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On the plus side, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” doesn’t have to be shy about including members of the original cast 40 years later, having sought to make it a surprise with the 2021 release. “Future life.” However, having them around creates a busy film that lacks the emotional hook of its predecessor, while spending too much time on the wrong characters in a way that produces a rather cold and lifeless affair.
If the first film focused on the daughter (Carrie Coon) and grandchildren (Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace) of the late Egon Spengler coming to terms with his ghostbusting legacy – and the former’s new boyfriend in the form of Gary (Paul Rudd) – the second stagnates. on issues of teenagers and new supporting players, without giving his senior class much to do.
In fact, Bill Murray was always the comic heart of the 80s editions, and although he answered the call (apparently without much enthusiasm), his time in front of the screen turns out to be regrettably brief.
In fact, the entire film has a slightly scattered feel, taking too long to establish the nature of the latest supernatural threat and devoting its greatest source of tension to brilliant 15-year-old Phoebe (Grace), who feels underappreciated, in a tone petulant she -adolescent, as well as adjusting to her and Gary’s mother’s nebulous relationship.
Sony Photos
Bill Murray reprises his role, briefly, in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.”
Said threat involves an artifact that contains the key to unleashing a destructive being capable of freezing the world. The item was inherited by Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani), who just wants to cash in on his grandmother’s collection, but reluctantly becomes involved in the plot.
After the connection of Jason Reitman directing the last film, taking over from his father, Ivan Reitman – Gil Kenan sits in the director’s chair this go-round, again sharing credit with Reitman on the screenplay. (The film carries a dedication to Iván, who died in 2022).
Despite the abundance of references to the original – and the participation of Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and William Atherton – “Frozen Empire” is too mechanical to be consistently presented as a source of nostalgia. Similarly, the origins of the Spenglers – and using them as a means of paying tribute to the deceased Harold Ramis – simply worked better than the family’s current situation, collectively and individually.
Of course, the cast is too talented not to conjure up some fun moments, but it’s hard to escape the feeling of a film that sleepwalks through the old neighborhood rather than playfully strolling down memory lane.
For all that, it’s unlikely we’ve seen the last of “Ghostbusters,” but “Frozen Empire” at best feels like a slightly warmed-up version of the concept.
“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” opens in theaters in the United States on March 22. It is rated PG-13.