Ghostbusters 2 is the 158th episode of Screen Junkies comedy series Honest Trailers. It was written by Spencer Gilbert, Joe Starr, Dan Murrell and Andy Signore. It parodies the 1989 horror comedy sequel film Ghostbusters II. It was narrated by Jon Bailey as Epic Voice Guy. It was published on July 12, 2016, to coincide with the theatrical release of the all female Ghostbusters reboot. It is 5 minutes 28 seconds long. It has been viewed over 3.2 million times.
Watch Honest Trailers - Ghostbusters 2 on YouTube
"If you loved the first Ghostbusters movie, then you should definitely go watch that one instead. But if you insist on seeing Part 2, prepare for the exact same plot with tiny cosmetic changes." ~ Honest Trailers - Ghostbusters 2
Script[]
Before you see the reboot that the Internet thinks will be an unfunny attempt to cash in on your nostalgia for the original Ghostbusters, revisit the unfunny attempt at a sequel that kinda already took care of that:
Ghostbusters II
It's been five years since the Ghostbusters saved New York from a ghostpocalypse. Now everyone thinks they're frauds for some reason.
Boy: My dad says you guys are full of crap.
Did your dad not live in New York five years ago?
Hardemeyer: Two-bit frauds and publicity hounds, like you and your friends.
Seriously, did everybody just forget that the city was invaded by actual ghosts?
Judge Wexler: Don't want to hear a lot of malarkey about goblins, spooks, and demons.
Malarkey? What about the hundred-foot-tall Marshmallow Man that destroyed part of the city? Remember? Gozer? Zuul? Huge earthquakes that swallowed a city block? 'Dogs and cats living together'?
Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore: Who you gonna call?
Kids: He-Man! He-Man! He-Man! He-Man!
You know what? Fine. I hope He-Man likes ectoplasma and terror dogs!
Ray Stantz: Ungrateful little yuppie larva.
If you loved the first Ghostbusters movie, then you should definitely go watch that one instead. But if you insist on seeing Part 2, prepare for the exact same plot with tiny cosmetic changes, as the Ghostbusters start out as washed-up scientists who no one believes, get successful after busting ghosts for a huge jerk, then have a ghostbusting montage while Venkman romances their client Dana, who's being terrorized by a household appliance, as the team is harassed by a snobby government official who gets them arrested, until they're unarrested by the mayor after a ghost hole opens in the sky, resulting in a third-act finale where a huge mascot stomps through New York, promping the Busters to shoot their guns into a portal thingie and save the day while all of New York celebrates (shows clips comparing the first and second Ghostbusters films during this summary). It's exactly the same as the first movie, but bad!
Catch up with all of your favorite characters, who haven't changed at all, like Egon, who's still a nerd; Venkman, who's still a creep; Ray, who still spouts out nonsense; Winston, who's still...there sometimes; Dana, who's still Sigourney Weaver, but this time more naked; Janine, who's...a horny cartoon character now; and introducing Vigo the Carpathian, an evil painting who really should've stuck to writing metal lyrics.
Vigo: On a mountain of scars, in a castle of pain, I sat on a throne of blood.
Hell, yeah! That painting is awesome, right? Ah... (sighs) This movie sucks. But you know what? Still kinda nice to see these guys on screen together. I mean, every generation has its Hangover 2.
So before you go and see the movie that people have decided will ruin the franchise before they've even seen it, revisit the movie that already ruined the franchise by throwing out the fun grown-up comedy and doubling down on lame kids' stuff, unless you think the franchise was already ruined by that terrible video game (Ghostbusters NES), or that other terrible video game (Ghostbusters II NES), or Extreme Ghostbusters, or this embarrassing cameo in the Casper movie…
Ray Stantz: Who you gonna call? (Ghostly Trio laughs from inside the house) Someone else.
…or the fact that Bill Murray never wants to do another Ghostbusters, or that Rick Moranis gave up acting, or that Harold Ramis passed away, or Dan Aykroyd losing his mind.
Dan Aykroyd: I don't think we will ever have a formal relationship, a formal contact with any alien species out there, especially after 9/11.
But, hey, Ernie Hudson's available for whatever you got: sequels, reboots, children's birthday parties, Ghostbusters III! Ernie's gotta eat!
Starring Elwood Boos (Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz); Harold Ramissed (Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler); Ringo (Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore); A Very Murray Sequel (Bill Murray as Peter Venkman); Ripley and Newt (Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett); Honey, I Busted the Ghost (Rick Moranis as Louis Tully); The Only Guy Having Fun in This Movie (Peter MacNicol as Janosz Poha); The Photobooth Pinch Filter; Claudio Miranda (Wilhelm von Homburg and Max von Sydow as Vigo the Carpathian); The Stuff They Make Chicken McNuggets Out Of (Psychomagnotheric Slime); and The Comments Section of the New Ghostbusters Trailer:
Ray Stantz: You worthless piece of slime! You ignorant, disgusting blob! You foul, obnoxious muck!
Peter Venkman: This is what you do with your spare time?
Honest title for Ghostbusters II - Ghostbusters II: The Secret of the Ooze. Title design by Robert Holtby.
Ghostbusters II: The Secret of the Ooze
You know, the original Ghostbusters movie probably ruined something, too: the original, original Ghostbusters. (shows clips from the Ghost Busters 1970s TV show) Yep, that was a thing.
Trivia[]
- Screen Junkies have also produced Honest Trailers for several other science-fiction comedy films including the original Ghostbusters, the 2016 remake of Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Men In Black, Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: Ragnarok, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and many more. See list of Honest Trailers for more.
- In addition, Honest Trailers have been produced for several other 1980s movies including Aliens, Predator, Ghostbusters, Top Gun, The Princess Bride and Robocop. See list of Honest Trailers for more.
- An Honest Trailer Commentary for this episode was recorded and was available on the Screen Junkies Plus until the website/app was discontinued. Screen Junkies don't currently have any way of releasing the video.
Reception[]
Honest Trailers - Ghostbusters 2 has a 92.3% approval rating from YouTube viewers, which is relatively low for an Honest Trailer. However, media sites were positive about the video. Uproxx wrote "The honest trailer makes a fair case for the sequel being the exact same plot as the first movie, even though the premise (that damn near everyone forgot the ghostpocalypse that just happened) made no sense and the retreaded plot execution was fun, but didn’t quite live up to the first movie." Geeks of Doom found the Honest Trailer notable for striving to make the point that "this sequel already ruined your childhood." Slash Film appreciated the Honest Trailer for pointing out the film's similarities to its predecessor, writing "you probably never realized just how much of a carbon copy Ghostbusters 2 is of the original. The only difference is that the humor and style of the movie has been made a little more goofy and family friendly."
The Nerdist made similar remarks, but also appreciated the Honest Trailer for revealing the truth, writing "Despite showing us out how blind we’ve all been for so many years, it’s good that this video exists." The Nerdist went onto to write:
The Screen Junkies have become that friend who always tells us exactly what we need to hear—and boy oh boy do we love them for that. Their latest Honest Trailer, for Ghostbusters II, gives us a good dose of their brand of medicine, made especially for those fans who think the new Ghostbusters film somehow threatens their childhood. The truth is that anyone who thinks X-chromosomed lady busters will somehow ruin the franchise needn’t worry. First, because you’re wrong to think that, and second? Because you never noticed that Ghostbusters II already ruined it. (Blake Rogers, The Nerdist, July 16, 2016)
Production credits[]
Video thumbnail for Honest Trailers - Ghostbusters 2
Voiceover Narration by Jon Bailey
Title design by Robert Holtby
Series Created by Andy Signore & Brett Weiner
Written by Spencer Gilbert, Dan Murrell, Joe Starr & Andy Signore
Edited by Anthony Falleroni
External links[]
- ‘Ghostbusters 2,’ The ‘Hangover 2’ Of Ghostbusters Movies, Gets The Honest Trailers Treatment - Uproxx article
- Honest Trailers: ‘Ghostbusters II’ Already Ruined Your Childhood - Geeks of Doom article
- The Honest Trailer for Ghostbusters 2 Proves You Shouldn't Worry About the Reboot - Time article
- ‘Ghostbusters II’ Honest Trailer Claims Derivative Sequel Truly Killed The Franchise - IndieWire article
- GHOSTBUSTERS II HONEST TRAILER EXPLAINS HOW YOUR CHILDHOOD WAS RUINED BACK IN ’89 - Nerdist article