'GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE' is a Fun, Convoluted Ride... | REVIEW

Returning to New York City, the Spenglers thrive as a ghost-busting family. However, problems arise as the city wants to punish their good work. Little do they know, the Ghostbusters, both new and old, will be needed to ward off a cold spirit.

Back in 2021 when Jason Reitman took over the reins and brought us 'GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE', I personally loved what he crafted. It was a love letter to the original films and characters while bringing us a new team and moving forward in this world.

But, of course, a sequel was inevitable. And so we have 'GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE'. Is it a relevant continuation or a studio cash grab? Let's find out...

'FROZEN EMPIRE' brings back the original characters we love, as well as the characters we met in 'AFTERLIFE'. It also introduces a couple of newcomers.

While I love both the original Ghostbusters and the new group, it is evident that there were too many characters for writers Gil Kenan and Jason Reitman to balance. I assume that Sony told them to bring back the original characters to team up with the new ones so that they could sell tickets and appeal to the older crowd as much as the young. But, rather the blame goes to Sony or if Kenan and Reitman made the decision themselves, it was a mistake.

Don't get me wrong, I love seeing Murray, Aykroyd, Hudson, and even Annie Potts return to the big screen together. But, sometimes you have to "kill your darlings", as they say, to improve the quality of the project. Kenan and Reitman didn't make the original Ghostbusters feel like they needed to be there. It felt like what it was: nostalgic fluff... oh and faces on posters to sell tickets.

I will admit that Aykroyd and Hudson both had contributions to the story. But the little bit they do for the amount of time they're on screen, doesn't seem to balance out.

I will also admit that, as a fan, I was able to ignore the imperfections in the characters' writing, sit back, and enjoy the presence of these legends. Even if they weren't necessary, or could've simply been written better. So, if you're a fan and not overly picky, you probably will love their attendance (and the movie as a whole).

Moving on to the main group, consisting of Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace. They all bring their own thing to this movie, continuing what I liked about each of them from 'AFTERLIFE'.

It helps that their characters have good writing and a sense of belonging in this film. Although, Wolfhard's character maybe could've had more to do, as well.

The last major complaint I have is Kumail Nanjiani. He had some funny moments and his character wasn't completely useless. However, I think he was a miscast. What they did with his character should've been played by someone a little more serious. I'm not saying a comic relief is bad, but we already have plenty of those. Why add another, especially given this specific character's role in the story?

The plot itself was also convoluted. The idea behind the villain and the conflict between the city and the team was well-written (although the latter was too familiar). There were other details that I liked, but just like the characters in this movie, there were too many plotlines. A couple of them felt shoehorned and rushed. Some felt underused, others were predictable. Altogether, it made for thematic speed bumps in a script that couldn't utilize everything going on to the fullest potential.

That said (and again, just like the characters), the script wasn't so convoluted that I couldn't ignore the issues and have fun with what was happening. Yeah, the issues stuck out at times, but there was still enough tension and fun action to keep me engaged. Although speaking of tension, there were a couple of moments of tension that were ruined by forced comedy.

Overall, 'GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE' isn't a perfect movie. It's not as good as 'AFTERLIFE' and it's certainly not on the same level as the original films. There is some fat that could be trimmed, plotlines that were either shoehorned or underused, characters that didn't need to be there, and some misplaced moments of comedy. However, the entertainment I experienced while watching 'FROZEN EMPIRE' made up for a lot of its mistakes. I was still able to connect to the main group of characters, I was engaged in the conflicts and issues that faced this team, and of course, the busting of ghosts was really cool! Or should I say... it made me feel good.

Yes, 'GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE' is flawed, but in the end, it was a lot of fun!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ + 75% Rewatch Probability