GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE – The Red Right Hand Movie Reviews [Matthew Stogdon]

Starring
Mckenna Grace
Paul Rudd
Carrie Coon
Finn Wolfhard
Dan Aykroyd
Kumail Nanjiani

Following the events of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the Spengler family (and Gary Grooberson [Rudd]) have moved to New York to take up both the family business and daily chore of apprehending spooks and spectres. From here, multiple plot points branch out: youngest sibling Phoebe [Grace] is left out due to her age and befriends a local ghost, former Ghostbuster Ray [Akroyd] comes into possession of an ancient orb with huge spectral readings, and Gary and Callie [Coon] are brought in on a wider Ghostbuster operation designed to improve the outdated containment solution. All of which comes together as an ancient evil, Garraka, is unleashed and makes its way toward Ghostbusters HQ set on taking over the world.

Before we go any further, let’s just stick with the writing because what we have here is far too many random plot threads circling throughout, leaving the entire film feeling bloated. Whereas Afterlife felt like a departure from the traditional loose medley of comedic antics, Frozen Empire introduces a cast size it can’t fully deal with – meaning the first half feels like a grab bag of disconnected vignettes. And, most frustratingly, many of these concepts are really engaging and praiseworthy.. were they standalone. So, for example, the idea of ageing ghost containment due to lack of infrastructural foresight and planning is a solid enough base. As is the development of Winston [Ernie Hudson] as a character and his establishment of a broader Ghostbusting industry. But then the film keeps piling on more and more weight and the narrative becomes over-encumbered. Culminating in so many central driving plots that it all devolves into b-plot.

As an ensemble piece, Frozen Empire already had its work cut out for it, juggling and roundly developing the characters we’ve already been introduced to. But then we get a sizeable injection of the original cast, which is predominantly headed by Aykroyd, as well as a whole host of new faces. Now, on the surface, there’s nothing wrong with this sort of expansion, but when you end up overloading the roster, the film mirrors the HQ containment unit; in that it’s overwhelmed and no longer fit for purpose. To my mind, there are two significant points in terms of performance. First we have Mckenna Grace as Phoebe. In Afterlife, she was the absolute heart and soul of the picture and throughout Frozen Empire, she continues to carry the film with an emotionally mature aptitude. Her frustrations at being the most intelligent member of the crew but excluded due to her age, as well as befriending a random ghost because she feels displaced from the family group, are both relatable and engrossing. The second, more obscure performance, is actually an omission. See, in Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II and even Ghostbusters: Answer The Call, New York itself plays an unspoken role. Where else could a story like this take place? What kind of aggressive, rundown metropolis could be infested with ghosts and that ends up being the least of its problems? But New York here could be any city, there’s no personality present and it feels represented in name only.

So, once again, we have to ask ourselves that all important question: who are these films for? Looking back they don’t make a huge dent at the box office, they’re pitched to young people but the core fanbase swings between the fiercely die-hard and foaming-mouth extremism. And rather than moving things forward, the entire franchise is so painfully nailed to a forty year old release, with callbacks and fan service that slam the brakes and suck the air out of the room for a handful of older fans to riotously applaud. And, I’m not necessarily opposed to this sort of self-indulgence – on occasion, I’m right there cheering along – but it has to be deployed cleverly and sparingly. Two words that Frozen Empire genuinely struggles with. And that’s before we get onto the issues of the world-building in these movies, which has never made sense. New York has documented examples of life after death and the Statue of Liberty strolling through the streets but this all feels somewhat commonplace. Not to mention the fact that, somehow, despite the infinite storytelling possibilities, the plot, without fail, devolves back to ‘big bad arrives to let all the ghosts out.’ Every single time.

Now, that isn’t to say the film is a comprehensive write-off, there are still a great many aspects that are noteworthy. The production design, direction and cinematography are all impressive, and Dario Marianelli’s score combines the plinky rhythms and sinister strings from Elmer Bernstein’s original compositions, while adding his own flair. It’s all technically satisfying but Frozen Empire is such a bombardment of ideas and loose threads, that it all feels hollow. It’s hard for an audience to latch onto anything or anyone of significance before they’re sidelined for a sizeable amount of the runtime. So, if you’re one of the fans who genuinely enjoyed themselves and are scrunching up your face, furiously waiting to retort, know that I’m not saying this is an offensively bad movie. Far from it. It’s simply a squandered opportunity that appears to have been conjured into existence solely and brazenly to elicit a profit. And, sure, you can’t beat a dead horse but you can strap on a proton pack and try to get something from its ghost.

Release Date:
22 March 2024

The Scene To Look Out For:
This may sound a little odd, but midway through the movie, it’s revealed that Winston has been secretly working on a new facility to house the imprisoned ghosts. Not only that, it’s a veritable Q-branch of new tech ideas and interns working on how to improve the act of ghostbusting. Here’s my problem: it’s entirely inferior in scope and design to the iconic firehouse, and most of the technology hinted at is barely utilised. Making the entire setup a bit of a damp squib, rather than a reinvigoration of the operation – which, if you needed a fitting comparison for these movies, look no further.

Notable Characters:
We need to talk about Walter Peck and media literacy. See, in the original Ghostbusters, Peck [William Atherton] was an inspector who worked for the city. This made him an antagonist to the leads and therefore a villain. Whereas, in reality, he’s often correct. As such, bringing him back here for fan service purposes, intent on eradicating the Ghostbusters once and for all, is a bit odd. Namely because Peck has now been elevated to the office of Mayor and the script doesn’t have the sense or wherewithal to appreciate that when he says “you can’t have a minor hanging out of a speeding car operating unsafe equipment in New York” he is, once again, RIGHT!

Highlighted Quote:
“This building is the finger in the dam. It’s the fortification between what we know and what we don’t.”

In A Few Words:
“A painfully unwieldy overstuffed affair that feels both corporate and generic.”

Total Score: 2/5

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