No one expected Ghostbusters to become the phenomenon it has over the past 40 years.
In 1984, Columbia Pictures was just hoping the Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis-penned high-concept film could break even and, at the very least, turn a small profit, despite director Ivan Reitman’s prior success. No one expected it to become the blockbuster of the summer, or that it would go on to create a demand for more adventures with the unconventional scientists, Dr. Ray Stantz (Aykroyd), Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson).
Yet somehow, unlike most franchises, Ghostbusters managed to sustain itself after a negatively received sequel through its unique concept. Animated series, video games, comic books, merchandise and cosplay carried the brand into the 21st century, where Ghostbusters has been revitalized. Now comes the big-screen release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the fifth film in the movie franchise.
Although, like most things from the ’80s brought into the present, not without its share of controversy. It’s pretty amazing, looking back now, how one film created fandom voracious as Slimer that contains both groups: those who love the franchise with each continuing entry and want new generations to become fans; and those who will only stand by the ’80s films — and who take a Proton Pack into battle over anything new that doesn’t remind them of their childhoods. As someone who didn’t grow up with Ghostbusters, and has no nostalgia or feelings about the validity of some films over others, it’s been interesting to witness the reactions to the more recent entries.
While certain films offer more than others — be it the original, the reboot or the legacy sequels — I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. And I offer my ranking, below.
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5. Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)
Image Credit: Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection All the pieces were there. Paul Feig was coming off a hot streak with Bridesmaids (2011), The Heat (2013) and Spy (2015). And for his team of Ghostbusters, he had four of the funniest women working in comedy: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon.
Rather than a sequel to Ghostbusters II (1989), which had spent over two decades stuck in development hell, Feig opted for a reboot about the formation of a new team of Ghostbusters, which proved to be controversial. Though not as controversial as the decision to make the new Ghostbusters women. Misogyny ran rampant, and a hate campaign steadily built after the release of the first trailer, culminating in the targeted abuse of Jones on Twitter. The reaction to female Ghostbusters spurned a culture war that has only grown louder in the years since.
It’s a shame that in the wake of all of that, the film misses its mark in ways that have absolutely nothing to do with gender. Saddled with too many jokes that don’t land, an over-reliance on cameos referencing the original film, and editing that ultimately leaves the film feeling like a series of skits, this Ghostbusters is caught between an attempt to remind audiences of the past and also form its own identity. And yes, Chris Hemsworth is great as a subversion of the dumb, sexualized, secretary, but it’s not enough to keep the whole film afloat.
While the theatrical cut falls flat, the Extended Cut, which is a significant 17 minutes longer, feels like an entirely different movie with funnier jokes, rearranged scenes and the depth of character relationships, particularly between McCarthy and Wiig’s characters. It’s still overly referential to movies it doesn’t share a canon with, but it’s the film that should’ve been released in theaters, and one I would’ve gladly watched a sequel to.
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4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
Image Credit: Jaap Buitendijk/Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection The latest Ghostbusters brings the action back to New York City, as the Spenglers adjust to their new role as Ghostbusters on a much larger stage, and take on a new entity seeking to destroy the world with his icy wrath. There are growing pains aplenty, both in terms of the characters and construction of the movie itself. Frozen Empire is a fun spectacle, but it tries to have its cake and eat it too by not only bringing together the Spenglers — which includes Paul Rudd’s Grooberson and the original Ghostbusters, but also supporting characters from Afterlife: Lucky (Celeste O’Connor) and Podcast (Logan Kim), along with new characters, Lars (James Acaster), Dr. Wartski (Patton Oswalt) and Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani).
It’s far too many characters and subplots for one movie to juggle and as a result, Gil Kenan’s film loses the intimacy of Afterlife. A lot of characters who were paired together in the previous movie, like Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Lucky, barely have a chance to interact with each other, and there’s a “who’s this guy?” moment every 25 minutes or, so as the characters attempt to catch up on everyone who’s been introduced. It’s not that the new supporting characters aren’t funny; Nanjiani is, in particular. But they don’t add anything to the narrative that the main cast couldn’t have fulfilled.
The film isn’t without its bright spots, particularly Phoebe (McKenna Grace), who is the beating heart of the film and of this current iteration of the franchise. She’s dealing with considerations beyond what it means to be a Ghostbuster, but what it means to be human and what it means to be a ghost, while also grappling with new feelings. Her relationship with her mom, Callie (Carrie Coon), and sorta-stepdad Grooberson, has co-writer Jason Reitman’s touch of earnestness and introspection. But the film needed more reflective character moments and less lore. There’s still energy left in those Proton Packs to be excited about where the franchise could head next, but they could do a lot more with less to carry on their backs.
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3. Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Image Credit: Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection After the disappointment of Feig’s film, Sony opted not to move ahead with a sequel and instead returned to the original continuity established by Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II, with Jason Reitman continuing his father’s legacy as director. The modestly budgeted legacy sequel follows the daughter, Callie (Coon) of Egon Spengler, and her two children, Trevor (Wolfhard) and Phobe (Grace), as they discover their legacy as Ghostbusters and uncover why Egon abandoned his family and his team decades ago.
What’s fascinating about Afterlife is that it has an entirely different flavor than the ’80s films, opting for more of an Amblin slice of Americana, with wide shots of Oklahoma’s mountains and plains, and silhouette shots during the magic hour. The bombastic feeling of New York City and the working-class consideration is replaced with a certain quality of loss and longing, nostalgia for something and someone unfamiliar, that stems from the younger Reitman’s history with dramedies.
But the film is not without its share of laughs, thanks to Phoebe, whose sincere straight-woman humor steals the film, and Gary Grooberson (Rudd), Phoebe’s teacher who grew up hearing stories of the Ghostbusters and who serves as the older audience’s anchor. While the film isn’t without its callbacks, including the return of the Ghostbusters’ first adversary, Gozer (Olivia Wilde), it does distinguish itself tonally and visually from what’s come before. The reunion of the original Ghostbusters at the film’s climax, alongside a CGI ghost of Harold Ramis, does feel emotional, though your mileage on the Ramis ghost, approved by his family, may vary. In any case, it’s a fitting tribute to Ramis’ legacy and a fresh start to the franchise that balances looking back with looking ahead.
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2. Ghostbusters (1984)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection The film that started it all. Ghostbusters blends comedy, science-fiction and horror, resulting in a unique genre mashup that approaches its lead characters as maintenance workers, cleaning up ghosts as well as yuppies. Pushing the supernatural elements to the side for a moment, there is something instantly compelling about seeing a group of ordinary people with extraordinary interests start a business for themselves, and ultimately become heroes.
In an era partially defined by Jedi, Archaeologist adventurers and Kryptonians, it’s easy to see why the Ghostbusters stood out from the pack. They were just a group of guys with their everyday issues and handmade equipment that looked like it could break at any minute. There is a sense that anyone could be a Ghostbuster, one of the reasons why Hudson’s Zeddmore, arguably the most relatable member of the team, stands out despite being significantly underutilized and underwritten, to the film’s ultimate detriment.
While the film has proven to be instantly quotable, the humor is surprisingly understated. For all the complaints of Afterlife taking itself too seriously, Ghostbusters doesn’t feel all that different (albeit, lacking in sentimentality) thanks to the deadpan humor of Murray, and Akroyd and Ramis’ script, which began as a far more serious affair. Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) and Louis Tully (Rick Moranis) round out the central characters, with Weaver adding another layer of human vulnerability, and Moranis being the comedic MVP of the film. While the film’s central villain, Gozer (Slavitza Jovan/Paddi Edwards) looks cool, they don’t have much time onscreen and feel more like a plot device than a character. And perhaps that’s part of what made Ghostbusters such a memorable experience. It’s not the ghosts that are the biggest hook, but the characters who could be doing any odd job and still feel compelling.
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1. Ghostbusters II (1989)
Image Credit: Columbia/Courtesy Everett Collection Boo! Take that how you want, either as a jump scare that this is my favorite Ghostbusters film, or as a cue to throw tomatoes at me. Regardless, Ghostbusters II is the best film in the franchise, despite its critical reception that put the live-action film franchise on ice for nearly 25 years. No, Ghostbusters II does not feel as grounded as the first film, that’s true. But when I saw this the first time, I was astounded by the negative reception. Even if the consensus is that it’s not better than the original, it should at least be regarded on par.
Set five years after the first film, Ghostbusters II sees the team unofficially disbanded, with Ray and Winston forced to perform at birthday parties, Egon returning to academia and Peter hosting a cheap TV show featuring charlatans pretending to be psychics. The team reunites when a strange goo tries to take Dana’s baby. Set during the holidays, Ghostbusters II feels like old friends coming back together to take part in the tradition of a Christmas ghost story. The character dynamics are stronger and the comedy, while less understated, is funnier. Not only does Weaver get more to do as Dana as she navigates life as a single mother and her relationship with Peter, but secretary Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts) and Louis (Moranis), are also more integral to the plot, as Moranis remains the comedic MVP.
The villain, Vigo the Carpathian (Wilhelm von Homburg/Max von Sydow), a 16th-century despot and magician whose spirit is trapped in a painting, feels more overtly present throughout the film than Gozer, and proves to be a more difficult threat. Using a river of pink slime running through the abandoned subway tunnels of New York — and feeding off emotional energy and lackey, Dr. Janosz (Peter MacNicol) — Vigo seeks to be reborn in the body of Dana’s baby. Sure, the pink slime is goofy but the way it feeds off of the negative energy, creating enough charge to bring forth the dead to haunt the living, feels particularly prescient in an age where it seems like negative emotions are always getting the better of us, and we can neither move on nor learn from the past. And, how could anyone hate a movie where the Statue of Liberty, her insides covered in positively charged slime, walks through the streets of New York blasting Jackie Wilson’s “Higher and Higher”? That’s pure magic.
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