[7.3/10] Ghostbusters II is effectively a recapitulation of the first movie, with the slightest of twists. An evil demigod is threatening New York again, only this time it’s Vigo rather than Zuul. Venkman is pursuing Dana again, only this time she has a baby. An annoying dude is hitting on her until he gets possessed by the bad guy, only this time it’s Janosz instead of Louis. An uptight bureaucrat stands in the Ghosbusters’ way, only this time it’s the mayor’s aide rather than an EPA agent. A giant magical figure lumbers down the streets of New York City, only this time it’s the Statue of Liberty rather than the Staypuft Marshmallow man.
But you know what? I don’t really mind. The first Ghostbusters movie does not possess some magical blueprint that all movies should follow. But it offers an enjoyable, sturdy format on which to hang jokes, special effects, and group chemistry. I’m hard-pressed to complain about director Ivan Reitman, and writers/stars Harold Ramis and Dan Akroyd for returning to the formula.
This is, after all, a silly, jokey, over-the-top crowd-pleaser of a film. Despite its focus on the balance of positive versus negative emotions, it doesn’t really have anything deep to say. Despite the theoretically city- and globe-threatening peril, the stakes never truly feel that high. And while a few of the first movie’s edges have been sanded down for the sequel, the spirit of general irreverence persists and thrives.
Besides, some of those new spins and angles are just as delightful. For a movie that came out a half-decade after its predecessor, I appreciate the winking, meta detail of the fact that in-universe, the Ghostbusters are forgotten also-rans. Ray and Winston are appearing at kids’ birthday parties. Egon’s back at the university. And Venkman’s hosting a low-rent local access show. The combination of lawsuits and a skeptical public has left them back at the bottom of the barrel. There’s amusement, and a touch of real life commentary to be had, on the group falling off the pedestal, rather than straining to climb up it in the first place.
To the same end, they tone Louis down, making him a more endearing nerd than a constant annoyance. They give Janine more to do, mostly in terms of a romance with Louis, but still! She gets to be slightly more of a character in this one -- with a funky new look to boot. Ghostbusters II mostly fumbles around to put the characters back where they were when we left them. But the group’s triumphant return and reunion is a blast, and the changes at the margins are for the better.
Chief among them is the fact that Venkman isn’t just flirting with Dana like the cad that he is, but worms his way back into her heart through how well he does with her infant son. To be frank, the Dana/Peter romance is still as undercooked as it was in the last one, and doesn’t even get a meaningful resolution in this film. But the choice to pair Bill Murray with a baby, showing him plying his usual routine in the cutest of contexts, pays real comic dividends as he not only makes their moments together hilarious, but they also endear you to the character.
Unfortunately, Dana gets the short shrift in this one. While the last movie let Sigourney Weaver get in on the fun when possessed by Zuul, this one reduces her to the placid love interest she was for the first half of the original film (though does find time to put her in just her bra or a towel for no real reason). Despite the fact that the bad guy wants to steal her child and his henchman wants to marry her, she’s basically an accessory in the sequel, and it does a disservice to Weaver’s talents.
Likewise, whatever Ghostbusters gains by toning down Louis and making him more of an endearing character himself, it loses by assaulting the audience with Janosz, Dana’s desirous boss. He’s a broadly-drawn clump of stereotypical eurotrash, and his generic continental frou frou-ness is vastly more irritating than it is amusing. Despite Vigo’s status as the big bad, Janosz gets much more screen time as the secondary antagonist, and his scenes are an utter chore to get through.
Thank heaven for the production design and special effects though. If there’s one place where Ghostbusters II improved on a strength of its predecessor, it's in the visuals. The ghosts here are even more creative and vivid than in the last outing. The convicts harassing the judge who sentenced them to death, a translucent monster poking its head through the Washington Square Arch, and a ghostly Titanic finally completing its journey are all a spooky treat. The film gets tremendously creative even apart from the specific ghosts, with an invisible spook driving Dana’s carriage, Vigo sticking his head beyond the painting that contains him, and of course, an impressive river of pink ooze that runs beneath the city and eventually envelops the location of the film’s final big set piece.
That comes when Vigo turns the local art museum into a villainous jello mold. So our heroes naturally...animate the Statue of Liberty and enlist to raise the spirits of the grumpy New York citizenry and help smash their way into the eye of the storm. It’s a completely bonkers conclusion, but one that won me over with its setup, enervating spirit, and the sheer ridiculous audacity of it. Say what you will about Ghostbusters II’s lack of ambition, but god help me, it’s splashy and fun.
You can see it in the film’s comedy. The gags are slightly more family friendly this time around, which was probably a concession to the original being a four quadrant hit rather than a niche success. More to the point, the humor here is much more rooted in the ensemble than in Bill Murray as a one-liner machine. More of the gags and the sheer joy of this one comes from the Ghostbusters, Dana, Louis, Janine, and almost everyone they run into playing off one another, with a balance you didn’t really find in the group’s first outing.
Sure, Ghostbusters II is, at best, a minor remix of the film that spawned it, but it’s also a good time. You like hanging out with Venkman, Ray, Egon, and Winston. You like watching the latest impressive special effect wow you or gross you out or both. You like watching the good guys triumph over villainy in one of the most out there, but strangely rousing ways possible. In short, you like this movie. Or at least, I like this movie, even if it’s just giving me a little more of something I already liked.
I decided to go back and watch both original Ghostbusters prior to watching the new Ghostbusters: Afterlife. I had never actually seen the sequel, so this one was totally new to me. Unfortunately, watching this film immediately after the iconic original doesn't do it any favors. It's just worse in about every way. The humor is more miss than hit. The story isn't as tight. The finale was an unexciting chore. The handful of new ideas don't land, and the returning elements are a pale imitation. Critically, the central plot device, the "mood slime", felt ill conceived and forced. Of course, there are still some solid moments and elements. Bill Murray makes the most of the less inspired humor and I enjoyed Rick Moranis' return. I also think the initial set-up had promise, as the idea of the Ghostbusters "going bust" opens up all sorts of potential story directions. But thirty minutes in, most of that potential is unfulfilled and is subsequently jettisoned when the movie manufactures a way to revert things back to normal and get the Ghostbusters back on top, which feels like a big missed opportunity.
Most of what happens here clearly doesn’t make any sense, but it’s almost as entertaining as the first film. It felt like they tried to make it more similar to the cartoon that came out in between, with the jokes being a bit more childish and Slimer popping out here and there. The biggest issue is that the plot is carbon copy: one dangerous entity from an exotic country gets to Sigourney Weaver by possessing a nerd who is obsessed with her, the Ghostbusters are the only ones who can save the day, but there is a mandatory guy from the government whose only goal in life is to stand in their way. Also, no-one seems to believe them despite all that happened five years earlier. It was hard to top the giant marshmallow man wandering the streets of New York, but the Statue of Liberty does a pretty impressive job as a Megazord.
Everything has been said about this sequel so I'll mention how problematic is that Winston, "the black one", is still a minor character despite being part of the Ghostbusters. This wouldn't fly today.
Part of my 2022 Ghostbuster FunTime - 2 of 3
"You want a baby? Go ahead and knock up some willing hellhound. Otherwise, I'm giving you three to get back in that painting where you belong."
Dr. Raymond Stantz
Along with the first one, Ghostbusters II dominated my parent's VCR for several years, and these two tapes are probably some of the few I totally wore out. Even though I always have a good time watching Ghostbusters II, it has a few shortcomings compared to its predecessor. Some lazy writing and a very weak main baddy are a couple of them, but in the end I'm always smiling when the end credits starts.
Is better than I remembered, but far from the first. In the DVD they have not bothered much. That Peter Maccol
No as good as the original but has its moments.
A decent movie but it feels like they recycled a lot of what worked with the original. You have Dana (Sigourney Weaver) as their client again.
A nerd obsessed with her who becomes possessed by an evil spirit. Another weasel who has it out for the Ghostbusters. The Statue of Liberty roaming the city instead of the Marshmallow Man.
Except the movie isn't as good as the first film or as funny. Still; at least the original cast was back. The new reboot just sounds lame.
Ghostbusters II tries to recreate the same magic that the original had, but falls short. Having been bankrupted by lawsuits, the Ghostbusters have gone their separate ways, but are brought back together when a new supernatural threat rises. The story takes an unconventional but interesting turn, yet still tries to repeat all of the same notes from the first film. Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis deliver solid performances again, but the whole film comes off as a retread of the first one. The plot’s just not as tight this time, and as a result it feels a little sloppy and rushed. Still, Ghostbusters II is a fun and action-packed film that delivers a lot of laughs.
This bad boy came in on Blu-ray today. I had to rewatch obviously because I just saw the new one a few times, but also to see if the new trend of hating this movie and calling it shit were valid. After watching the Honest Trailer on it, I thought maybe they're right. But guess what?
THEY ARE SO SO WRONG. This movie is still the shit. Full disclosure: I saw this movie a thousand times as a kid on video and I admit I saw it before I ever saw the first one. I had all the toys, watched all the cartoons, etc. But here is an even bigger reveal: I think I might like this one more than the first one. I think Bill Murray is funnier in this one too. Not like his jokes are better than in the first one, but he has more opportunities in this one to be funny. He's got more funny lines. I was so enjoying him in this movie I was thinking maybe I owe it to him to watch The Razor's Edge since that's the passion project he got to make for agreeing to be in Ghostbusters in the first place. Going to add it to the queue.
If you are doubting this movie like people do, I suggest you rewatch for yourself.
More of the same, but not as enjoyable as the first one. Maybe I watched them too close after one another.
"Who you gonna call?" From the get-go, the pace remains fun. The build in creativity from number 1 is majorly enjoyable. I think the reason I enjoy this so much is because of the continuity and predictable comedy. Compared to number 1, this could definitely hold its own, although the double in stakes and silliness are slightly off-putting. Then again, with the bad comes the good, and the soundtrack and destruction go even harder. I remember this one being a lot scarier, and I wasn't wrong. I still get chills at some scenes.
The plot is better than the film one but is a lot worse than the previous one in every way possible...
A lot of people say this is much worse, or at least a noticeable downgrade, from the original. Well I've always been a GB2 defender, and I'm here to say 'nay,' Ghostbusters II is a perfectly fine flick, and any real Ghostbusters fan would appreciate it for what it's worth. Some of my favorite franchise moments come from this movie: The Melnitz/Tully romance, the River of Slime, the Ghost Train, The Scoleri Brothers, not to mention every single word that passes Ramis's lips. It's a shame they had to replace Atherton, but Fuller is doing a lot with what he was given. Now, let's be honest, the original movie IS a classic, but nostalgia accounts for a lot of that. When we strip these movies down and put them side by side, they come out about even, and from there it's only a matter of personal preference. The one reason I won't rate GB2 higher than the original, despite my personal preference, is because it's so obviously difficult to talk about this one without also discussing its predecessor
A good film, with very funny moments and an interesting story, although not exceptional. The only downside was the repetition of the romance from the first film, which could have been avoided to make room for new characters. However, overall, it's still a pretty cool movie.
Harold Ramis is even funnier in this than the first one. And Egon has a naughty side. I forgot him wanting to check out Dana and his epididymitis comment!
Overall, the movie isn't as good as the first, but it definitely has a number of great lines and scenes. So many wonderful actors in bit parts. More than a bit part, I loved Peter MacNicol. Harris Yulin and Kurt Fuller are both wonderful. Brian Doyle-Murray is always fun. Not sure he even got to speak, but I loved seeing Ben Stein.
Just ab all around fun movie.
It maintains the rhythm of the first part.
I remember seeing this one at the movie theaters back when I was a little kid. Classic!!!
Look, nobody is save from the power of nostalgia goggles.
I know that this movie is flawed. I also know that most of it is a less exciting rehash of the first film, but I can’t help it, it’s still so much fun to watch.
When I was a kid we only owned the second one on VHS, so naturally I watched it a lot and got attached to it. At one point we even owned the novelization for some reason.
The chemistry between the cast is still amazing and their dynamics are a joy to watch. Venkman‘s snark, Ray‘s childlike wonder, Egon‘s mad genius and Winston‘s down to earthiness are a perfect combination of characters playing each other off (though Winston still deserves more screentime).
Sigourney Weaver gets a bit more to do, as Dana‘s baby is now a main focus and she is as great as always and plays Bill Murray off very well. Though I still question the choice of breaking them up after the first film when the story would’ve worked just as well if the child was her‘s and Vankman‘s, but whatever.
Rick Morranis and Annie Potts also return and are as hilarious as always, with Louis becoming an honorary Ghostbuster in the end.
Kurt Fuller joins the cast as an ambitious and mean-spirited advisor to Mayor Lenny and is a nice adversary to the Ghostbusters.
The new main villain is an evil painting, known as Vigo, the Carpathian and he is ridiculously over the top and a source of endless jokes by Venkman. His reluctant evil henchman is played by the always hilarious Peter MacNicol as Dr. Janosz Poha, the most unfortunate and hilarious character in the film (slightly taking over from Louis‘s part in the first film).
The film is cheesy (I still dig the Statue of Liberty scene), over the top and ridiculous, but I enjoy it immensely for what it is and have still fun rewatching it.
One of the great movies of all time ... So many people remember this movie and the first , is the most recognized movie in the world :earth_americas:
I like it more than part 1. This painting was creepy.
But for real, Sigourney Weaver was REAALLY hot.
As for a 30 years old sequel it's not bad. Certainly the level is kept by the unchanged team of "Ghostbusters". :)
Haven't watched this for years, but couldn't pass up the chance to watch in 4k thanks to Netflix.
the movie is also from Columbia and tri star home video. #ShiftvW8
They're the best, they're beautiful, they're the only Ghostbusters - and they're back!
I was not very impressed with the first film of Ghostbusters. I thought that all the magic of the film might have been lost for the ones who are watching it now for the first time like I did. Anyway I wanted to check this second part to see if opinion would be the same.
Well, I must confess that Ghostbusters II did not impressed me too. In Ghostbusters II we follow all of the Ghostbusters members five year later. Their business closed due to those crazy events in New York City and they are now doing other things but ghostly stuff start to happen again and they are back in business!
This time we are able to see The Ghostbusters having more action than we did in the first film, I liked that but that was not enough. The story sounds very dull and the great cast had not much to work with. This film is supposed to be fun, but I think I had more fun watching the first one than I had with this.
I would love to had seen more character development. The Ghosbusters members are all very interesting characters and that could have been more explored in both films.
Nostalgia is what's left from both films and I completely understand why all of the love of it. I wish I had watched them sooner.
Squel to an already classic era of Ghostbusting
It was awesome in my childhood & it still is today!
Can't wait for "Ghostbusters 3" http://go.trakt.tv/yYWpfd
Shout by evilspoonsBlockedParent2012-02-07T20:56:54Z
The pink goo coming out of the tap in the bathtub scared the everloving crap out of me when I first watched this movie as a child.