THE EMPIRE
If you asked me what the best drug is, I’d respond with one answer:
Nostalgia.
Shit’s so powerful that it’s frozen Hollywood in its track as it chases the next thing to bring back from the dead. Yes, that’s a cheeky reference for you. 2 years later and a decent-enough return to cinema with 2022’s Afterlife, does Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire heat up ya trousers or put a chill in your backside?
Somehow it’s both?
Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard and McKenna Grace return, along with bustin’ stalwarts Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson and Bill Murray. Which by any calculation would surmount to some kind of End Game-esque overload, but for the most part works. Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s post-credits moved the Spengler’s back to New York as the ghosts have woken up again like it’s a Crate Day weekend. And someone has to clean up that mess. This allows more cameos to occur, as new castmate Kumail Nanjiani provides the plot. And William Atherton’s ‘Walter Peck’ is back! He’s still a dick, but he might also be right about how bustin’ isn’t actually all that good. Which means even more nostalgia happens! New additions to the Ghostbusters armory help them bust even more, and don’t worry about all this bustin’ folks! I’m just following Rudd’s lead with the fact that bustin’ makes us feel good.
The stakes feel a bit higher than the previous film. I mean, it’s all well and good to meet a world-ending god in Oklahoma. But it didn’t really feel like that was world-ending. With the shift to New York and the necessitation of destruction on hand, it better represents the actual dangers of ghosts remaining on our plane.
Another fine development is a ghost being able to talk. I know! Personality in a ghost, who would have thought. I mean, we saw Ray get assaulted by one in the first film, and Slimer and Venkman seem to have some kind of relationship, but here we see one of our leads get actual plot from one! Maybe Gozer could have had more development in that area?
The special effects are top notch, with the ghosts looking even more like their original 80’s forms. And the proton packs won’t be the only things bustin’ as they make their grand return with even more flair. And hearing that sweet crunch and wind of the containment unit certainly makes for some sweet, sweet aftercare following your bustin’.
Frozen Empire will make enough money to justify another film from the franchise. But if they don’t find real stakes or motives, I’m not sure how much ectoplasm is left in the tank. But boy does bustin’ make me feel good.
It's fine, but it's teetering on an edge which holds the likes of Jurassic World: Dominion and The Rise Of Skywalker. Not the sort of company you want to keep, so hopefully they can figure out how to bust out of it should they get one more film.
Wide Release
Rated PGI'M ABOUT TO BUST!
Pros: Proton Packs. Bustin makes us feel good. Run-time
Cons: No stakes. Reliance on the older team. Bustin?
Sure!
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