Film: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

When fans hear the word “remake/re-imagine” or even “sequel” attached to a beloved franchise, our intuition tightens as we brace for war. I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that I felt that when I heard about Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Yet, with this sequel of a beloved franchise, not only was my intuition calmed, it was ramped up. This new franchise not only braves a new path forward with a new generation of Ghostbusters, but it honors the original, with a little rabid fan energy thrown in there. There is no sequel slump for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire finds the Spenglers, Phoebe (McKenna Grace), Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), Callie (Carrie Coon), and Gary (Paul Rudd), relocated to New York City to take over the family business. In this sequel, written by Jason Reitman and written-directed by Gil Kenan, the ghost busting of 40 years ago has branched off into new directions. Thanks to Winston’s (Ernie Hudson) philanthropy to advance the science and Stantz’s (Dan Aykroyd) quest to obtain haunted objects, this new age of the business now includes exploration of the ghost realm. However, otherworldly havoc is waiting to cause destruction.

The brilliant thing this re-imaged franchise does so well is that it hasn’t forgotten where it’s come from. If you’ve seen original films in the Ghostbuster-verse, you know what to expect, yet with the new franchise you find yourself still surprised at moments. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire takes the foundation from the originals and Afterlife and expands it, you are comforted by the past (callbacks) yet surprised at the elements of this sequel (new storyline). This is my favorite example of a re-imaged film that calls back original elements without using them as filler for the overall plot. Look, I’m a sucker for callbacks, and when they are done right, the payoff is priceless. 

An example of this is the library ghost. It was a very memorable scene for me from the original, because it scared the crap out of me as a child, and it was fun seeing it in Frozen Empire. These elements make the audience feel included and not pandered to. That’s not to say that you have to be an expert on the originals, but those who are aware are granted a bit of the secret sauce. In a way, I also feel that these little callbacks might be a way for the filmmakers to fill in some gaps and plot holes from before. Yes, it was fun for me to see the ghost, but it also was a ‘yes, of course she’s still there.’ For me, it served two purposes, a fun element for those in the know and moments to add a little depth to the story unfolding.

It’s a little of the old, a lot of the new, and even a sprinkle of the forgotten in between. For me, that’s what was the best about Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Not only was it a good film on its own, with an interesting story and fun action sequences, but it was a robust film that expanded the world we know. Three generations were sewn together in a way that made the film enticing and worth watching. You had the OG cast and the next generation who have taken their baton from Afterlife, but you also have cast members who emit an exuberance for the originals. While having well-known nerds Patton Oswalt and Kumail Nanjiani in notable roles that expand the world of the franchise characters, they also add an admiration to the heart of the film. It only took me out of the film for a second, but I realized that these two are the perfect age to have worshipped these films and forged a career similar to the comedy giants who created them. Uniquely, I believe these two new additions grounded the film. As much as this film is for a younger and new film audience, it is also for the jaded mid-life viewers who missed the heyday of 80s comedy. It reminds you to honor the past while looking forward to the future.

It also helps that Oswalt and Nanjiani are hilarious in their brand of comedy. I am always enthusiastic when I see them cast in a film, even if it’s a blink-and-you-miss-it role. They are energetic and fun actors who bring something unique to the projects they are in. The same goes for Rudd, which is one reason Afterlife was a fun romp, too. He brought humor to an otherwise dark-themed film. The overall humor throughout was tongue-in-cheek and sprinkled appropriately. It enhanced the comedy legacy of the original while also building these new character dynamics. While I love comedy-alt actors, I can’t talk about comedy without mentioning Podcast (Logan Kim). He was my favorite new addition to the Ghostbuster world, and I’m so glad he’s back for Frozen Empire.

A quick note on another great thing about Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the special effects. Holy moly, they were great. I am the first to admit that I’m not a connoisseur of SFX, but I’ve seen enough to know what is good and what needs work. I was impressed with what was created for this film. The design and mixing of the CGI and IRL elements were flawless. If there were any proof or captured videos of ghosts and demented forces, I have a feeling they would want to be represented this way. I knew I was in a screening, absorbing the communal experience happening around me, but I was also praying that the realism of the big bad ice entity didn’t cause nightmares for me as I slept that night.

This film is a part of the Ghostbuster world created in the 80s, so you know what to expect. But Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was more than that, an extension into a brand new sphere. It is an entertaining and humorous film worth seeing in theaters. This film stands on its own but is even better after the romp of Afterlife, and best continuing from the original. It’s equal parts nostalgia and a brave new beginning. It has something or everyone. 

Written by Lisa M Mejia
Images provided by Sony