TheRetroCritic

In this review, I debate whether Ghostbusters II is as good as the original classic. Doesn't that sound nice?

I talk about the original Ghostbusters after checking out the re-release. Boo!

It's no secret that sequels never quite reach the highs of the original films they're based on. That said, some of them do have their merits. If they manage to recapture the spirit of their predecessors while introducing audiences to fresh new ideas then they have a reason to be and their existence is justified. Which brings me to Ghostbusters II , a sequel widely recognised as inferior to the first Ghostbusters . Taking place 5 years later, the Ghostbusters, it turns out, have been screwed over by the city they once saved and are now appearing at kids' birthday parties etc. I guess it didn't take too long to re-trap all those loose ghosts from the first movie... The film basically sees everyone get back together Blues Brothers -style to battle a brand new villain and re-earn the city's approval. It's a lot of fun to see these guys again and the team's chemistry is still as strong as ever. Peter MacNichol pops up as ghost painting demon Vigo's kin

If there is a prime example of how good the 80's were at making the most out of the coolest concepts then Ghostbusters is it. What if there were New York firemen but instead of stopping fires they caught... ghosts? It's a neat idea and from the offset you know you're in for a treat. A clever mix of cheesy horror movies, buddy comedy and creative 80's special effects, Ghostbusters not only introduces us to a new concept but it defines it so well, so completely that by the end you totally accept that ghost-busting could (and should) actually be a real thing. The way that concept is made three-dimensional is masterful: you've got the iconic hearse with the instantly recognisable siren, the proton packs with their unique rules (ghost traps, not crossing streams) not to mention Ray Parker Jr's immortal, catchy-as-hell theme song. Whenever those guys are driving around taking out ghosts and that music is playing, you reach a nostalgic nirvana few films manage