A scene from A scene from 'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire'

Review: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ earns a cool reception

‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ makes an earnest attempt to tell a broad story, but doesn’t quite manage to tie it all together.

Trying to reboot a beloved franchise is a difficult job. There’s so many factors to take into account, not the least of which is finding a way to not offend existing fans, while attracting new ones willing to carry the legacy forward. It’s a daunting and unforgiving task, in which a mistake could destroy any hope for the series’ future. The first Ghostbusters picture in 1984 inspired countless iterations, including sequels, animated series and limitless merchandise. Now, the story has been revived with a fresh cohort of paranormal hunters who still get the occasional hand from the OGs. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is their second big screen expedition.

The Spenglers (and Gary Grooberson) have moved into the old fire station, a.k.a. Ghostbusters headquarters, and are busting ghosts full time — with varying difficulty. Callie (Carrie Coon) and Gary (Paul Rudd) are juggling parenting with their new occupations, newly-18 Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) no longer has to find his own direction in life and 15-year-old Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) is deemed too young by a familiar city official, even though she’s the brains of the operation. When an ancient god hell-bent on destroying the world is unleashed and threatens to turn everything to ice, they’re going to need all the help they can get, including a guardian’s novice descendant (Kumail Nanjiani) and the original Ghostbusters crew (Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Bill Murray).

There’s a lot going on in this movie, yet it still manages to feel like it’s missing something. From the family perspective, Gary is trying to figure out his role as stepdad, Trevor is navigating the new responsibilities of adulthood and Phoebe struggles with the constraints of being a teen. Spectrally, there’s a Casper-like friendly ghost, others wreaking havoc and inciting property damage, the return of the adorably suicidal mini Stay Puft marshmallows, and the big, powerful baddie that inspires fear in other spirits. Meanwhile, the original ghost busting team prove they never really left (for better or worse), and a random guy inherits fire magic and a fancy metal costume. These are a lot of great ideas, but there’s a total lack of cohesion between them, creating a fragmented and uneven viewing experience.

The narrative jumps between so many different stories, it’s impossible to become invested in the overall picture. To make matters worse, there’s also a number of poor choices, particularly in the last act, which make the critical error of portraying the characters as fools that provoke the audience’s ridicule. This is an unfortunate turn of events since their first outing showed promise and the cast are so well-suited to their roles. The special effects are still top-notch and the tiny marshmallow men continue to steal the scene with their bizarre fascination with self-harm. Consequently, there are definitely moments of enjoyment and hints at what could have been — but by falling into the trap of trying to do too much, the movie ends up doing not enough.

Director: Gil Kenan
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon and Finn Wolfhard

Similar Posts

  • Review: ‘Lights Out’ is scary in all the right places (Includes first-hand account)

    It’s not the actual darkness that frightens most people, but whatever danger may be lurking in the black void that they can’t see – and therefore can’t effectively defend against. Whether real or supernatural, we’re taught from an early age to be cautious of things that go bump in the night. Moreover the ancient dichotomy of light and dark is ingrained in our consciousness, inherently teaching that one is good and the other bad. Horror movies often exist in the shadows, taking advantage of these impulses and the lack of visibility to tell scary stories. Lights Out is one of the best concepts to leverage these fears in cinema.

  • Review: Robin Williams moves and inspires in his last role in ‘Boulevard’ (Includes interview)

    Just days after the one-year anniversary of his passing, one of Robin Williams‘ most moving performances will be going to theatres. His last year was a busy one with four titles slated for release, this being the last to reach audiences. Williams built his career on being a reliable funny man, but he was equally effective in more serious roles. While some parts required a mix of his comedic and dramatic talents, others were much more sombre and meant to rouse rather than amuse audiences. Boulevard is the touching tale of a man who’s lived a lie most of his life.

  • Review: Hard-hitting documentary shorts make Oscar’s nominee list (Includes first-hand account)

    Documentaries are filmmakers’ opportunity to share a piece of history or personal journey with the world in a compelling and tangible manner. Some stories don’t require an hour or more to convey its significance, which is where the documentary short serves its purpose. It’s unfortunate this type of filmmaking is so often utilized to tell such grave stories, but all of this year’s Oscar nominees for the category skilfully deal with death, illness or hardship.

  • Review: ‘Hostiles’ weaves a complex story in an equally complex setting (Includes first-hand account)

    The United States of America is a country born from conflict, so it’s not surprising that many of the films set in the 19th century reflect the countless struggles experienced by people gaining and losing land. In Westerns there’s frequently a backdrop of war, but also clashes with the indigenous people, which contribute to the tense, and generally violent, atmosphere. However, it’s not often that these encounters are used to tell a story in which an aggressive character evolves, gaining depth and respect as the narrative unfolds. Hostiles is one of these rarities, taking audiences through a perilous journey of racism and redemption.