Sony Pictures presents Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire in UK cinemas from today.
Synopsis
The Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.
Review
The Ghostbusters franchise has a long and storied history in pop culture. A franchise beloved for its original 1984 movie that has gone on to live through animated series, comic books and video games. Though it’s silver screen journey hasn’t been as straightforward, 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife reignited a love for the franchise which Sony is hoping to continue with today’s release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. An ambitious project once again reuniting the franchise’s OG cast with newbies, Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, McKenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard.
Written once again by Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman, Kenan takes over directing duties from Reitman who takes a step back following the passing of his father, Ghostbusters mastermind Ivan Reitman. This time around the action is shifting from small town Oklahoma back to the legendary firehouse at the centre of the franchise. The team is also facing their biggest threat yet in the form of malevolent god, Garraka who is seeking to take over our dimension.
First off, Frozen Empire is a huge love letter to all corners of the Ghostbusters franchise. Well. Almost all of them. Characters from the 2016 film, directed by Paul Feig, are absent from the expansive ensemble cast. But with the series having yet to introduce the notion of multiple Earths in different dimensions that would have been one concept too many for the 115 minute runtime. There are concepts and nods to the much-loved The Real Ghostbusters cartoons as well as a healthy dose of its comic book counterpart. But realising these new influences means new characters. Chief amongst them is the introduction of Dr. Lars Pinfield (James Acaster) who is the principal scientist at Winston Zeddemore’s (Ernie Hudson) private Paranormal Research Center. Other new additions in Frozen Empire are Patton Oswalt as Dr. Hubert Wartzki, a librarian with a knowledge of ancient languages and Nadeem Razmaadi (Kumail Nanjiani) as dealer in ancient artefacts mined from his recently deceased grandmother’s apartment.
On top of this Frozen Empire also includes the return of a couple of classic ghosts and the return of William Atherton as Walter Peck, now New York City mayor, Logan Kim as Podcast and Celeste O’Connor as Lucky Domingo, both introduced in Afterlife.
Herein lies the biggest issue I have with Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. With a whopping eleven members of the ghost-busting team the film is overstuffed. The good news is that is doesn’t derail the film. Above all Frozen Empire is still fun to watch. But the development of almost all of its characters is hampered by the sheer volume of voices vying for our attention. There is comfort to be taken in the knowledge that these issues arise from a sense of devotion and love for the franchise. Rather than attempting to add substance where there isn’t any. Garraka poses a real threat to New York City and there’s plenty of tension which goes along with it.
Phoebe (McKenna Grace) remains at the centre of most of the film’s converging plot lines. Now aged 15 she finds herself at the centre of the film’s opening New York City street chase, resulting in her ban as an active Ghostbuster. Teenage rebellion is on the cards and that leads Phoebe to strike up a friendship with Melody (Emily Alyn Lind), a young ghost experiencing a similar loss of identity. The bond the two share borders on romantic in a subplot which further seeks to explore the person behind the Proton Pack. The friendship leads Phoebe to make some questionable choices. Choices which almost lead to the destruction of New York City. Just another day for the Ghostbusters.
The rest of the Spengler-Grooberson family: Mum Callie (Carrie Coon), step-science teacher Gary (Paul Rudd) and brother Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) are given less to do. Trevor, now 18, is still living at home. But rather than explore his life outside the firehouse his storyline centres on the return of the legendary Slimer. Similarly, Callie and Gary are now learning to co-parent whilst running the family business. They all service a purpose in the script and the family relationship is one of the most heartwarming elements of the film. But I would like to see more of them in the future.
Likewise each of the original Ghostbusters, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Annie Potts and the aforementioned Ernie Hudson have plenty to do. But all of it in service of the wider narrative. Aykroyd’s Rany Stanz now runs an occult bookshop and is creating a YouTube channel with Podcast. Potts’ Janine Melnitz works with Hudson’s Zeddemore and Murray’s Peter Venkman shows up when the plot requires. All of them are great and inhabit their original roles like no time has passed. But it’s difficult to shake the feeling that there was far more they could have been doing in a story which puts the focus directly on them.
Quibbles aside, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire features one of the franchise’s most terrifying villains. Garraka is a genuine threat which, given the proper development, could have made for incredible viewing. The creature design work and puppetry is as good today as it was in 1984. The final act really throws everyone together in an afford to thwart the on coming apocalypse, centring the fight on the firehouse and mirroring a real-world fight to keep the Ghostbusters alive. What remains to be seen is whether Frozen Empire can overcome its faults to please the wider audience.
Verdict
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a high stakes, fun adventure which returns the franchise to New York City. With boasting a huge cast of old and new characters pulls focus from a truly terrifying threat and leaves the audience a little cold.
⭐⭐⭐
