Kicking off a franchise is a very tricky thing. If the first movie is a success, the next has to be better to keep it going. If the first movie fails, going further is a trickier proposition. If by chance the sequel happens, it may be better and the franchise may continue. This is usually a possibility when the sequel takes a slightly different direction, or plays on what worked best in the first movie and expanding on that.
The Ghostbusters franchise is one of those oddities, where the first sequel was generally more of the same, and the franchise went relatively dormant- cinematically. It carried on in animated and illustrated forms. The first cinematic reboot wasn’t well received that a revival was mooted. The second attempt took a slightly different tack and played on nostalgia bringing enough success to bring us this sequel.
Interestingly, and probably to the chagrin of fans, the focus isn’t quite on the ghosts or the bustin’. Rather, it’s following what they’ve set up before and focussed on the Spangler family first, particularly Phoebe (McKenna Grace), with the ghost-busting being a side family business, and the problems that affect the family unit because of that.
While mom Callie (Carrie Coon) along with Gary (Paul Rudd) try to keep matters going on the business side, an ancient evil is making moves to return when Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani) brings a mysterious object to Ray (Dan Ackroyd) at his Occult Shop. This storyline takes its time to build. In between that, we also find out that Winston (Ernie Hudson) has set up a separate facility called the Paranormal Research Center because… well, lots of reasons, like upgrading the ghost storage facility, upgrading the equipment, have a way for the evil spirit to escape, and likely do things for the next movie should there be one.
However, much of the movie is focussed on Phoebe having been sidelined from the ghost-busting (being a minor at 15), and thus having her find and befriend a ghost closer to her age (like two years back in the city and she hasn’t any other friends aside from Podcast (Logan Kim) who is more hanging with Ray). And when they start looking into the bigger picture, no one seems to actually have the whole picture, just bits and pieces between different groups.
Some are dealing with the issues at the Firehouse base, some are looking into Nadeem’s legacy, some are looking into the origin of this icy-evil; none of them really come together to compare notes until the last act. Yes, I understand it’s for the sake of story that everyone is busy with their own issues – like Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) dealing with a returning Slimer that he’s generally not really in the overall picture – until we need them to come together and be confused at what is actually happening – even though we have been following everything as it happens.
So, not quite a Ghostbusters movie, but rather family drama with an underlying mystery that just happens to involve ancient evil ghosts that will need to be busted. Sure, there is a through line for the story, but it is a rather convoluted trip, and that might irk some viewers who are expecting more comedy; more fun; more ghosts.
It’s there, just not as much as one might expect.
And that is not to say it’s overall bad. The stars do as well as they can with Grace carrying much of the movie on her slender shoulders, ably supported by the legacy cast. It does feel like director Gil Kenan is over-indulging with the nostalgia although there are some interesting ideas going on.
The production design is actually amazing with the refurbished firehouse base and the new facility. The combination of practical effects with digital works for the most part. Then there are the few ghost designs, again a mix of practical and digital.
As a whole, its a decent time-waster that doesn’t really bring anything new. It shows a little heart, but it does come in late with a nice recall to the end of the last one. As a sequel, it is coasting on the goodwill of the last one, but should there be another in the franchise will likely depend on the box-office returns rather than the lacklustre story this time. Something to course correct next time, the way most franchises have been doing.
Rating: 👻👻👻 /5
Directed by Gil Kenen
Written by Gil Kenen, Jason Reitman
Stars McKenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Dan Ackroyd, Logan Kim, Celeste O’Conner, Emily Alyn Lind, Kumail Nanjiani, James Acaster, with Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, William Atherton, and Bill Murray
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