Director: Gil Kenan
Writers: Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman, Ivan Reitman
Stars: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard
Synopsis: 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.
There’s something so artificial about the new Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, no matter how much heart they try to pump into it. What made the original Ghostbusters so much fun was that the special effects, from the very beginning, worked in tandem with and enhanced the handful of comic icons on the silver screen’s comedy canvas. Of course, studios do what studios do: remaking, retooling, and regurgitating classics because now they think all audiences want big special effects.
I can’t tell you how wrong they are. Audiences are craving, no, demanding more from studios than ever, especially considering how much more entertainment is now at our fingertips than it was 30 years ago. Audiences want a compelling story, strong characters, emotional resonance at the forefront, and special effects to be seen from the background. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, even answering the call by bringing members of the original cast back, proves that the gesture is window dressing, plain and simple.
Or, I’m just very salty over how little time Bill Murray spends on screen.
At the very least, the sequel to the reboot, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, offers some immediate fun, whereas the original took too much time to establish mythology and characters that never materialized. The Spengler family—Callie (Carrie Coon) and her children, Phoebe (McKenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard)—along with her excessively earnest boyfriend, Gary (Paul Rudd), head over to New York City to answer the call of Hook & Ladder 8, the old New York City Firehouse where it all began.
There, they arrive at a secret ghost-busting lab built by Winston (Ernie Hudson), Peter (Bill Murray), Raymond (Dan Akroyd), and Janine (Annie Potts). The Spenglers, Gary, and the original Ghostbusters begin to fight a wraithlike force from an ancient artifact, potentially heralding a new Ice Age, all to protect their homes, families, and the rest of the world from potential extinction. I mean, yes, this sounds like the plot from The Day After Tomorrow, but you get the gist.
Director Jason Reitman hands the Ghostbusters reins to writing partner Gil Kenan (City of Ember). Admittedly, you may be pleased with the efforts to make modern special effects look like the original franchise’s practical appearance. Unfortunately, the film leans way too heavily on them to move. It’s a story that overindulges heavily in tropes and repackages the original elements. It’s the same old story and these special effects are used to distract you from a lack of originality and laziness. And, as my editor would say, stealing its tone from Netflix’s Stranger Things.
Frankly, there has been a remarkable increase in ADHD cases in children in the past thirty years. Now, I am starting to wonder if the special effects in movies are the cause.
Yes, there are some simple pleasures in Kenan and Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Dan Aykroyd wins the prize for best comedic performance, while Paul Rudd can stand in the corner and every so often amaze us with his pubescent good looks and effortlessly charming dry delivery. In small but effective roles, the casting of Patton Oswalt and Kumail Nanjiani, two comic talents known for the nerd fandom, is worth some acknowledgement. Nor can I blame the wonderful Carrie Coon, who does what she can with the material. Who can blame her for wanting a paycheck after excelling in indie films for a decade? I mean, how else will she pay for the Blu-rays Tracy Letts is logging in to on DVDBeaver?
Is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire a serviceable entry in the franchise? Sure, but is that worthy of a positive recommendation or even forgiveness? No, because they water down the characters and story for the sake of special effects, which means Ghostbusters has become a cliché of itself.
