Return Of The Ghostbusters
Directed by Hank Braxtan
Writers Hank Braxtan and Tim Johnson
Starring Tim Johnson, J. Michael Weiss, Joel Hanson
Braxtanfilm
Rated PG-13
Release Date: October 25, 2007

When an evil scientist discovers a mysterious ancient Egyptian artefact and begins devouring souls, putting the world in danger, who you gonna call?

The original Ghostbusters has always been one of my favourite movies. Because of this I have been interested in anything Ghostbusters related ever since. So when GoD offered me the chance to review a film called Return Of The Ghostbusters, I simply couldn’t turn it down.

Return Of The Ghostbusters is the feature-length follow-up to 2004’s fan-made Internet short film Freddy Vs Ghostbusters from writer-director Hank Braxtan. Making the transition from short film to feature-length sequel was always going to be a Stay Puft-sized challenge. Choosing not to remake the original material, filling it out to feature length, like so many filmmakers do, one has to wonder whether Braxtan made the right choice. My answer: yes.

After ridding the city of Denver of Freddy Kreuger’s evil, the first offshoot of the New York Ghostbusters (hey, even ghost-busting can be franchised) now has new evil ass to kick. However, like all good ectoplasm eliminators, their townsfolk just don’t appreciate them. Thanks to Channel 8 News and ambitious young reporter April Hunter, the Ghostbusters are made to look like irresponsible fools. Egon Spengler’s cousin Ed (Tim Johnson) must rally his team of Neil Anderson (J. Michael Weiss) and Pavel Karnov (Joel Hanson) to defeat Klaus Konstantin and to repair the group’s image.

Klaus, the mad scientist in question, has uncovered the Amulet of Anubis (yes, I’ve seen Raiders of the Lost Ark too) and is using it to devour the souls of the living so that he may open a portal to hell and become all powerful. So far, so evil.

Tonally, the movie is in original Ghostbusters territory. The inclusion of Elmer Bernstein‘s music from the original movies adds to the feel of this being a fond retelling of the Ghostbusters universe, rather than a Scary Movie-type pastiche. The script floats along at a steady pace, occasionally getting bogged-down by Ed’s techno-babble, but which culminates in a surprisingly thrilling and special-effects laden third act — proof that the 3-year production time was well spent. The jokes are effective, some even down-right hilarious, if a little too risqué for the New York branch.

Viewers of Freddy Vs Ghostbusters will be aware of the conspicuous omission of Eugene O’Fitzpatrick (Jason Cook), the cavalier third member of the team. In Return”¦ he is replaced by Pavel Karnov, a confident (shown brilliantly in a bar scene where he gets a girl by using a hilariously filthy pick up line) yet unfortunately dialogue-shy researcher. The Internet comic Ghostbusters: The Denver Chronicles acts as a bridge between the two movies and goes some way to explaining the change of personnel.

On its own, this is a smart fan-film made with all due affection towards the originals and with Freddy Vs Ghostbusters and the bridge comic, this is becoming a fun series with the potential to do much more. With the likelihood of any Hollywood studios making another Ghostbusters movie being zero and the promise that the original team will only offer a video game, this could be the closest we get to a Ghostbusters 3 movie. Which, in my view, kicks ass.