Legacy sequels have been a priority for studios since the release of Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens in 2015. Successful franchises ranging from “The Terminator” and “Scream” to “Jurassic Park” are being revived.
Attracting new fans while serving old ones requires a delicate balance. The 2016 all-female reboot of “Ghostbusters” is primarily about: do not have do this.
Unlike “Star Wars,” “Ghostbusters” seems to be in the hands of people who truly love the series and understand what makes it special.
Sony Pictures learned from that mistake and returned five years later with Ghostbusters: Afterlife. This is a legitimate sequel to the original two films, which originally focused on Egon Spengler’s daughter and her grandson, played by the late Harold Ramis. The film was a considerable hit among audiences, collecting $204.3 million against a budget of $75 million.
Clear eyes, perfect ghost trap
As a lifelong “Ghostbusters” fan, “Afterlife” was an unexpected gift to me, as I had no idea the series would be revived since its 2016 release. Only for him to receive the next installment in 3 years? I’m as happy as Slimer in a hot dog cart.
While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Afterlife or the 1984 original, there’s plenty to enjoy in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.
The film follows the Spengler family (McKenna Grace’s Phoebe, Finn Wolfhard’s Trevor, and Carrie Coon’s Callie) and seismologist Gary Gruberson (Paul Rudd) as they travel to New York City to take on their roles as the new Ghostbusters. It depicts the return to the city.
After Phoebe causes extensive damage while driving Ecto-1 on duty, Mayor Walter Peck (William Atherton) decides to bench her until she becomes a legal adult. Needless to say, Phoebe doesn’t take kindly to this, and her attempts to circumvent her prohibitions have no shortage of tension for her.
Meanwhile, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) receives a mysterious artifact with an abnormally high PKE level. It turns out to be the containment chamber of Galaka, an ancient being with the power to unleash the “chill of death” on the world and cause a second ice age.
When Galaka escapes from prison, Ghostbusters old and new team up to save the world from deep freeze.
crossed streams
Along the way, we get stories of coming of age (Trevor wants to prove himself), struggles with mortality (Ray and Winston Zeddemore, played by Ernie Hudson, struggle with how to spend their golden years) ), and the friendship that develops between Phoebe and a ghost named Melody (Emily Alyn Lind).
Herein lies the biggest problem with The Frozen Empire. The movie has too many plots and characters to do justice to it. Plus, Podcast (Logan Kim), Lucky (Celeste O’Connor), Dr. Lars Pinfield (James Acaster), Nadeem Razmadi (Kumail Nanjiani), Hubert Waltski (Patton Oswalt), and more. A number of supporting characters also attract attention. .
I’m not saying it’s a bad movie. The movie manages to bring you the expected combination of laughs, action, and nostalgia. McKenna Grace’s role as Phoebe remains outstanding, as does Rudd’s portrayal of a man who tries to be a strong and loving father figure. The original “Ghostbusters” were characters who worked in both comedy and drama. Among The Frozen Empire’s overstuffed cast, Rudd’s Gruberson is the only one who pulls it off.
As for the original cast, after their satisfying send-off in “Afterlife,” I was ready to let them go forever. But I have to admit that seeing Aykroyd, Hudson and especially Bill Murray (in great form) pick up a proton pack once again was a treat I won’t soon forget. It would have been nice to see Annie Potts too – if only they had given her more to do.
dog and cat living together
This film is not recommended for children under the age of 13, as it contains suggestive sexual references and truly horrifying images throughout. “Frozen Empire” can’t help but hint at the possibility that Phoebe and Melody’s friendship is a romance, but it keeps it very subtle, especially for those who aren’t looking for it. Either way, it’s a story that doesn’t make much sense.
This small gesture of “updating” the series for the 2024 obsession is notable in a film that otherwise doesn’t pander to the DEI brigade. Unlike “Star Wars,” “Ghostbusters” seems to be in the hands of people who truly love this world and understand that it’s something special. There are no axes to sharpen here, nothing that invites racism, sexism, or misogyny.
“Frozen Empire” also pays proper respect to its elders. While Star Wars felt the need to downplay the beloved traditional trio of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa, both the filmmakers and Next Generation’s characters were decidedly in favor of the OG cast. is highly valued.
A little humility goes a long way. For fans who don’t mind overlooking the occasional lack of focus, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire provides solid entertainment. Who would have expected it: After 40 years, Bastin can still make you feel good. Some simple pleasures never go out of style.
