The cultural juggernaut that is Ghostbusters has etched itself so deeply into the annals of pop culture that one could argue a basic literacy in this domain requires familiarity with terms like Ectomobile, Proton pack, PKE Meter, and Ghost traps. The mere mention of “Who you gonna call?” unequivocally invokes the iconic response: “Ghostbusters!”
Yet this solidified status within pop culture was challenged when the franchise’s 2016 reboot was met with critical disdain and box office disappointment, causing a swift return to the beloved original film canon with “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” in 2021. The latter saw mixed reviews but it was an attempt to usher in a new generation of Ghostbusters, building on the familiar lore with a familial twist. The film introduced us to the nerdy Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), her brother Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), their mother Callie (Carrie Coon), and Callie’s boyfriend Gary (Paul Rudd), who is also a former teacher. These characters are descendants of the original Ghostbuster Egon Spengler, and in this sequel, they dive into a whirlwind of paranormal activities in New York City to face off with a demonic ice god named Garraka.
Despite these developments, their latest venture, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”, feels chilly in more ways than its artic adversary suggests. The movie slips on its own ambitions, skidding past the opportunity to innovate and instead delivering an icy expanse of creative stagnation. Directed by Jason Reitman, “Afterlife” can be seen as an origin story for this new crop of spirit chasers; “Frozen Empire”, however, stagnates as an uninspired follow-up.
The film struggles much like the awkwardness of its characters—a dysfunctional team still trying to find their rhythm while battling outlandish creatures like the Hell’s Kitchen Sewage Dragon. However, the larger threat of Garraka doesn’t quite resonate as intended. Perhaps the problem stems from the tone. The franchise was first admired for its clever blend of supernatural scares and light-hearted humor. Unlike its predecessors, “Frozen Empire” seems to take itself too seriously, with a ponderous starting point—a quote from Robert Frost’s ‘Fire and Ice’—and a surprising scarcity of its signature comedic charm. This stark departure is further clouded by convoluted jargon such as ‘spiritual inhabitation’ and ‘ionic separator,’ which, rather than adding depth, serves only to exaggerate the characters’ quirky intellects.
The film’s saving grace should have been its nods to the past, its reverence for what came before. Indeed, it rolls out nostalgia as its not-so-secret weapon. Familiar faces from the original films, including the original Ghostbusters—Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts—make their appearances, alongside previous antagonists like William Atherton’s Walter Peck. The nods range from overt, such as references to the Statue of Liberty incident, to more nuanced allusions like the reincarnation of a library specter from the first movie.
Yet, these callbacks, which should stir hearts, serve more as a reminder of former glory rather than enhancing the present narrative. Even when the original Ghostbusters unite with the new guard in the final showdown, the spectacle feels unfulfilled, failing to strike the emotional chord it reaches for.
Among the film’s scarce highlights is Kumail Nanjiani’s portrayal of Nadeem Razmaadi, a small-time merchant who sells an orb capable of trapping Garraka—a brief comedic oasis in an otherwise humor-starved script.
As the curtain closes on “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”, the audience is left with a sense of dissatisfaction. The film’s reliance on fan service and nods to its own heritage, without delivering substantial content or fresh ideas, feels hollow. In a franchise as celebrated as Ghostbusters—one that broke molds and defined a genre—the latest entry feels less like a bold new chapter and more like a concession that perhaps it’s time to let the series rest.
“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” is now showing in theaters, but its reception suggests that the warm feelings of nostalgia may have finally cooled. The charm and wit that endeared the original films to a wide audience are notably absent here, leading us to wonder if bringing the series back from the spectral realms of the past was truly necessary. Perhaps, as the sequel intimates through its icy antagonist, it is indeed time to put this endeavor on ice.
