Movie Review: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Premise: The Spengler family returns to the iconic New York City firehouse where the original Ghostbusters have taken ghost-busting to the next level. When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must unite to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.
Another Ghostbusters movie is here! Titled “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” this film is a sequel to “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (2021), which introduced new characters and took place in Oklahoma, far away from the familiar confines of New York City. While many viewers thought “Afterlife” was disappointing, I enjoyed it. Quite frankly, I believe that “Afterlife” is a worthy sequel to the 1984 classic and will only grow in reputation. Unfortunately, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Overall, it’s a dud, an early frontrunner for the most disappointing movie of the year.
Good films allow characters to be active and memorable, not inactive and forgettable. In both “Ghostbusters” (1984) and “Afterlife” (2021), characters are well defined and each one leaves their mark on the overall story. “Frozen Empire” does absolutely nothing to enhance the characters. They are reduced to being expository vessels, explaining the ins and outs of a frustrating narrative. Since there is so much exposition, the film should be called “Ghosbusters: Expository Empire.” Heck, maybe “Frozen Empire” is the right title, since the characters don’t have a pulse.
Whereas “Afterlife” moves with a purpose and feels like an independent family drama early on, “Frozen Empire” is obsessed with its weightless mythology and awful pacing. The over abundance of characters and storylines bog down the narrative. Most of the characters fail to make an impact due to their limited narrative situations. There are even many frustrating “fake out” scenes. Often times, the narrative appears to be ramping up to something interesting, but then it goes back to its expository roots, spoon feeding us information while we wait for the plot to become entertaining.
With all the buildup and explanations, one would think that the film’s main villain would be difficult to beat. In the third act, the villain finally arrives and unleashes a frozen empire but is easily taken out by the Ghostbusters. There’s no point in having a villain if he or she can be taken out with ease. There should be a legitimate struggle between good and evil that ups the stakes and enhances the tension. Sadly, “Frozen Empire” just wants to give us a bunch of pointless setups with no payoff whatsoever. During the final battle, the heroes are statues. They stand around with nothing to do and fail to live up to their potential. What is the point of them being there if they do not serve a purpose? Good storytelling finds things for characters to do and allows them to standout within the narrative.
In closing, to say that I am disappointed with “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” is a massive understatement. In this film, there are many great actors with an abundance of dramatic and comedic power, but not even they can overcome bad storytelling. I’m not sure if there will be another installment in this series, but if there is, I hope the filmmakers craft a story that is worthy of these actors. Even though he completely missed the mark with “Frozen Empire,” I am pulling for director and co-writer Gil Kenan. He is a talented filmmaker who has a history of successfully combining horror and kid friendly elements, and I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing him return to the series. Regardless, creatives and studio heads need to keep this in mind: “If you are going to make a Ghostbusters film, do it right or don’t do it at all.”
My Grade: F
