186) Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) - NEW TO HORROR

"Golden years!"

Director

Gil Kenan

Cast
Paul Rudd - Gary Grooberson
Carrie Coon - Callie Spengler
Finn Wolfhard - Trevor Spengler
Mckenna Grace - Phoebe Spengler
Kumail Nanjiani - Nadeem Razmaadi
Patton Oswalt - Dr. Hubert Wartzki
Celeste O'Connor - Lucky Domingo
Logan Kim - Podcast
Emily Alyn Lind - Melody
James Acaster - Dr. Lars Pinfield
Bill Murray - Dr. Peter Venkman
Dan Aykroyd - Dr. Ray Stantz
Ernie Hudson - Winston Zeddemore
Annie Potts - Janine Melnitz
William Atherton - Walter Peck

👻  Minor spoilers ahead!  👻

In my other blog, dontfastforward.blogspot.com, I occasionally post commentary I call "My thoughts real quick."

In these posts, I simply slap my thoughts down about movies without going into much detail about the story. I try to keep them short, but I don't always succeed. 

This post is going to be something like that. These are my quick thoughts about the newly released "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire."

It's the fourth movie in the Ghostbusters line-up. I admit that I'm a little biased since I consider myself a "Ghost-head." Even so, I have mixed feelings about this new movie.

The story pulled me in right from the beginning with the introductory back story.  

I initially anticipated a ton of call-backs and cameos. There was a little of that, but not as many as I thought there'd be. There was a lot of nods to the first and second Ghostbusters movies scattered throughout. 

The cameos are scarce outside of the original Ghostbusters along with William Atherton as Walter Peck as seen in the trailer. I had a few characters from parts one and two I was hoping to see, but maybe that's for the better. The movie doesn't then rely too much on stuff from the first two movies. It's an original story with new characters making the picture not heavily dependent on the original film.  

The story feels like an episode from "The Real Ghostbusters" cartoon and does carry a bit of the original movie's feel. The entire flow of the story seemed like something I would have seen in the animated series.

While the film is entertaining, it's full of plot points that take up too much space. I wanted to see more ghost busting, especially from the original crew.  

There's some busting, but not much. Instead, there's a lot more talking, explaining, and jumping between plot points.

The final climax is where the movie delivers the most.  

Some of the characters are rather useless, especially Finn Wolfhard's character, Trevor. But at least his character makes sense. He's a Spengler so obviously he'd be in New York City with his family. 

Celeste O'Connor's character, Lucky, is completely useless. She's Trevor's love interest in the previous movie, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife." In this movie, whatever purpose she has is completely forced. She's just there because she was in the last movie, and adds nothing at all to the movie save for filling in one extra ghostbuster jumpsuit. 

The same is goes for Logan Kim's character, Podcast. He does add a little comic relief, but he wouldn't be missed if he wasn't a part of this. 

Kumail Nanjiani's character and purpose, Nadeem Razmaadi, is clearly a play on the Gatekeeper and Keymaster from the original movie and repeated in "Ghostbusters: Afterlife." In this case, it's flipped around. He's meant to conquer the evil rather than channel it into our world. Nanjiani's comedy would fit in well as a Ghostbuster alongside Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Dan Aykroyd. 

He has just enough chemistry with the original Ghostbusters, especially with Bill Murray who reprises his role as Peter Venkman. Nanjiani and Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz) seem to be having the most fun in their roles. Everyone else for the most part seem to be acting on repeat. In other words, much of the cast could use a little more enthusiasm. 

Still, I suppose after playing the same role for the fourth time, that enthusiasm tends to fade. 

William Atherton returns as Walter Peck from the original, though now in a new political capacity. His concerns about 15-year-old Phoebe carrying a proton pack and catching ghosts are legit, but his animosity towards the Ghostbusters now seems unwarranted. It's as though he still holds a grudge because of how he was treated nearly 40 years ago. With the events of "Ghostbusters" and "Ghostbusters 2" referenced in this new movie, it doesn't make sense that he still thinks they're frauds. But he's an antagonist and those antagonists just keep on antagonizing.

What makes the original "Ghostbusters" movie a brilliant comedy is that the four scientists who go into business for themselves as paranormal eliminators really have no idea what they're doing. It's like a Marx Brothers movie. And, yet they figure out how to save New York City in such an outlandish way. 

The same is pretty much true here, but to a lesser degree. In this story, Winston (Ernie Hudson) as established a paranormal research center with a bigger containment unit, testing area, and the ability to observe and study ghosts. 

They can also extract paranormal entities from possessed objects. When they're up against an evil godlike entity named Garakka who's turning New York City into a frozen hellscape, all the cast (the new and the old ghostbusters) aren't sure what to do outside of shooting their proton packs at it. It's Phoebe Spengler, played wonderfully yet again by McKenna Grace, who has the tools and the talent.

I appreciate how the final act isn't long winded. Garakka doesn't show up and freeze over New York until more than half way through the movie. Then again, Gozer didn't show up in the original movie until the final act. Like the first movie, all the events buildup to the coming of Gozer.

The setup and resolution is styled really similar to the original "Ghostbusters." And it works the second time around. Instead of "Spook Central" being the conduit or portal, it's a brass orb with Garakka trapped inside. And the "Fire Master," as it's referred to in the movie, is the good guy who fights the icy monster. In that regard, this movie has the feel of a Ghostbusters movie. Or, it's just retooling those old elements that worked the first time, and hoping they can still deliver to new audiences under a different look.   

I thought the movie would start preaching about climate change and all that. Thankfully, it didn't go anywhere near that topic. I also hoped it would be a family-friendly flick, which it is. 

While "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" is a tool to set the Ghostbusters back up with new content, characters, and adventures, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" comes up with something new. 

"Afterlife" takes its time setting up a scenario and placing its elements where they need to be, "Frozen Empire" is constantly on the move with all its various subplots to keep the audience engaged despite the exposition.  

I got some much-needed laughs from the movie and walked out of the theater happy overall. Again, maybe I'm a little biased.

The movie doesn't overstay its welcome. It feels like it plays out in right amount of time. 

I think "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" deserves another view. But, as much as it pains me to say, I think it's time for the original Ghostbusters to retire. Their best days are behind them. If any new movies come about in the future, the business needs to be completely handed over to a new crew.