FILM: Ghostbusters II

DIRECTOR: Ivan Reitman

YEAR: 1989

WATCHED ON: BBC iPlayer

DATE WATCHED: 22-April-2024

FIRST VIEWING: No

SPOILERS AHEAD: No

Ghostbusters 2. I saw this before I saw Ghostbusters 1. I was about 4 years old and this one is firmly imprinted in my memory.

The first film was a massive, huge, ginormous success and it got a little cartoon series based on it. Then demand ramped up and the studio basically forced (offered a lot of money to the) cast so this movie got made.

Its a shame how when I read things about this film, or watch ‘making of’ type shows, the cast and crew talk about it with disdain. Script rewrites and trouble behind the camera are often mentioned. But I never picked up on that when I was little. I still don’t. I really like this film.

Its set 5 years after the events of the first movie, and doesn’t begin with the Ghostbusters in the best light. They’ve lost their right to bust ghosts, and now make appearances at kids birthday parties. Actually, Egon has gone into private psychological research, and Venkman has become a television host for a show about psychics. But a supernatural evil makes itself known and… no surprise, they have to all come back together to band together (and defeat it).

The new cast member to this film is the guy who plays the dad in the Mr Bean movie, and one of the summer camp counsellors in The Addams Family Values, Peter MacNicol. He plays Sigourney Weavers characters boss, and its a fun role. He has quite a large part in the overall plot, so I wont give too much away.

If for any reason you’re putting off seeing Ghostbusters II due to the negative reputation that it has, you’re not doing yourself any favours. Its a great film, and a wonderful followup to the first one.