I ain’t afraid of no ghosts.
We won’t pretend there’s a way to reinvent the wheel in the Ghostbusters franchise. When Ivan Reitman’s Ghostbusters was released in ‘84, it became the new hotness in sci-fi adventures. Those movies still rock, which is why Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was smart not to stray too far from the original foundation but rather to find a way to keep old fans satisfied while inviting a new generation into the fandom. However, trying to please too many people can overwhelm the story, leaving little time to flesh things out in a meaningful way. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire emerges as a fun sequel but is burdened by juggling too many ideas.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife took place in the middle of nowhere in Oklahoma. Here, in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, we’re back in New York where it all began. Not only are we back in the Big Apple, but our Spengler family has taken up residence in the iconic New York City firehouse as they work together as Ghostbusters. They’ve been working with the original Ghostbusters to take busting ghosts to the next level courtesy of their top-secret research lab.
The film opens with the Spengler family, along with ex-science teacher Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd; Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), racing down the city streets in the Ecto-1 to bust a sewer dragon. After a few hiccups, they finally catch their ghost. After some major damage done to the city in their ghost pursuit, Phoebe (McKenna Grace; Crater) gets benched from ghostbusting until she’s of legal age to “work” in the family business.
This does not sit well with Phoebe. She felt like a ghost in her world before discovering ghostbusting. She’s not only good at it, but it has also given her a new sense of identity and belonging. Being sidelined from the family business while the rest of her family hunts down ghosts causes her to revert to the outsider feelings she had in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. This also creates added tension between Phoebe and her mom, Callie (Carrie Coon; The Sinner). This also leaves Phoebe vulnerable and prime for manipulation that contributes to the big bad we get in the film.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire hits the ground running and doesn’t stop. There’s action and adventure behind every corner. Things are constantly in motion but it’s hard to decipher what this film is actually about. We should focus more on the Spengler family and how Mr. Grooberson is attempting to assume his role. I did enjoy the addition of the OG Ghostbusters in the film. They weren’t product placements or added decor, they were infused into the story. Due to that inclusion, we’re spread too thin across too many characters and an adventure that doesn’t get its big finish.
The script is full of witty and smart dialogue. There are a lot of opportunities for laughs. And, the suspense built around the ghosts can be very spooky at times. However, by the time we get to the peak of the action, we’re concluded with an anti-climactic end. The journey builds up to what you think will be an epic conclusion, but it just falls short.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a fun time at the movies. But if you’re looking for a continuation from Ghostbusters: Afterlife you’ll leave the theater wanting. It might be time to put the franchise on ice, not indefinitely but long enough to figure out how to further the legacy. Do we want to reboot with the original cast? Or, can we move full steam ahead with a new family and a new crew of Ghostbusters? We can’t do both and see evidence of that in this film.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is now playing in theaters.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
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