Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire early reviews reveal a light-hearted comedic approach
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a 2024 American paranormal comedy movie directed by Gil Kenan. It stars as a follow-up to Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Even though some think that it gives a great touch of nostalgia and has its fair share of humor, some find imperfections in it.
The movie tells how the Spengler family joined the original Ghostbusters together to fight an evil force that destroyed the Earth and guaranteed the ice age to happen again. This film provides the fans of the older Ghostbusters with a lot of nostalgia, but critics are staying in the middle of the road.
Despite its imperfections, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the most enjoyable flick of the three, as per early reviews. Though perhaps not as many times watchable as the original or even Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
What is the plot of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire? Storyline explored
The plot of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire surrounds the Spengler family, which consolidates with Egon's daughter Callie, grandchildren Trevor and Phoebe, and almost son-in-law Gary Grooberson, who are living in the world-renowned New York City firehouse and working as paranormal investigators.
Its synopsis, as per IMDb reads,
"When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age."
Garraka, a powerful monster that freezes all the world and can command souls, is introduced as a new villain. The Ghostbusters encounter an artifact that liberates Garraka. They then fight against a dangerous entity and a race against time to prevent consequences.
What are the early reviews for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire like?A shift in tone as it forays into comedy
The review from Yahoo News describes Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire as "funny, silly, and a little scary," highlighting its return to fun and improvement over the previous installment. Awards Radar's review mentions the film's "unevenness and messiness" compared to prior installments but acknowledges it as one of the funniest entries in the franchise.
Empire Online's review characterizes Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire as an "overpopulated mish-mash," providing a different perspective on the movie. The YouTube review offers visual insights into the film's reception, potentially adding a different dimension to understanding audience reactions.
ComicBook.com says,
"In the end, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire may be the first Ghostbusters film of the new era to inspire the hope – even the excitement – that this franchise, with these characters, can still run for at least another installment (or two), and will probably only continue to improve with each one."
Rotten Tomatoes' consensus notes that while the movie provides "nostalgia-fueled fun" for original fans, it faces criticism for its crowded cast and surprising elements, offering a balanced view of the film's reception.
Visual effects and action sequences in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
The visual effects and action sequences in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire have been hailed by fans for their overall quality and improvement over previous installments. The movie itself has great action sequences with visually beautiful effects, especially where the Garraka ice demon is involved.
In all such scenes, the special effects are flawless and as per Nerd Alert, JoBlo says,
"The visual effects in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire were a blend of practical effects and CGI, creating a seamless and immersive supernatural world."
Furthermore, the movie is commended for its well-made and interactive ghost ideas like the lively "The Possessor" or the nostalgic titles that long-time fans of the franchise know about.
Director Gil Kenan told Next Best Picture,
"I think the ghost of this franchise refuses to be busted."
The Ghostbuster style ensures ample action and horror elements, and Garraka is no different - representing the frightening villain he is. Altogether, the film's visual effects, action sequences, and notions of ghosts, to some extent, contribute to entertainment value and result in the improvement of the overall experience.
The cast members of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and the characters they play
Frozen Empire extends the Ghostbusters franchise as it revolves around a fresh crew of Ghostbusters, the grandchildren of Egon Spengler - Phoebe and Trevor. The film is a venture by Gil Kenan as a director, and he has Jason Reitman as his co-writer.
The film's cast list is impressive with Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler, Finn Wolfard as Trevor Spengler, and the returning stars of Paul Rudd and Ernie Hudson.
With this release, Ghostbusters is making history by being the first film without any collaboration with the late Ivan Reitman. Kumail Nanjani and Patton Oswalt also play additional characters and are added as new cast.
An opening date for March 22, 2024, has been set for this movie, and it will be the fifth movie in the series of Ghostbusters.