Ghostbusters II (1989)

A Brilliant Conflict

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

They're back!Ghostbusters 2 picks up five years after the first film and brings back a great cast to live out a fun and entertaining feature. Sidelined and forgotten by the city the Ghostbusters have to once again come together to fight the threat of Vigo the Carpathian (or to give him his full title; Vigo, the Scourge of Carpathia, the Sorrow of Moldovia, Vigo the Cruel, Vigo the Torturer, Vigo the Despised, and Vigo the Unholy), a powerful magician and tyrant from the seventeenth century who has survived by trapping his spirit in a painting, for "Death is but a doorway, time is but a window", and now he's back. Of course, while they are doing this they are fighting supernatural menaces around the city as well as a stigma imposed on them by the people and politicians of New York, a city in which it's every citizens god given right to be nasty to one and other.After the success of the first film this follow up is equally magnificent. Once again the cast and crew deliver a memorable performance weaving humour with scares and adventures. Let me be clear though, you don't have to have seen the first film to enjoy this sequel, it can stand on it's own two feet and it's still able to run with audiences to both entertain and delight. Some of the movie was shaped by the success of the first film and indeed the spin off's, for that reason some of the characters have developed like their cartoon and comic book avatars have and are less dusty than what was introduced in the first film. The effects are brilliant and aren't that out of place against modern films. The score is hip and cool, well placed for the time of the movie. If you liked the first film you'll enjoy this too. If you haven't seen the first film this is as worthy an introduction as the first film so don't worry. Sit back, relax, prepare for a fun adventure.

When the librarians put this out on the end-cap, I thought it was the 2016 remake. Now I know, this is the sequel, not the all-gyrlll-power remake. I wanted to see the remake to find out if it was pretty good and it was fan-boy misogyny that made it a flop. That is a task for another day, but watching this movie, and reading about it here will help me understand the remake and it flopping.Now that I understand there was an animated series, and that burned in certain expectations into not fan-boys, but kids, well that might explain the vehemence towards the all-girl cast. When something is burned into your brain as a kid, its like a religion, and I can see them being really upset with the remake, they consider it blasphemous. I guess the remake could be done with the original actors, but they are both long in the tooth and expensive. I would have had the original cast have kids, and turn the business over to them, for the good of humanity. If Melissa McCarthy is as profane in the remake as in most of her films, I can see that as another betrayal. The original was a cute movie made into a kid's franchise, and then they do the four-letter-word treatment. They deserved to flop if that is the case.The one thing I don't understand here is the slighting of the black character. He was not an any Act 1 scenes, and then, poof, he is dressed up and running around Manhattan. Talk about prestidigitation. Maybe he held out for too much money (called "gettin' uppity" by Hollywood producers) and finally made a deal and joined the cast halfway through principle photography.This is a simple good movie. I barely remember the original, but I like this one. It was playful and aimed to kids. It did not try to slip in all kinds of innuendo and double entendre to keep mommy and daddy amused. Instead it had some art film elements, like New York being a hell hole, The statue of liberty being a beacon of hope, and yeah, love cures all. Very childish, almost infantile. I loved it.Despite the movie Trainwreck, most movies that break even are pretty good. This one was $37 million in, $215 million out, worldwide. When you look at inflation-adjusted box office, the original was $586 million domestic, this one was $244 million domestic, and the 2016 gyrll-power remake was $130 million. Seems about right.

Don't make me say what I don't have said: GB2 is not a bad movie nor a so-so one. It's a good movie but truly not reaching the classic fun of GB1. For me, there is 3 huge defects in doing this sequel: 1) the soundtrack! Here there is no more inspired score, only songs: some are good (if my memory is correct, it's how I discovered Oingo-Boingo) but the rap ones are really puffing… 2) the already seen scenes: the mayor office, their arrest, the big walking thing in the streets,….I just wanted to see something else! 3) The too much auto-centered events: In GB1, the supernatural was believable and serious! Here, a bit like in gremlins 2, it's fun for fun and whatever the credibility: the opening scene with the cradle have no explanation, Slimer is iconic but inappropriate, Vigo is not really frightening and the slime not really convincing…. If you can forget all this, the movie is indeed enjoyable: the cast is really excellent and this team is among the best for comedy! Whatever the scene is about, they always find a funny line for that! The movie is also a good depiction to the way of life in a big megalopolis and the beginning when they have new jobs is original. In a way, this movie illustrates the limits of sequels: it's always the same ideas that are played and replayed!

Ghostbusters II is a good continuation , at least in my opinion, I found fun and funny as the first , plus the script is a little lazy, because they do not have anything new , except the villain , the direction is still the Reitman the main cast is much of the supporting cast around for this film , I found the villain of the film with a half story dull, some gain even more prominence , the soundtrack is very good, the effects are better , the film is fun continues with unnecessary time and insufferable characters , the acting is good , some are mediocre , the more largely are competent , and the last 30 minutes in my opinion are very good. Note 7.8