‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ REVIEW: Chilling out to beat franchise annihilation
‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ REVIEW: Chilling out to beat franchise annihilation
Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts), Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Dr. Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) run away from the possessed Ectomobile. Photo from the film’s official website.
Three years after the events of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the Spengler family moves into the New York City firehouse headquarters as the new Ghostbusters, and life hasn’t been the same. When an ancient artifact, the Orb of Garraka, is awakened, all frozen hell breaks loose and it’s up to the united Ghostbusters (alongside the original team) to protect the world from an impending second Ice Age.
Under Jason Reitman’s direction, Afterlife featured the late Harold Ramis’ digital likeness as Dr. Egon Spengler, a neat send-off to his beloved character that fans and casual viewers can be delighted with. Now where does that lead to next? 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife reignited the franchise by bringing in the old and mixing it with the new in typical legacy sequel fashion. But how can the Ghostbusters franchise continue with a new set of cast members?
Well, it’s going to be a mixed bag if you ask me. First of all, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is just pure insanity of fun. Watching the film reminded me of the silliness and comical nature of Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed and could even go as far as the generic blockbuster fun from the 90s. Some moments embrace the over-the-top action sequences, albeit heavily utilizing CGI and VFX shots over practicality. But again, it knows how to have fun and that’s what the Ghostbusters franchise probably needs to stay alive.
Of course, some moments pay homage to previous installments, it’s already a given. There have been resounding cheers from dedicated Ghostbusters fans sprinkled around the cinema when those moments show up. The film always has this safety cushion on its side for nostalgia bait and to please the fans and the casual moviegoer’s interests. This can be set aside when you get behind with the new breed of characters introduced in Afterlife, specifically the Spengler family. Mckenna Grace is pushed into the forefront to lead the new franchise as Phoebe Spengler. We follow her as she navigates the struggles of being too young to be a full-fledged Ghostbuster, and we see her come of age when she is cast aside for her safety, despite being the team’s major asset.
Lucky Domingo (Celeste O'Connor), Trevor Spengler (Finn Wolfhard), Dr. Lars Pinfield (James Acaster), Podcast (Logan Kim), and Dr. Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) stare at the orb. Photo from the film’s official website.
The honorary member of the Spengler family, Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), is the unspoken stepfather of Phoebe and Trevor Spengler (Finn Wolfhard), who like in the first film, steals the show that more than not provides the comic relief in the scenes he’s in. Noteworthy moments include some cheesy adult banter with Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon), Phoebe and Trevor’s mother.
Again, the film allows us to root for and see the characters have fun as much as we have. The 2016 reboot suffered by leaving out what makes the franchise great (the original cast), and Afterlife finally continued the legacy of the original with high spirits. But Frozen Empire still walks on eggshells by leaving the past behind completely. However, there are neat little moments that please Ghostbusters fans such as Dr. Peter Venkman uttering “We’re gonna need a bigger trap” during a “saving the day” moment. Truly a well-timed catchphrase one-liner inspired by the iconic line from Steven Spielberg’s Jaws that serves its purpose.
At this point, despite the fun experience that I’ve had, you can see how there is little to no room for error for the film to succeed and continue the franchise forward. Although it’s pleasing to see some of the original cast share the spotlight with the new ones, I wish the franchise fully embraced the new cast even more. Afterlife already had the “fly off into the sunset” moment and would’ve been the perfect send-off for the OG team.
Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon), Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), and Trevor Spengler (Finn Wolfhard) sit behind Phoebe Spengler (Mckenna Grace) in a police station. Photo from the film’s official website.
Another downside would be juggling too many characters, which is what made The Amazing Spider-Man 2 a bit of a mess. Ultimately, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire feels bloated and struggles to find the balance of showcasing the new characters aside from the main group of the Spengler family. Kumail Nanjiani is surprisingly a worthy comic relief, having had a proven comedic prowess in the HBO television series Silicon Valley. On the other hand, the film’s main villain is another case of a shoehorned third-act big baddie that the heroes have to fight to save the day. We’ve seen a lot of this, nothing to see here.
The moments that feature the original team pack for nostalgia, but how long can this franchise bank on nostalgia churn out more sequels? The Ghostbusters films are iconic in their own right, but as an IP, it won’t live on forever. The audience will always want something fresh and bold. Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler is off to a good start, hold onto that. The Spengler family plays off with one another perfectly, channeling that family energy that people can fall in love with and make bold new directions.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is now showing in Philippine cinemas.
