Ghostbusters II (1989)**

1989 was actually a big year to close out the decade with Ghostbusters II and Batman both big releases before the 1990s. I don't think the Ghostbusters sequel is a good film, and much could be scrutinized about the special effects and premise about Evil Incarnate Vigo, just a figure in a painting given power and eventual form because New York City had become such a city of assholes who were disrespectful and often mean to each other that the negative energy of the totality of the citizens gave birth to a slime underneath the streets. That slime leads right to the museum where an effeminate art restorer (Peter MacNicol) has unearthed the painting of Vigo, a Carpathian behind genocide in his time. Vigo sends lightning bolts into the eyes of Janosz (MacNicol), commanding him to bring a baby he can possess with his spirit at Midnight bringing in the New Year. That baby chosen belongs to Dana (Sigourney Weaver), and the father of the child ditched them for the London Orchestra. It seems Dana and Venkman (Murray) failed because he wouldn't grow up and make a commitment. I think moving Potts to Moranis as love interests was the right call, because Egon is just too scientific and committed to behavioral sciences and everything related to the paranormal. Moranis' Louis was somewhat a lawyer (he took night school classes!) and functioned more in accounting and such. Although, the film at the end lets him put on a fresh Egon uniform and fire one of the proton packs into the sludge-covered museum, Louis is the guy who would be more available to Potts' Janine. 

If I'm honest, I enjoy "Ghostbusters II" more for the returning cast than the villain. I, quite frankly, thinks Vigo sucked. I did love some of the ghosts, such as the ridiculous courtroom sequence where two electric chair criminals return after some of the slime found underground was collected by Ray (Aykroyd), kept in the jar, and because of a judge's (Yulin) temperamental tirade against the Ghostbusters (they drill a hole near where the slime river travels under the city and this is obviously against the law considering now permissions were granted), unleashed them thanks to the negative energy! Seeing ghosts being electrocuted in their chairs is quite surreal and the courtroom is torn asunder; especially, when the Ghostbusters cut those proton packs back on and go to blasting. Slimer does make an appearance or two (driving a bus is a bit nonsensical, but so is blasting "positive energy slime" onto the underpinnings of Lady Liberty and using a Nintendo controller to guide it through the city to the museum) so I think that will please series' fans and those of the cartoon. I watched the cartoon as a kid, too. It was quite popular. I even considered looking for the cartoon.

Murray is clearly on another ad-lib feast and Weaver can barely keep from grinning. I wonder how much is just her naturally responding to Murray, once again barely taking anything seriously. There is a scene in a mental institution where Venkman, Ray, Egon, and Winston are at a table as a doctor (Brian Doyle Murray, in a cameo) are talking about the slime and Vigo, with Venkman looking over at the doc telling him he thinks they are nuts! In another scene Venkman just wants to talk to the Mayor (Margulies) but is intercepted by the Mayor's assistant (Kurt Fuller). Fuller is the Atherton nuisance to the Ghostbusters in this sequel, believing them frauds (as Yulin did in the courtroom). Fuller is the one who sent them to the mental institution, packing them off in straight-jackets!

The ghost train that freezes poor Hudson (when the creepy voice blurts out "WIIIIIINNNNNNSTTTTONNNN", I would have been like, "Umm, no thanks!") and the Titanic returning with the ghosts on board walking off are probably my favorites of the special effects sequences. Not so much the Lady Liberty walking into the city...that didn't even work back when I was kid. It is amusing, and the Ghostbusters reasoning for using a symbol that brings the city together feels clever and all that, but as a setpiece it really doesn't hold up today.

I like that Hudson was more used in the sequel. I think that might be one of the reasons I enjoy the sequel as much as I do. He's down in the slime tunnels with Aykroyd and Ramis, gets pulled into the goo, almost gets into a fight with Aykroyd thanks to the negative energy slime, joins Aykroyd and Ramis when they charge into a fancy restaurant to inform Murray and Weaver of the Evil Incarnate slime traveling to the museum, and has great exchanges within the Ghostbuster group. I always felt he wasn't given a lot to do in the first film, as much as I love Ghostbusters (1984), but in the sequel is very much a big part of the proceedings. 

The courtroom sequence where Venkman is guiding poor Louis through a testimony still cracks me up. Murray is really amusing with the baby that Weaver has in the film. I actually like seeing Weaver, who I cherish, as a mother in the film. It isn't stagy or too inauthentic. All the baby-in-peril content is a bit much; such as when the stroller seems moved nearly into driving cars and people in the beginning sequence or Janosz somehow in spirit form coming from the museum in mid-air to scoop up the baby from an apartment ledge. I get it. Who better to use as a suspense device than a baby? And Weaver nails the worried mother. The slime monster in the tub might have been a bit silly, but Venkman explaining Dana's dilemma to his colleagues is funny.

So, the sequel has its logic issues that critical thinking could pick apart, but I think I can easily watch this not for Vigo or how negative slime from a city with plenty of personality problems causes ghosts to return to terrorize folks but because one last time the main principles of the first film returned for the sequel. I imagine the whole process of corralling them into a new production wasn't easy.