Starring David Harbour, Jahi Winston, Anthony Mackie

Written and Directed by Christopher Landon

Based on ‘Ernest’ by Geoff Manaugh

Netflix, out now

When their new house is haunted by a ghost named Ernest, Kevin’s family become social media sensations, but as they investigate the mystery of the unhappy phantom’s past, they become a target for the CIA.

Are you a fan of Ghost – where Patrick Swayze can’t pass to the other side until his murder is avenged? Or perhaps you just like it for the whacky psychic played by Whoopie Goldberg? Did you love Casper the Friendly Ghost when you were a kid? Or perhaps you’re more a Beetlejuice fan, where hapless spirits try to rid themselves of the new residents in their old house, but are befriended by the family’s sultry teenager. Or maybe you just prefer a good old supernatural comedy caper like Ghostbusters.

Well, in the manner of a comedy horror all-you-can-eat buffet, large platefuls of all of the above – plus possibly a few I’ve missed – are packed into the 127 minutes of Netflix’s latest movie offering We Have A Ghost. Here we have David Harbour (Stranger Things) as Patrick Swayze with a comb-over; Jennifer Coolidge as a budget Oda Mae Brown; talented newcomer, Jahi Winston, doing the honours as the family’s very own Winona Rider; and Tig Notaro as basically all four Ghostbusters, two Men in Black, not to mention Mulder and Scully, all rolled into one, complete with upgraded Proton Packs.

Writer-director Christopher Landon wants us to know how much he loves the genre, but in doing so, he’s over-reached himself by trying to remake all of these movies at the same time. As a consequence, the film tries to nail down at least four stories, and doesn’t quite succeed at any of them, which is a shame, because it’s a very warm, relaxing – if overlong – ride. It could certainly give Return of the King a run for its money in terms of how many endings it has.

Frustratingly, We Have A Ghost is at its best when it explores more original territory. There’s a delicious sequence exploring the TikTok response to Ernest the ghost’s internet notoriety, and I found myself wishing Landon had picked that up and really run with it.

Verdict: We Have A Ghost is an enjoyable ramble through the genre, but, just like an all-you-can-eat buffet, there’s too much of it, it leaves you feeling stuffed, but ultimately wanting something a bit more substantial to get your teeth into. 6/10

Martin Jameson

www.ninjamarmoset.com