Ghostbusters 2 (Ghostbusters II (DVD))

Member Name: sharktrager

Product:	Ghostbusters II (DVD)
Date:	14/04/02 (211 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: All the original team return

Disadvantages: None

From the vantage point of 2002 it is easy to forget how BIG the whole GHOSTBUSTERS thing was back in the mid-1980s. The original film had been released in 1984 and at one point was the biggest-grossing comedy of all time. The Internet Movie Database currently lists it as the 107th top grossing movie ever worldwide, which is quite a feat 18 years after its release.

It was of course inevitable that a sequel would come along, but what is surprising is how long it took to arrive. It was 1989 before audiences were able to see the further adventures of the ghost-busting team, although children's appetites had been sated by animated television shows over the intervening years.

Why was there such a delay? Partly due to the popularity of the stars (and as such they were all very busy) but partly due to the behind-the-scenes shenanigans at Columbia, the studio who bankrolled both GHOSTBUSTERS movies.

What I find amazing is that despite the intervening years and the popularity of the stars, all the major players returned for the sequel. With the likes of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd (who also had a hand in writing both movies), Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, and the often forgotten 4th 'Buster, Ernie Hudson, all coming back for more, in addition to the original director Ivan Reitman, there was huge expectation on the movie to be as good and as successful as the original.

And in some respects it was. It is set five years on from the end of the original movie and the Ghostbusters are bankrupt, but end up coming out of retirement to stop the malevolent slime from destroying everything as a result of all the negative emotions in New York. Although the plot sounds a little twee in that short sentence, it doesn't come across as being so on film. Indeed, one gets so caught up in the plot and the characters that one forgets the potential 'message-push' which the filmmakers may have been attempting. In fact, part of the
joy of the film is seeing the same characters again. At first there had been talk of making a low-budget cash-in sequel using complete unknowns, but it is a testament to the filmmakers' wisdom that they did not allow that to happen as there is no way (in my opinion) that the film could possibly have been as good or as successful if that plan had been carried out.

And successful the film was - going back to the Internet Movie Database again we find that the sequel is the 180th highest grossing movie worldwide ever, having made over $215million dollars. This is a fantastic achievement by anyone's standards, and goes to prove that it is a shame that the oft-mooted GHOSTBUSTERS 3 never came about. Of course, there is always a possibility that it will happen at some point in the future, but sad to say I think that it's time is past. Both movies are still excellent to watch - there is great plot, good humour, and excellent special effects - but to wheel out those characters and actors again after 13 years would just be too sad (in a despressing way).

So, GHOSTBUSTERS 2 - a good watch.

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