There’s Something Strange in the Neighborhood and the Spengler Family is Here to Answer the Call
DIRECTED BY GIL KENAN/2024
When I was growing up, my parents raised me on the iconic films they watched when they were young. Eventually, my dad sat me in front of the television and put in Ghostbusters, and I was entranced by a fun story of kooky scientists and strange spirits.
Though hardly a perfect work by any means, it is impossible to contest that there is a fanbase that absolutely adores the Ghostbusters. In an effort to return the favor, I brought my father along with me to the newest addition to the Ghostbusters collection. Unfortunately, this film fails to reach the standard set decades ago by its predecessor. The final project is not necessarily a terrible film, but only if the audience can keep mentally separate it from its beloved roots.
In Frozen Empire, the film relocates its cast from a small town to the iconic firehouse in New York City. The Spengler family, plus Gary Grooberson (played brilliantly by Paul Rudd), are now busting ghosts professionally. While they take to the streets to handle the dirty work, the original crew focuses their efforts on extending their research on the paranormal. Predictably, all of their lives are thrown into chaos when an ancient spiritual evil escapes into the living world. Like most franchise films nowadays, the cookie-cutter plot flows along at a predictable pace that at least provides enough entertainment to keep the viewer invested until the credits roll.
Perhaps the major flaw of this film is the extensive list of characters. Not only is the original cast from Ghostbusters: Afterlife still present, but director Gil Kenan (co-writer of this film and of Afterlife) has added even more to his strange crew to the point that it feels impossibly crowded. Certain characters feel almost forgotten halfway through the action and screentime distribution fluctuates wildly.
However, director Kenan has taken this chance to correct perhaps the greatest weaknesses of Afterlife. The original Ghostbusters (Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and a promoted Annie Potts) have upgraded from singular scene for nostalgia purposes to become characters that are relevant to the plot. In particular, Dan Aykroyd steps in his role as Ray Stantz as if it were the ’80s again. McKenna Grace also delivers a wonderfully enjoyable performance as Phoebe Spengler. Grace remains weirdly charming while somehow not buckling under the weight of carrying majority of the film.
As a casual fan of the original, I believe that the true beauty of Ghostbusters was its casual refusal to take itself too seriously. In this age of filmmaking, multi-million-dollar movies have lost this sense of creative freedom. If anything, Frozen Empire is a family film that gives parents a chance to share their memories of the 80s with their kids.