First I'll say I'm a Ghostbusters fan I admit it and this new Ghostbusters film didn't disappoint.
I've written about this film series before here's the link...
This was obviously a labor of love for director Jason Reitman and an homage to his Father Ivan Reitman's two adored films of 37 years ago...
There are a large number of throwbacks and insertions in the new film of dialogue lines, ideas, and props taken straight from the original movie of 1984 which fans of these films will love including the one writing this...
This film had me laughing out loud in several places particularly the Stay Puft miniaturized living marshmallow men wreaking havoc in Walmart, a bizarre but hilarious scene straight out of todays Americana...
The first film in 1984 was extremely entertaining and had a lot of great humor, wit, a great plot line, and a certain spiritual element to it I've always found intriguing as a bible believing Christian...
Who can forget Dan Ackroyd and Ernie Hudson talking about God, Jesus, and the dead rising from the grave as if it were the biblical last days in Ecto one in the first movie...
The paraphrase in that scene that Ackroyd quotes ( or misquoted the wrong verse number) is Revelation 6:12 "And I looked as he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, the sun turned black as sackcloth and the moon became as blood" which is also used partially in the new films scene where the characters are driving through the gates of Egon Spenglers "Dirt Farm"
Having said that, I also keep in mind that the makers of Ghostbusters ( including the most recent film) don't really hold a Christian world view. Why? one might ask.
These films are extremely entertaining and fun to watch, but I've done my research on the filmmakers and screenwriters of the original two Ghostbusters movies, Harold Ramis and particularly Dan Ackroyd who is an extremely talented actor, musician, and filmmaker. All of the ideas used in the brand new film are derived straight from Ackroyds and Ramis' original screenplay of 1984.
Dan Ackroyd was raised a Catholic in Ontario Canada and even went to a Catholic seminary at one point and was considering becoming a priest, but then quit school and became a comedian instead. From his own statements Ackroyd reveals he's brought his Catholic beliefs and inserted them into his films but also his Occultic beliefs he learned from his grandfather who was a Spritualist
Dan Ackroyd has stated a few things publicly that are a bit confusing and somewhat contradictory concerning his spiritual beliefs, like in one interview he says " I'm a Christian " but in a different interview he states he's a "Spiritualist".
Spiritualism and Christianity are adamantly opposed to one another and here's why.
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, inteprets Omens, practices sorcery, casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord. Deuteronomy 18:10-12
You must not turn to Mediums or spiritists, do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:31
Mr. Ackroyd says his grandfather was a Spiritualist which means they likely had seances at their house and spoke to the dead including dead relatives.
He fully admits his belief in Spiritualism and that means it's likely he practices those rituals of seances, using mediums to speak to the dead, which would certainly explain the plots of some of his movies of which there's a plethora of dead spirits in the first film and this one demonic entities.
In The original film there's a scene where Sigourney weaver's character is possessed by "Zuul" as well as Rick Moranis' Character Louis Tully which holds true in this current sequel.
The film makers admit to even naming the demons that possess their two characters as "Demon Dogs" so there's no hiding the fact that we're dealing with not just ghosts but demons.
The bible specifically forbids performing occultic rituals of speaking to the dead, or communicating with any supposed dead human, because it's not dead relatives you're talking to, its actually demons and this is dangerous.
Some might say "Well that's nonsense I don't believe in demons" but it's likely those same people believe in ghosts, or aliens, or area 51, or the earth is flat or "Speaking to dead relatives"
In Ghostbusters afterlife, the young character Phoebe (Played by the talented McKenna Grace) is in her grandfather's basement that was actually a scientific laboratory of sorts where objects begin to move on their own like lamps pointing her to certain things, or machines and computers just turning on by themselves.
I'm certain The Phoebe Character was modeled after a high functioning autistic child because she has few friends and doesn't really want any, but has a highly detailed and scientific mind of a much older girl. I mentioned this to my son while watching it who is a high functioning autistic and he agreed.
In another scene she moves a chess piece and other chess pieces begin moving by themselves. We are led to believe that this is actually Phoebe's Grandfather The Ghostbuster Egon Spengler prompting her...
As a bible believing Christian I know that any dead spirits communicating with living humans are not ghosts, your dead uncle, or your beloved grandfather, but actual Demons posing as such and they do this to deceive...
I enjoyed this film a lot and it was a needed break from 2021's deep division, constant barrage of pandemic coverage and increasing lawlessness I see happening. But as a Christian I know it's just entertainment and the idea of innocent Ghosts or spirits from the dead being benevolent versions of your grandpa are actually a lie.
This film had quite a few sexual references just as the first Ghostbusters did so I wouldn't take any child under 12 to it. We also watched a Grandma taking her 6 year old granddaughter out into the lobby because some of the Demon and Ghost battling scenes were too scary for her so keep that in mind if you plan on seeing this one.
Don't shoot me I'm just the Sax player...
