Temptation certainly arises to react melodramatically when a franchise unveils abysmal “content”. Donning sackcloth, smearing oneself with ashes, and lamenting about cinema’s doom no longer becomes an exaggeration. However, one must remember that there are films more intolerable than Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (no other film in this year has received a harsher critique from me). The sector does continue to create exceptional mainstream amusement despite this detestable mess perfectly exemplifying the current issues with the Hollywood industry.
Do you remember Ghostbusters, an engaging chunk of 80s rubbish that swiftly exited the big screen after one largely woeful sequel? The people in charge of the 2016 all-female revival caught the idea and, in spite of its errors, created an exciting divertissement that didn’t claim to follow up on anything as crucial as The Godfather Part II.
That wasn’t bound to last though. Ghostbusters: Afterlife, released in 2021, had some good bits, but this ‘ahem’ tribute was tiresome. This over earnestness is lightly acknowledged in a more animated sequel which relocates the formerly Oklahoman Spengler family – the daughter and granddaughter of Harold Ramis’s deceased character – back to the initial New York City firehouse location.
Along with the overly competent Carrie Coon as the mother Callie, Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace are back as the kids Trevor and Phoebe, with Paul Rudd playing Callie’s partner. All of them are prepared to defend the city from extradimensional slime assaults and animate possession of huge landmarks.
The experience is like straining your eyes on an optical illusion, where everything seems like a random array of dots. What’s the enjoyment I’m supposed to find here? It has a semblance of a plot. Kumail Nanjiani appears as a scavenger of used junk who stumbles upon a haunted sphere supposedly from the Central Asian nation of McGuffinstan (not actually). If you’re finding it tricky to understand who’s coming back from which celestial dimension to cause what sort of chaos, Patton Oswalt is on hand to provide an explanation, albeit more tedious than anything Ian McKellen had to deliver in The Da Vinci Code. The story consists of a mixture of magical antlers and urban disasters, coupled with an implicit question, “Is this good enough?”
The narrative merely functions to delve into the “lore” and bring back some familiar old faces. Before long, Bill Murray (who always appears disinterested, making it hard to critique his manner here), Dan Aykroyd (agreeable as a more forlorn Ray), and Ernie Hudson (seemingly the most committed of the old crew) are back in front of the lens. The bubbly secretary role is reprised by Annie Potts while William Atherton again plays the grumpier opponent. Fans of dry British humourist James Acaster might be taken aback seeing him make his debut as a consultant well-versed in ghostly jargon, but he manages to avoid disgrace.
The emphasis on younger characters implies the movie studio markets Frozen Empire as a family film. The continual need to tick all the boxes is wearying. At the heart of the story, Paul Rudd’s character, Gary Grooberson, who used to be the kids’ tutor, makes an earnest effort to connect with young Phoebe, a troubled youth. In a subplot that almost hits the mark, she develops a deep bond with a young ghost, who was of her age when she died. The ghost’s behaviour seems to suggest a queer narrative. There’s a hint of a more captivating story here, but every time it nears an emotional peak, the plot takes another turn towards the attack of the green goo creatures and lacks credibility due to pseudo-scientific explanations. Characters resort to the term “quantum mechanics” in an attempt to quell any concerns regarding the movie’s uneasy dealings with the paranormal.
The emphasis on the younger generation indicates that the studio perceives Frozen Empire as a film geared towards families, mimicking the feel of the original Ghostbusters. Its appeal to a younger demographic, facilitating a successful animation series, was a result of its light-hearted tone, not taking itself too seriously. However, this reminiscing, this nostalgia for the past, doesn’t benefit anyone. It’s akin to a 1984 children’s movie trying to pique interest in the in-depth history and lore of Abbott and Costello. We all ought to progress from the past.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will be screening in cinemas starting Friday, March 22nd.