Following the success of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” Sony green-lit a sequel with the OG cast and new cast in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” This time, our heroes join forces to square off against a powerful god with the power to manipulate cold weather. The latest installment is out in theaters. Unlike Afterlife, this one earned mixed reviews. I rewatched all Ghostbusters movies and played the 2009 video game to gear up for Frozen Empire.
This review contains crucial SPOILERS.
Alive & Dead Aspects
Alive: The Cast from previous installments reprise their roles. They all did a great job for their respective performances.
Kumail Nanjiani did a solid job for his performance as Nadeem. A descendent of a pyrokinetic hero who stopped the bad guy many centuries ago.
William Atherton reprises his role as Walter Peck from the first movie. Like the aforementioned original, Peck has a legit point the Ghostbusters are carrying hazardous equipment endangering public lives.
Practical and Visual Effects were used effectively.
Cinematography was shot carefully.
Patton Oswalt makes a brief appearance.
Slimer makes his return. He went AWOL in the previous entry.
The movie dedicates Ivan Reitman’s memory. Before he died, this was the last movie he produced.
Dead: Gil Kilman (Monster House) did a bad job directing. He co-wrote the script with Jason Reitman. The latter didn’t bother to craft a proper story.
Peter Venkman doesn’t appear that much. He has less screen time than Ray Stantz & Winston Zeddmore.
Sigourney Weaver & Rick Moranis’ characters, Dana & Louis are never mentioned. There’s no explanation for their absence. I get it, Rick retired from the public life and Sigourney’s busy filming her scenes for James Cameron’s upcoming “Avatar” sequels. What about their characters’ whereabouts? In the words of Christian Bale’s Batman… “Where are they!?”
I didn’t care about Phoebe’s friendship with ghost girl, Melody. You know what I give a crud about? The old and new crew sharing screen time together.
I don’t find Garraka scary. He looks like a cross between Lord Voldemort & Squidward.
Don’t expect NYC frozen after the end of Act One. When I saw a trailer, I was under the impression both old and new characters join forces to find a way to thaw the city. The actual cause is Phoebe temporarily becomes a ghost for two minutes so she can spend time with Melody. The latter is in cahoots with Garraka. Melody betrays Phoebe by letting Garraka unleash his full power causing the city to become frozen.
I liked Phoebe in the last movie. However, she’s unlikable and bratty. Sony, Gil & Jason done Phoebe dirty. They made her an unsympathetic dumbass by making her become a close friend (possibly lesbian) to Melody. Has nothing to do with being ambiguously lesbian. The problem is in fact, Phoebe temporarily kills herself to hang out with Melody. I just told you before, Phoebe unwittingly causes Garraka to freeze the city. I’m Tripling Down Points for Sony and the writers turning Egon’s gifted granddaughter into an oblivious dumbass, false adverting over a frozen city and lack of a team-up with the old and new characters. What a cop out!
Afterlife’s theme of family worked, but in Frozen Empire, it didn’t work. We already know Phoebe, Trevor, Callie & Gary. We get it, there a dysfunctional family. Focus on capturing more ghosts, less bickering.
Plot Hole 1 – When Phoebe entering the lab at night, how come there’s no security or guards working night shift?
Plot Hole 2 – Nobody shivers or feels miserably cold.
The final scene ends with the new crew chasing Slimer. Blatant sequel bait in a nutshell. Sony’s desperate to cash in on a franchise.
A Mid-Credits Scene features mini-Stay Pufts stealing a truck full of Stay Puft Marshmallows. Sony’s trying too hard setting up a sequel. They never learn milking “Spider-Man” characters getting their own movie. “Madame Web” flopped big time.
The Final Verdict: F, FOR FAKER
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a cold-hearted blunder lacking a blanket to keep me warm. It’s not McKenna Grace’s fault. She tried her best. I blame Sony and the writers. The latest Ghostbusters movie the second worst of the series. The 2016 reboot remains horrendously bad taking the top spot worse than Frozen Empire. Skip this in favor of the upcoming “Godzilla and Kong: The New Empire.” I hope its not a big pile of dog poop. Heck, buy a popcorn bucket of Slimer at any AMC Theater. Don’t forget to try out a Slimer themed Icee.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 