Review of: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Note: Light spoilers ahead for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

We have officially crossed the forty-year mark for Ghostbusters. Over those four films… oh, my bad. Over those five films, * shudders*, we have watched the franchise sway back and forth between light comedy and thrilling terror, sometimes all within minutes, but remain light-hearted and maintain multi-generational appeal.

Frozen Empire picks up with our Ghostbusters continuing their quest to rid the world of unwanted apparitions. Our younger characters are getting older and wanting more responsibility while making silly mistakes—like kids do. Gary and Callie’s (Rudd and Coon) relationship has expanded as well, and they now all live in the firehouse together as a family with Callie’s adolescent children. Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) is fifteen now and starting to hit that independent age where she is too smart for everything. Trevor ( Finn Wolfhard) is eighteen and trying to pull his weight and make a place for himself.

Our legacy heroes are ever present and even more so than Afterlife. No one can convince me otherwise that Dan Aykroyd isn’t just playing himself, which is fantastic! I expect nothing less from a man who sells Vodka in giant glass skulls and does Extra-Terrestrial podcasts in his downtime. Ernie Hudson has created an empire of wealth and continues paranormal research, including finding new ways to house ghosts and spirits. Murray is still just being Venkeman. Everyone else has expanded their careers and lives, and Peter is just being a wise-cracking, smart-mouthed scientist goof. I would want nothing less from Murray. I think Hudson looks to be in better shape and healthy, which I am happy about as Hudson was a weight lifter early in his career and looks to be taking care of himself. Furthermore, I have been a big fan of Hudson’s for a long time.

Our villain revolves around an ancient and pre-Mesopotamian god that is hell-bent on returning to bring the world into a second ice age. Unfortunately, there isn’t much to him, though. He is terrifying and relentless, but we don’t really get to know him. I was thoroughly interested in some of the other ghosts we only partially see. One such is the creature in the containment unit that almost gets out but never escapes. This film also does a good job of giving us some legitimately creepy moments. Each film always has at least one, but I don’t think anything has ever touched Peter MacNicol in part 2. That hallway eyeball glowing eyes scene has stayed with me for decades. Garakka is solid enough, though.

Phoebe has the most character expansion, though, and that makes the most sense, as it was very clear in Afterlife that she is not your typical teen. She wrestles with being accepted, finding her place with her mother, and discovering more of herself. There are a few things touched upon with her character, but where do you go with a female human and a female ghost that an undead god possesses? I mean, how weird do you want this to get?

But, Ghostbusters isn’t that kind of film. It’s still very much a fun, thrilling family film. Terror and carnage notwithstanding. The comedy still comes in abundance. We still have slime, and we get legacy ghosts that get a scare in, as well as our Ewoks. I mean Gremlins….wait, Our Stay Puft Marshmellow Men return in full. I, for one, enjoy their presence. They belong here. It doesn’t take away from the plot or the seriousness. They just exist and cause mischief.

In many reviewers’ posts, I noticed they mention that the boss battle wraps up fairly quickly and that the overall pacing seems slower. I didn’t really feel that way, as I watch many older films where action and comedic moments are spaced accordingly to make way for long sections of exposition and dialogue. I think Aykroyd did a great job with the pacing, but I also see how they wanted to wrap the film up within two hours. The ending was fine to me. Much older horror, especially British-style horror, usually has an hour or so of build-up with minimal main monster interaction, only to tie up loose ends within 15 minutes. Then BOOM! The credits are rolling.

Frozen Empire very much felt like a companion piece to the Afterlife, and I felt that it achieved the same quality. I didn’t want it to feel like another nostalgia comeback and trip. We already had that with Afterlife, and this builds on that. Bringing all of our main characters back to work together and saving the earth as a team. I am glad they brought back William Atherton as well. He plays a slimy worm so well. It’s great to see Annie Potts back, too! Her who cares attitude is so dry and works perfectly for satire. Having the ghosts in New York is right where they need to be.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire opened this week. This is a weird circumstance, as Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Godzilla and Kong: New Empire, and Kingdom of the Planet of The Apes are all being released this year. Ghosts, monsters, and new worlds abound this year. It’s about time. Let the superheroes rest for a while.