It's been 40 years since Ghostbusters, and after a series of sequels that didn't live up to the 1984 original, we're looking back to 1989's Ghostbusters II and wondering who else to call. It's no wonder you think so. If not completely give up the ghost, it might be time to at least thumb through your old rolodex.
But as the lackluster 2021 installment Ghostbusters: Afterlife showed, the half-life of most movie franchises today is a long tail of diminishing returns. There are plenty of options, but going all out with Ghostbusters would be a major showcase for Hollywood's nostalgia fix.
Still, it's not that simple. I'm glad to see 2016's female-led Ghostbusters. Not only did it spark a mini-culture war, it also assembled the best comic ensemble since the original: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and, yes, Chris Hemsworth.
And while it might be easy to call the new Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, it's also a half-baked rehash — if only a little — afterlife, which moves the action to Oklahoma. It is also a major upgrade from “. And I forgot to include comedy. Frozen Empire, which thankfully returns to New York, is a fresher, more accessible sequel with the understated charm of an '80s-style family adventure.
The essential appeal of Ghostbusters was its bold combination of adult comedy and sci-fi toy genres, evoking the spirit of Costello's Abbott meets Frankenstein. When sequels stray, it's usually because they get bogged down in gravitas and special effects when all they really need is a feel-good laugh at Bill Murray's end of the world. I would forgive bad visual effects much more quickly than bland comic book interplay.
But “Frozen Empire” is less structured around a group of funny people wearing proton packs than it is structured around a family. The movie more or less revolves around Gary (Paul Rudd) at the wheel, Callie (Carrie Coon) and her kids riding shotgun, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace) riding in the back. The film begins with an Ectomobile speeding down Fifth Avenue. It's all about chasing after the illusion of the “sewer dragon” and arguing.
The cast is largely the same as Afterlife, but the behind-the-scenes talent has been recalibrated. Jason Reitman is credited here as producer and screenwriter, after taking over the directorial reins from his father Ivan Reitman. “Afterlife'' co-writer Gil Keenan is directing “Frozen Empire,'' a tribute to Old Man Reitman, who died in 2022.
Now more than ever, I feel the distance between us and the original Ghostbusters is growing further. Harold Ramis passed away in his 2014 year, and while Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson have all returned, they no longer feel like the axis of this film's universe. (That said, Aykroyd gives the film a soulful personality as Dr. Raymond Stantz, and Ernie Hudson may be more powerful than ever.)
“The Frozen Empire” also features the return of some familiar ghost faces. Like its predecessor, it doesn't skimp on fan service. That instinct to cater to “Ghostbusters” fanatics (and, let's be honest, a kind of ridiculous kind of fanatics), saw the series retreat defensively after 2016's “Ghostbusters.” continues to decline.
But if you accept Frozen Empire's low-baring aspirations, you might find yourself in for a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The film feels more like a high-production-value TV pilot for a charming sitcom starring Rudd as a stepfather than a big-screen event on par with the original.
The family moves to a famous fire station, but trouble continues. The pollution control room is packed, and the mayor (Walter Peck, who played his nemesis, an EPA inspector in the 1984 film), wants them evicted. And then there are the ominous groans associated with the emerging object – the Galaka Sphere – which may wake up some particularly frightened people. spirit.
People are getting thinner. The ghost is arrested. New Yorkers shrug. The formula remains faithful, albeit with some bright twists. The standout here is Grace, who is drawn into a brief but tender relationship with a ghost (played charmingly by Emily Alyn Lind) after an evening chess match in Washington Square Park. And Kumail Nanjiani more or less steals the movie, playing the Queens man and reluctant successor to the mysterious role of “Firemaster.” He's funny enough that I'm almost convinced he shouldn't give up the ghost just yet in an overextended film series.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, released by Sony Pictures, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of Japan for supernatural action, violence, language and suggestive language. Running time: 115 minutes. 2 and a half stars out of 4.