Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire review – Bustin’ still makes us feel good

Surprisingly creepy and charmingly off-beat, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a fun ghostly romp that’s let down by playing it safe. 

Following the unjust failure of the criminally underrated Ghostbusters (2016), there were fears that Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis’s brainchild was destined for the cinematic containment unit. Thankfully, the modest success of Jason Reitman’s Afterlife at the box office and the film’s positive reviews proved (for the most part) that the Ghostbusters weren’t dead and buried yet. 

Unfortunately, though, with success comes pressure. So when it was announced that the new generation of Ghostbusters would reunite for Frozen Empire, fans wondered if a proton pack could strike twice. Fears were inflamed when Reitman announced he’d be passing the directing baton to Gil Kenan – the man responsible for the reprehensible Poltergeist remake, a film unlikely to make anyone’s list of best horror movies – could the series survive without a Reitman overseeing things?

This review is spoiler-free, but it will reference some plot beats

Back in action

Well, thankfully, the answer is yes, with a few notable caveats. Picking up just a few years after the Spenger family and the original Ghostbusters kicked Gozer’s Sumerian ass back to Hell (or wherever interdimensional conquerors go), Frozen Empire opens with the Ecto-1 tearing through the streets of New York, sirens blaring and proton packs roaring. 

It’s an exciting action sequence to open a film with and seems designed to allay any concerns fans may have that “this isn’t really Ghostbusters’. All the hallmarks of the series are here: bizarre ghosts, the proton packs, the snarky banter. Even better, once it’s all over, we get to see some of the original cast, including William Atherton, who’s back as Walter Peck. 

It’s really fun to watch, and it’ll put a goofy grin on the face of anyone who loves the original film, yet it probably lays bare Frozen Empire’s greatest weakness. It wants to be bold and new, yet it’s hamstrung by a reliance on the familiar, and nowhere is this more of a problem than in its character work. 

Who ya gonna call?

The characters introduced in Afterlife – Gary (Paul Rudd), Phoebe (McKenna Grace), Trevor (Finn Wolfhard — who’s got to be our favorite member of the Stranger Things cast), etc. – are really likable and have a brilliant dynamic. Rudd, in particular, is on top form, tapping into the easy charm that made him such a bankable comedy star. 

Yet the Spenglers, who should be the focus of the film and have the meatiest plots, are competing against the original Ghostbusters and even newer characters who feel like suspiciously similar replacements for characters we’ve already seen before.

Sony Pictures

Now, none of these characters are bad; in fact, they’re quite funny — I’d argue that Kumail Nanjiani’s Nadeem Razmaadi comes dangerously close to stealing the entire show — yet they’re all competing for screentime, and their inclusion means none of the Spenglers really get a chance to shine. 

Even Mckenna Grace, who’s arguably Frozen Empire’s lead and most captivating story gets lost in a bin a blizzard of familiar faces and references to older movies. It’s a shame because what we do see of the family is so great that you can’t help but wonder how brilliant the film could have been if it had given the Spenglers the attention they deserved.

Something Strange in the Neighbourhood

Anyway, speaking of blizzards, the driving force of the plot is a mysterious brass orb (that’s definitely not the Lament Configuration, and any suggestions it is are spurious). This gaudy bauble contains a powerful demon known as Garraka, who, should he be released, will bring about a new ice age.

To quote Peter Venkman it’s all very human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria, but Garraka is arguably one of the coolest things in the movie (pun unintended). There’s a real menace to this frozen fiend, and while ultimately he’s basically an apocalyptic entity in the vein of Gozer, his unique design – which deliberately throws back to the Real Ghostbuster’s cartoon — and incredible powers make him a unique threat to the Ghostbusters. 

In fairness, all the ghosts in Frozen Empire’s ghosts are wonderful. While there’s not a great deal of variety, and the Mini Stay Pufts are back for some inexplicable reason, there’s a laudable weirdness to the new specters that’ll appeal to fans of the off-beat. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that Frozen Empire is at its best when it wholeheartedly embraces the eccentric and eerie. Regrettably, though, outside of the paranormal stuff, there’s a half-heartedness to Frozen Empire that feels like a lack of confidence. 

That’s perhaps most notable during Phoebe’s arc (don’t worry, no spoilers). The youngest Spengler is given a pretty unique storyline, which is different from anything we’ve ever seen in a Ghostbusters movie. It’s interesting and was the beefiest plot in the film, but it fails to resolve in a satisfying way, partly because Phoebne’s got to compete with all the other things going on and partly because Frozen Empire seems to lack some conviction. 

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire review score: 3/5

There are shades of brilliance in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and overall, it’s a good film that proves bustin’ still feels good. It’s got everything a Ghostbusters fan could want, including creepy ghosts, snarky characters, and some hilarious gags, so it’s sure to be a hit. Still, it’s just a shame the film feels so self-conscious at times because when it has the confidence to be bold and brave, it shines brighter than a proton beam. 

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire hits theaters on March 22.

If you want to know how to watch Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire we’ve got you covered, but that’s not all we’ve also explained how many Ghostbusters movies there are, and put together a list of best new movies to stream this month.

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