Bullet Points: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
It is hard to believe that it has nearly been four decades since Ghostbusters ruled the Summer of 1984.
Ghostbusters was not only #1 at the box office that summer, the theme song by Ray Parker Jr. also topped the Billboard charts for three consecutive weeks. Ghostbusters t-shirts were everywhere, everybody was talking about it. There was no escaping the fact that busting was making the world feel good!
Now nearly 40 years after the release of Ghostbusters comes the latest from the franchise, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire…
- Nostalgia: The movie starts off hot with some Ghostbusting action from our modern day Ghostbusters, Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon), her two teenage kids Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace) and Callie’s love interest Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd). Busting may make one feel good, but it also causes a lot of property damage… something that doesn’t sit well with the Mayor of New York City and longtime Ghostbusters detractor Walter Peck (or Dickless for those in the know). Going in I wondered if William Atherton was going to reprise his role and the movie did not make me wait long to find out the answer. Atherton was the first bit of nostalgia thrown in as Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire kept strolling down memory lane throughout the course of the film with the inclusion of Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and of course Peter Venkman himself Bill Murray… and I can’t forget about Slimer!
- Make or Break: McKenna Grace’s Phoebe Spengler is the main character of the movie and this creative choice will likely be the most divisive aspect of the film as the reactions begin to hit social media later this week. Depending on how strongly you feel about the Phoebe character, one way or the other, will likely make or break the movie for you. But there is no doubt that Phoebe and the decisions that she makes are the catalyst for everything that happens in the movie. She is the straw that stirs the drink…. For me after the hot start, all the teen angst cooled the movie off considerably, which is somewhat ironic since the storyline involves an ancient ghost that wants to bring upon a second ice age on Earth.
- Strong Finish: While the middle of the movie dragged a bit… the movie does finish strong as the action picks up and the visual effects get to shine. It does not take long to figure out that the new generation and the old school Ghostbusters will have to work together along with some major help from new characters introduced to the franchise in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire to battle the “tall, dark and horny” ancient ghost in an attempt to not only save New York City, but save the world!
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire packs a nostalgia punch fitting for the franchise’s 40th Anniversary… and while I am guessing this one won’t capture the unbelievable magic of the original and be the #1 film at the box office for 2024, it was still fun seeing Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore suit up one more time in their golden years! I am sure the hope is that this new generation of Ghostbusters fans will fall in love with the new generation of Ghostbusters, as they clearly leave the door open for more Ghostbusting adventures to come.
I will end this review with a prediction… if they make another Ghostbusters movie in 2064, Paul Rudd will look exactly as he looks in 2024.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire officially hits theaters on March 22nd.
