Too much of everything

Really Surprised!

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

I thought that this movie was going to be terrible from the things that I have heard about it, but this turned out to be a decent movie. The only really bad thing about it was the fact that honestly it did not really need to exist at all. But that aside, the movie did decently at everything. It had decent effects, a interesting enough story for a sequel and the characters were still perfectly likable and that is what I am most judging on, if the characters are good since if they are not, I don't really care too much over what happens.

Ghostbusters IIMaybe, if focused less on the sub-plots assigned to the characters and more on the screenplay then it would have come off far better than the first one since the screen time was on their side.

It's pretty tough for a sequel to best, let alone match it's predecessor, especially when the first one is an undisputed masterpiece. So yeah, Ghostbusters II isn't as good as the first, but it's not a bad film by any means. Unfortunately most people don't see it that way. Me, I really like this one, and think it's still a really decent film, even though it isn't what it could have been. The story begins five years after the first. Following the defeat of Gozer at the end of the first film, the Ghostbusters have actually fallen on hard times. Instead of being hailed as saviors, they have since been slapped with a restraining order and forced to cease their ghostbusting due to all the collateral damage their 'busting' causes. As a result, the four have hung up their proton packs and gone on to other activities. However, they are forced to get back to it when an evil ooze begins wreaking havoc, especially when it possesses a painting of an evil 16th Century Carpathian tyrant named Vigo, causing him to come to life to terrorize all who end up in his way. I think the main issue at hand here is sequelitis. It's just unable to capture the magic that made the first so special. It doesn't have the freshness, nor does it have the same level of laughs, wit, and energy. Ivan Reitman returned as director, and co-stars Aykroyd and Ramis once again wrote the script, and, while they don't do bad in these roles, their performances don't really stand out. I do however, like that they raised the stakes, and showed how actions have consequences. I just wish they could have come up with some more creative and stronger ideas. The music is still good though, and I still dig the effects, and yeah, the performances are fine, if slightly worn, but, even though this one has it's moments, it doesn't have near as much heart as it should. I'm still giving this one a really high rating though, as I'm a big fan, I like these guys and what they do, and it's still a fun and entertaining film. Yeah, some of it is a bit sillier, but I can't help but like it. Without a doubt, my main reason for really liking this is personal. Sentimentality is key here, as the earliest memory that I can recall is seeing this in the theater when I was a mere three years old. I can only recall one scene clearly, but still, it's a memory I want to cherish as long as possible. Bottom line: yeah, this is a step down, but it's still a pretty decent film, and offers a fair amount of entertainment, and, compared to a lot of sequels, it's quite strong, so give it a chance.

Five years after the original Ghostbuster, the four paranormal exterminators return for a second and final adventure. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson all return as Dr. Peter Vankman, Dr. Raymond Stantz, Dr. Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddemore respectively. They have been banned from investigating paranormal activity since their first adventure, but a new case draws them back. Sigourney Weaver also reprises her role as the haunted Dana Barrett who has a son who has become the object of obsession of an evil wizard Vigo (Wilhelm von Homburg) trapped inside a painting. The Ghostbusters discover a running river of slime beneath the city. The slime is reactive to emotions and thrives off of negative energy, but also dances to music.Check out more of this review and others at swilliky.com