.



And yes the ghostbusters are everyday joes. Ya know just those everyday joes who can build particle accelerators invent non existent tech, have PHD’s and work with nuclear fission. Yep. Everyday Joes. No, no! The ghostbusters are heroes! I thought this was an established fact. I’m surprised it’s now up for debare that the movies don’t treat them guys like heroes. They are shlubby 100%. But that doesn’t mean they arent heroes, right? They get paid. But… the tag line of the movie lays it out for us pretty clearly. They arrive to a job and a song that’s playing is called “Saving the day”. Not every act Spider-Man does is an end of the world event. He just helped out the little guy. Superman gets cats out of trees. But the Ghostbusters are heroes and the uniform is their costume. Look at how Ivan Reitman frames these guys in shots. They are gunslingers. Heroes. The fact they own a business makes it mundane. The fact that they are heroes is the fantastical part. Ghostbusters is a mixture of the mundane and the fantastical. It’s a similar thing with Men in Black. They are heroes. They also earn a salary. Those two things are not mutually exclusive, right? Firefighters get paid. They are heroes. They are often shlubby everyday Joes.

I guess my question about the mini pufts was kinda rhetorical. I mean unless I missed something there is no in movie reason or explanation why they are in that car.

Why did they do it? Because that's what Jason Reitman wanted. I think asking this question (with the seeming purpose only to criticize the film's logic) is excessively pedantic. Why did Egon have any flightsuits with him at all (especially since he didn't seem to be in uniform when he went into his final battle)? Why did he keep the Ectomobile around? Why is any of the iconography there? because it's a Ghostbusters movie, simple-as-that. I don't think it's inconceivable that the kids, knowing that the GBs wore the coveralls, combined with an understanding that fighting ghosts can be messy (three of them saw how slimy Muncher was), they can add two and two and realize that there's a practical use for the uniforms.

Rebutting every possible explanation is needlessly silly and could easily be seen as complaining purely for its own sake.

“Because Jason Reitman wanted to” is not an acceptable answer to me. And yes. This is about critiquing the movies logic. Plenty of bad movies have things happen because the director wanted to. They don’t work there and it doesn’t work here

Look, it’s cool you will accept stuff like “because it’s a Ghostbusters movie”. If that works for you? Awesome. It’s not pedantic to want and expect more than that though. For me fan service can be a cheap, easy way to get fanboys (and girls) salivating & clapping & barking like seals. A little bit goes a long way. I want movies to justify their fan service. I don’t think that’s asking a lot.

“Complaining for its own sake” I don’t even know what this means. This is a fan forum. Would you say someone is praising a movie for its own sake? Would that make sense? I don’t think so, no. I’m criticizing a movie for being lazy & inept. I’m not rebutting explanations. I’m rebutting opinions I disagree with. How this work is I say “I think the movie did X wrong or X is poorly poorly done, here’s why I think it’s wrong or poorly done”. Then other people come in & say “here’s why I think X isn’t wrong or poorly done and why I think it’s good and why I think you are wrong”. And then we go from there.

I also think you are misunderstanding something. I’m ok with them putting on the uniforms. How they did it, the execution, is the problem. This should be a big moment in the film. Huge. The minute those costumes go on, they are for all intents and purpose Ghostbusters and the movie makes no drama, comedy, suspense, tension or anything of the moment. It’s a recurring problem with the movie. Things that should be important are glossed over or not addressed(The OGB’s getting back in the saddle, getting to Summerville etc)

[Kingpin]

This should be a big moment in the film.

It is a big moment in the film, in the space of a very tight 22 seconds we get:

The kids slide down the firepole into Egon's lab.
Podcast pops on the Aura Video-Analyzer colander.
Phoebe grabs one of the uniforms, followed by Trevor, then Lucky and finally Podcast.
Trevor and Lucky have a semi-romantic moment while suiting up.
And then Phoebe launches into her theory/explanation about what's going on.

It's a combined suiting up/taking charge scene that doesn't linger because the speed of events surrounding the kids don't give them the luxury to hang around too long. I think you've not viewed it as the big moment you want it to be because it doesn't have the bombastic music or the loitering camera shots that have been done to death in the "superhero wears the full costume for the first time" scenes in movies.

To me, the sequence as it it's been edited together swiftly gets straight to the point.


In the original film the guys go from talking to the Mayor to being suited, booted and loaded into Ecto-1 at City Hall with no transitional scene. Ivan even left a brief scene of exposition from that sequence on the cutting room floor because sometimes the exposition scenes slow down the film's plot/pace.
I feel the sort of scene/on-screen justification for wearing the suits you wanted to see in that moment probably would've slowed down the pace of the scene in Afterlife and lost the sense of urgency.

[RichardLess]

This should be a big moment in the film.

It is a big moment in the film, in the space of a very tight 22 seconds we get:

The kids slide down the firepole into Egon's lab.
Podcast pops on the Aura Video-Analyzer colander.
Phoebe grabs one of the uniforms, followed by Trevor, then Lucky and finally Podcast.
Trevor and Lucky have a semi-romantic moment while suiting up.
And then Phoebe launches into her theory/explanation about what's going on.

It's a combined suiting up/taking charge scene that doesn't linger because the speed of events surrounding the kids don't give them the luxury to hang around too long. I think you've not viewed it as the big moment you want it to be because it doesn't have the bombastic music or the loitering camera shots that have been done to death in the "superhero wears the full costume for the first time" scenes in movies.

To me, the sequence as it it's been edited together swiftly gets straight to the point.


In the original film the guys go from talking to the Mayor to being suited, booted and loaded into Ecto-1 at City Hall with no transitional scene. Ivan even left a brief scene of exposition from that sequence on the cutting room floor because sometimes the exposition scenes slow down the film's plot/pace.
I feel the sort of scene/on-screen justification for wearing the suits you wanted to see in that moment probably would've slowed down the pace of the scene in Afterlife and lost the sense of urgency.

Sense of urgency? I’m going to be honest… I don’t really see it. They literally sit around a table and talk and dump exposition(again…that we the audience already know. poor exposition writing) . Podcast wears the colander on his head. After Callie jumps out of the window and needs rescuing there isn’t a real sense of urgency there.



Let’s not forget Ghostbusters is a comedy. Sorry. *Suppose* to be a comedy. An Irreverent comedy (had to delete that from irrelevant. Freudian slip perhaps?). But man… Having one of those overdone hero shots with a bunch of dopey kids dressed up as Ghostbusters is exactly what this movie needs. Infact a nice repeat of the iconic “Looks like we’re going to have to put a little bit of overtime on this one” dolly in shot from GB1, but done as they step out from the farm having put on the uniforms for the first time? Then add the irreverence by, I don’t know, maybe having Lucky bust out a phone & taking a selfie right after this super heroic shot.
Have Trevor be all “Really? Could we maybe save the selfies until after we save my mom from the possessed demon dog from hell?” maybe Lucky replies “what? We look bad ass! I’m documenting the moment. Ya know…in case we die” Podcast likes the idea “Hold on. Let me get in on that”. They take another selfie with Podcast and Lucky making finger guns and Phoebe looking absolutely disgusted at even the idea of Selfies. Phoebe “Actually’s…” her brother with “Another dimension” Trevor doesn’t get what she means “what?” He asks. Phoebe explains “You said the dogs are from hell. Incorrect. They are from another dimension. Gozer is Sumerian, not Judeo Christian”
Trevor “Judeo-Christians?”

Podcast(sarcastic) “Yeah. Christians who do Judo”

You could even go Meta with it. You know how Winston is framed out of the shot in that dolly in shot? Could have one the kids look at the photo as they are getting into the Ecto and complain that they are framed out of the selfie. Now that’d be a deep cut.

Anyways, my point is it’s a missed opportunity. It’s not something that ruins the movie or anything. It’s just a symptom of this movies problems. They treat the Ecto 1 with the respect and dignity it deserves. They make a meal of out that and sequences with the car are some of the best in the movie, right? The uniforms, which are iconic and a big part of the iconography, could’ve used similar TLC especially when you sit and think about how the kids putting on the uniforms don’t really make a lick of sense from a story POV.

I mentioned this earlier, and I don’t know if we know, but I do wonder how quickly Jason and Gil wrote the script. It’s no accident that things the movie seemed to always have are the best parts of the movie. The Ecto 1 bust, Phoebe’s character, the amblin like atmosphere of the movie. Again, all the new stuff and ideas mostly work ok(Ivo Shandor not withstanding).

[GuyX]

Interesting thread. I have no problem with them wearing the Uniforms.

Do we need to see them justify putting on their normal clothes in the morning? No. Not everything needs a moment or explanation.

I get what ur saying Richard but it seems like when it comes to this movie u can’t just let go & have it take u on the ride. That’s too bad. I think ur missing out. Like GB2 I have little nitpicks here & there for Afterlife but on the whole the movie is wonderful.

I agree that the Ghostbusters are superheroes & the uniforms are costumes but u contradict ur irreverent comedy point by wanting the movie to make a big show over the uniforms.

That Judo Christian line made me LOL pretty hard. Good 1. I could see the dialogue & scene u wrote working but like Kingpin said I think the pacing might be affected by slowing down for a joke. The end of this movie moves at a good clip and stopping to talk about clothes isn’t a wise move

The original movie was effortlessly funny. It didn’t stop on a dime to tell jokes. I love that this movie takes things more seriously & isn’t undercutting moments with quips. That was a prob with the previous movie

[RealGhostbusterJay]

I just have to chalk it up to now that Phoebe knows who Egon was and the vids she likely saw them in for the clips and images she found of the guys online so they throw them on because they were worn by the crew originally.

[RichardLess]

Interesting thread. I have no problem with them wearing the Uniforms.

Do we need to see them justify putting on their normal clothes in the morning? No. Not everything needs a moment or explanation.

I get what ur saying Richard but it seems like when it comes to this movie u can’t just let go & have it take u on the ride. That’s too bad. I think ur missing out. Like GB2 I have little nitpicks here & there for Afterlife but on the whole the movie is wonderful.

I agree that the Ghostbusters are superheroes & the uniforms are costumes but u contradict ur irreverent comedy point by wanting the movie to make a big show over the uniforms.

That Judo Christian line made me LOL pretty hard. Good 1. I could see the dialogue & scene u wrote working but like Kingpin said I think the pacing might be affected by slowing down for a joke. The end of this movie moves at a good clip and stopping to talk about clothes isn’t a wise move

The original movie was effortlessly funny. It didn’t stop on a dime to tell jokes. I love that this movie takes things more seriously & isn’t undercutting moments with quips. That was a prob with the previous movie

Normal clothes? No offence but that’s a ..not great example. The same way the Ecto 1 is special and different from normal cars, the uniforms are different and special from normal clothes.

As for letting go and let the movie happen. That’s not up to me. That’s up to the movie. I’ve waited a long ass time for this movie and I’m not going just hand wave the issues it has because it’s Ghostbuster.

And the original did stop on a dime to tell jokes. The ghost blow job is an example. They wanted to use that joke so badly they conceived of a dream sequence surrounding i
And while it didn’t do it often, this film isn’t even really a comedy so maybe telling more jokes would be a positive.

And I strongly disagree about the pacing. It’s an issue. If your audience is asking “wait. How did they get there? How or why did this happen or that happen” in a Ghostbusters you’ve failed pretty miserably.

Also. Thanks for the compliment.

[Kingpin]

If your audience is asking “wait. How did they get there? How or why did this happen or that happen” in a Ghostbusters you’ve failed pretty miserably.

-But most of the people who saw the film haven't been asking about that in regards to the kids wearing the costumes... The most recurring questions I've seen being asked are either:
"What happened to Ecto-1A/why Ecto-1 doesn't like Ecto-1A in Afterlife?"
Or: "Is Ghostbusters II still considered canon in the movies".