Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire feels like the first real Ghostbusters Sequels since 1989 Ghostbusters II, Although this is not the case. In the meantime, We have 2016 Respond to the call, A controversial and largely irrelevant entry.And in 2021 afterlife, A brave, well-intentioned effort This had to simultaneously set the stage for a new generation of Ghostbusters while also appealing to fans of the classics. Now that all these pieces are in place, frozen empireGhostbusters immediately hits the ground running, delivering on the promise of all its predecessors: a new team of Ghostbusters, on the old turf of New York, helping the old team save the world from something huge and horrific.It often favors tone and attitude over advancing story, which can slow things down, but this tone and attitude nails an indescribable feeling Ghostbusters movie, even with its set of problems.
frozen empire Achieve this feeling by finding a delicate and delightful balance between the past, present and even the future. Nostalgia for the original film runs throughout, while a powerful new villain rises from centuries ago. As the Ghostbusters, families must come together as they deal with the problems of modern life. The concept of what Ghostbusters is and could be is also explored in the movie. Some of these ideas work better than others, and there are some glaring problems, especially near the end, but the entire movie is constructed as a love letter to the world of Ghostbusters, even at the expense of pacing, logic And at the expense of the characters.Basically, if you’re like me, you’re Ghostbusters And everything that goes with it, these issues take a back seat because this movie is so entertaining.
after the incident afterlifeWinston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) gives the original Ghostbusters firehouse in New York to Carly (Kelly Coon), the Spengler family, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace). The family now lives there, and with the help of Kelly’s boyfriend Gary (Paul Rudd), they brought the Ghostbusters back.This happened almost immediately, throwing us right back into the family-forward fun that was afterlife. Honestly, it would have been great if this movie was just two hours of the Spengler family driving around and hunting ghosts, so that’s a huge plus no matter when it happens.
frozen empire Also spent a fair amount of time with the original Ghostbusters: Winston, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and, to a lesser extent, Peter Venkman (Bill Murray). We see how they continue to work together and keep their Ghostbusters ideas alive, thanks in large part to Winston’s vast resources. However, these people know better than most that exterminating ghosts is not an exact science. When the Spenglers run into trouble in the city, Phoebe is forced to stop working with the team.
Phoebe spends her free time befriending a teenage ghost named Melody (Emily Alyn Lind). Seeing a guy and a ghost just be friends is a big shift, but not everything lands. For example, there’s an unspoken romance that feels almost deliberately implicit rather than explicit. Nonetheless, through their relationship, frozen empire just do something Ghostbusters Movies once did: actually talk about the fact that these people live in a world where we know ghosts exist! By Phoebe and Melody, frozen empire Discuss larger concepts like the afterlife, what it’s like to be a ghost, and more. It’s not essential to the plot or anything, but these welcome additions give the movie some much-needed heft and a real sense of evolution for the series.
But make no mistake, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Not a serious reflection on death. It’s mostly about killing ghosts, and it approaches the problem from a few different directions. There’s action, there’s mystery, and there’s investigation. Additionally, some of the best moments come from the way writers Gil Kenan (who also serves as director) and Jason Reitman (who also serves as producer) come up with ways to advance the series’ core ideas. This movie assumes that 1984 Ghostbusters technology is now obsolete, right? What new ways, if any, are there to capture or control ghosts? Does Ghostbusters have to be just one set?
A lot of thought was put into weaving in these winks and nods throughout the story, most of which centered around Phoebe. Her standout performance clearly shows that Kenan and Reitman knew this character was the best part of the last movie, and Grace doesn’t disappoint. But now, as a mature teen, Phoebe is struggling with her mom, herself, and her place in the world.She’s not as funny as she used to be afterlifebut she’s more layered, interesting, and ultimately more heroic.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for others in the movie, and there are there are many others in this movie. With the focus primarily on Phoebe, almost everyone else decides to take a back seat with a very narrow perspective. Gary struggled with his unclear role in the Spengler family. Carly is at odds with Phoebe while trying to keep everyone together. Trevor feels like he’s not being respected because he’s an adult now. frozen empire even squeeze afterlife Actors Logan King (who plays the podcast) and Celeste O’Connor (who plays Lucky) are back as every Oklahoma resident has somehow found a convenient way to get close to the New York Spinners The Gullers’ method. It can be disappointing to see this large cast largely underutilized, especially as they all stand there awkwardly in the final scene, but when a ghost needs exterminating or a plot needs explaining, Everyone has at least some role to play.
Dan Aykroyd’s Ray is an exception. Ray has always been the second-best character in Ghostbusters, but Bill Murray didn’t appear in the movie much, frozen empire There was a real opportunity to show him in a way that other movies didn’t. We understand Ray’s insecurities, his dreams, and his ambitions. And, as you might imagine, Aykroyd is more than up to the task. You can almost see the joy and pride radiating from him every time he’s on screen. He’s been waiting for this moment his entire life, both for the actor and his character.
With Ray and Phoebe – two of the funniest people in the series – as the focus, you can imagine frozen empire very funny. However, it is not. The film is fun and humorous, but unfortunately lacks the big laughs you’d expect from a cast and crew of this caliber. Paul Rudd gives it his all and the additions of James Acaster, Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt are smart , but of the three, only Nanjiani was given a truly substantive job. Thankfully, he gives a solid performance, but he can’t carry the entire movie as a supporting character.
Another big problem is frozen empire It was the third act that felt very rushed and confusing. The biggest bad guy is a ghost named Galaka, and a lot of time is spent learning about his mythology, but only some of it makes sense. Even so, all of this and more is thrown into a blender, leading to an awkward, rushed ending in which almost a dozen Ghostbusters just stand around helplessly. After a movie that was more structured than not setting the stakes for what the Ghostbusters have to do, this is a huge letdown.Thankfully, it’s not like afterlife——It just ended, without any good solid conclusion——frozen empire Sticking to the final landing wraps things up in a satisfying yet forward-thinking way. Just in case the Ghostbusters come back again.
So no, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Not a complete victory. It has huge problems throughout and won’t stick in your memory with the original film or its sequels. But if this movie was closer to those movies, it would feel like a perfect, logical continuation. The ratings were downgraded slightly as the franchise continues to expand. But here, frozen empire Its success is largely due to the foundation laid afterlife.If nothing else, the best thing frozen empire It really rounds out the arcs of this movie in a way that improves them.Plus, it feels like a proper Ghostbusters Movie. Destruction makes us feel good, even if things are messy.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Opens Friday.
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