by Ghostbusters II (1989) attempts to ride the wave of its predecessor’s success with a mix of nostalgia, humor, and that special brand of supernatural comedy that only the Ghostbusters can deliver. Sadly, it doesn’t do a great job.
Plot
The sequel picks up several years after the original, where the Ghostbusters have been disbanded due to lack of paranormal activity. The plot centers around the emergence of a new supernatural threat involving ancient evil slime that feeds on negative emotions. While the concept of slime as a plot device might sound bizarre, it’s handled with enough campiness and creativity to keep things engaging, if not always believable. We get a tru ‘big bad’ of Vigo the Carpathian who’s a 16th century wizard stuck in a painting… yes, it’s as silly as it sounds.
Characters
The original Ghostbusters are back with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Harold Ramis return to their roles with their chemistry intact, providing plenty of laughs and charm. Sigourney Weaver reprises her role, this time with a baby in tow (who shockingly isn’t Venkman’s which is a huge miss in my mind). Peter MacNicol plays the eccentric Janosz Poha in a memorable yet ultimately irrelevant court jester. Winston Zeddemore’s character still doesn’t get as much spotlight as his colleagues for some reason. I can only assume it was an Ernie Hudson scheduling issue.
The humor in Ghostbusters II leans heavily on slapstick and one-liners, which works well for the most part. There are moments of genuine hilarity, especially anything involving Ray’s enthusiasm for the paranormal or Egon’s deadpan scientific explanations. However, some of the humor hasn’t aged as well, feeling a bit forced or dated. The OG Ghostbusters flick holds up really well to this day… this one does not.
Ghostbusters II boasted some impressive visual effects for its time. The slime and the transformation sequences are memorable. They might look a bit dated now, but there’s a certain charm in the practical effects and puppetry that digital CGI often lacks. The Lady Liberty scene is far worse than the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from the original flick… I’ll just leave it at that.
Ghostbusters II – Final Thoughts
Ghostbusters II has a ton of flaws, which I really noticed on this viewing. I always had a super positive outlook on this film and this time I was really let down. It doesn’t have the the freshness and the cultural impact of the original, and some elements feel like they’re trying too hard to recapture lightning in a bottle. This is pretty ‘par for the course’ for sequels. That said, it’s enjoyable for what it is – a nostalgic romp with characters we love. It’s a solid sequel that fans of the franchise will still find entertaining, especially for the laughs and the visual spectacle. It’s worth watching if you’re in the mood for some light-hearted, supernatural comedy with a dash of 80s charm but there are far better entries in the franchise in the future.
