Top 5 Best and Worst Things About Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

After refusing to make another “Ghostbusters” movie for years, Bill Murray is finally embracing the franchise… sort of. In “Afterlife,” he showed up for the grand finale and a throwback to Peter Venkman’s ESP test. Having been prominently featured in the advertising, we hoped that Murray would play a larger role in “Frozen Empire.” Once again, though, he only appears in two significant scenes: the climax and another callback to the ESP test, although Murray apparently shot another scene that isn’t in the finished film. We can’t be too mad since Venkman does bring the laughs during his limited screen time, which is more than can be said about an extended Murray cameo in a different Paul Rudd sequel. Still, we needed more Venkman one-liners.

Even if Murray is underutilized, it’s a blast seeing him suit up with Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson again with Annie Potts also getting in on the action. William Atherton even returns as Walter Peck for another insult. Beyond the nostalgia of reuniting these actors, the original Ghostbusters play off their younger counterparts well. You can tell that Aykroyd is passionate about passing the proton pack to the next generation with Ray serving as a mentor figure. At the same time, Ray isn’t ready to give up Ghostbusting yet. It would’ve been nice to see Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis, but with this cast already being pretty stacked, we guess they aren’t essential. It’s a solid balance between the legends and the new class.

Modern “Ghostbusters” movies have struggled to balance high concepts with humor. In the 2016 reboot, everyone tried a little too hard to crack us up with less than half of the jokes hitting their target. Comedy took a backseat in “Afterlife,” although you could argue that was fitting given the film’s smaller, more personal story and the grief surrounding Harold Ramis’ death. With “Frozen Empire,” it feels like the filmmakers wanted to get back into the old school “Ghostbusters” groove, but the comedy doesn’t land like it did in the 1984 film. There are smiles and clever references, but even with the inclusion of comedic talents like Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt, there aren’t many lines people will be repeating years from now.

While comedy is a major component of “Ghostbusters,” people often forget that supernatural horror is another key factor. From the demonic dogs to the ghost nanny, the first two movies were full of moments that creeped us out as kids. Yet, it was the kind of thrill that we got from going out on Halloween. “Afterlife” brought these darker aspects back and “Frozen Empire” continues to deliver the scares without skimping on the fun. Young viewers will gleefully cover their eyes every so often and while adults probably won’t jump out of their seats, the film is draped in an eerie, appropriately cold atmosphere that 80s kids will appreciate. With so many family movies playing it safe nowadays, we’re glad “Ghostbusters” hasn’t lost its edge.

“Ghostbusters: Afterlife” was a surprisingly emotional legacy sequel, culminating with a touching tribute to Harold Ramis. With Ivan Reitman passing away shortly after that film’s release, we expected “Frozen Empire” to have another tear-jerking sentiment. While “Frozen Empire” is dedicated to Reitman’s memory, his presence isn’t felt here like Ramis’ was in the previous movie. The family dynamics that drove “Afterlife” are still present, but they aren’t as fleshed out with the Spenglers having to share screen time with several side characters. We wouldn’t say the film was made without heart, as this franchise clearly means a lot to director Gil Kenan and co-writer Jason Reitman. There just isn’t a strong or consistent emotional core that’ll lift your spirits from start to finish.

Although Summerville, Oklahoma provided a refreshing change of scenery, we’re glad to be back in the Big Apple. The New York backdrop emphasizes that this is a bigger story with the action and spectacle naturally being upped too. We open with an invigorating car chase that possesses the classic “Ghostbusters” charm while also incorporating modern technology like drones. As far as large-scale set pieces go, there isn’t anything as iconic as a giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man or a walking Statue of Liberty. Once we get to the titular Frozen Empire, though, it is a chilling visual marvel with an intimidating threat for our heroes to go up against. The effects don’t upstage the characters, which is where our main investment lies.

While the film builds to hell on earth freezing over as promised, much of what we see in the trailer is reserved for the third act. To get to the titular Frozen Empire, we have to sit through a lot of exposition that’s more confusing than engaging. To be fair, the first movie also had a complicated, borderline bonkers lore. Even if you didn’t follow everything about Gozer and Zuul, though, the original “Ghostbusters” always held our attention with its humor and endearing characters. Here, “Frozen Empire” takes itself a tad too seriously and while the characters are immensely likable, there’s one too many of them to keep track of. The climactic payoff is satisfying, but getting there can sometimes feel like watching ice melt.

In addition to returning favorites like Slimer and the Mini Stay Puft Men, there are a few new creative ghosts for the team to bust in “Frozen Empire.” Although some get more screen time than others, they’re all given cool designs that range from menacing to merchandise-worthy. These ghosts supply the film with a Saturday morning cartoon quality, and we mean that as the highest compliment. At times, “Frozen Empire” took us back to watching “The Real Ghostbusters,” which could go to places the live-action movies couldn’t due to the technical limitations at the time. There are no limits now, however. Yet, the most interesting ghost is also the most human with Emily Alyn Lind turning in a breakthrough performance as the fiery Melody.

Between “Afterlife” and “Frozen Empire,” Mckenna Grace’s Phoebe is probably the most consistently good element… except for one scene. Faster than you can say, “convenient plot device,” the Ghostbusters invent a machine that can separate a spirit from its physical form, essentially allowing the living to temporarily become ghosts. Although this is an intriguing idea, it’s only utilized in one scene, and unfortunately, it’s one that requires Phoebe to uncharacteristically act stupid. We get that she’s going through teen angst and even the smartest people can have lapses in judgment, but we didn’t buy that Phoebe would make a decision this wreckless or that the research center wouldn’t have better security. While Phoebe redeems herself afterward, it’s hard to swallow how forced this moment feels.

Despite our issues with that last scene, everything else surrounding this ghost and ghostbuster provides a much-needed spark. As we saw with Egon in “Afterlife,” not every ghost is a nuisance. Some have unfinished business. “Frozen Empire” evolves this idea with Melody, who develops an absorbing friendship (and maybe more) with Phoebe. We do wish the film had gone further with this relationship and expanded Melody’s role. We like Kumail Nanjiani, but the film could’ve cut out his character and made Melody the Fire Lord. Missed opportunities aside, the chemistry between these actresses couldn’t be sweeter, taking the franchise to places it hasn’t explored before. In their dynamic, we see the potential for a great “Ghostbusters” movie in what’s ultimately a hot and cold one.

What did you think of “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire?” Let us know in the comments!