DISCLAIMER: This review contains spoilers for the 2021 film "Ghostbusters: Afterlife".

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After the anticlimactic result of the 2016 reboot of “Ghostbusters” directed by Paul Feig, I wasn’t very excited for the release of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (2021). “Ghostbusters” (2016) failed to capture the nostalgic phenomenon we all know so well, but “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” exceeded my expectations and proved that it’s never too late to make a comeback. 

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“Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” the fourth film in the franchise, isn’t available on streaming services yet but was released in theaters on Nov. 19.

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I always expect the worst from sequels based on legendary films from decades ago. Why try to modernize a storyline filled with so much nostalgia and ​​reminiscence? When the 2016 “Ghostbusters” came out starring some of the most hilarious “Saturday Night Live” female cast members — Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones — the audience reviews were extremely negative. Viewers expected to roll on the floor in laughter thanks to the stand-out cast, but reviews came back saying the film had minimal laughs, bad special effects and was described as an overall “mess” by IMDb film critics.

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Jason Reitman recently took over the franchise for his father Ivan, who directed the first two films in the ‘80s. Reitman redeemed the “Ghostbusters” name through many nostalgic aspects his father created — amusing characters, the iconic theme song, props, gags, hilarious lines and, of course, the original cast — Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, ​​Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver. The mere presence of the original cast was enough to bring back familiar chuckles from the 1984 original.

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Reitman successfully created a film that set up the next generation of icons — much like what the modern “Star Wars” franchise did. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” was a sequel and sort of a reboot of the originals. It almost seemed like the sole purpose of the film was to make audiences forget about the travesty the 2016 version was.

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The film introduces sarcastic single mother Callie, played by Carrie Coon, her gifted and quirky daughter Phoebe, played by Mckenna Grace, and her angsty teen Trevor, played by Finn Wolfhard, all of whom have a lovely family dynamic. The connection between them makes them immediately charming and entertaining to follow. Gary Grooberson, played by Paul Rudd, the children’s summer school teacher, is also a huge part of the plot and adds an abundance of laughs.

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The film has essentially the same plot as the original "Ghostbusters," but the excitement has simply been shifted to the fictional town of Summerville, Oklahoma instead of New York City. 

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Harold Ramis, who played one of the original ghostbusters Egon Spengler, passed away in 2014 from an autoimmune disease. The beginning of the film shows a ghostly Egon Spengler who turns out to be the grandfather of Phoebe and Trevor. He passes away and leaves the family his house and ghostbusting tools –– including the infamous station wagon.

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Having Egon be a huge part of the film created a very nostalgic storyline with a heartfelt ending. Egon helps his grandchildren and his old colleagues –– the original Ghostbusters –– battle the ancient evil spirit Gozer. Before Egon goes back to the infinite afterlife he gives a kind smile to his family and salutes his old companions, then a dedication to Harold appears. Reitman rightfully made honoring the life of Ramis a huge part of the film.

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With the classic ghostbusters being the heart and soul of the plot, Reitman passes the torch to a new generation of busters by recreating hilarious paranormal experiences like the original while also playing out their legacy in all the right ways.

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Jason Reitman was attempting to create his own version of the 1984 "Ghostbusters" while trying to make his father, the creators, stars of the original films and longtime fans proud. Reitman had a lot of pressure on him to save the franchise, and I think he did a pretty impressive job with it.

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As someone who grew up watching “Ghostbusters” religiously, I was overall pleased with “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and how much it related back to the legendary original.

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The official trailer