I was scrolling through Netflix, trying to find something that looked interesting to add to my ever growing list of “films to expand my pop culture library”, when a green blob with arms and teeth caught my attention. I was absolutely repulsed. So I pressed start.
“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)” is the fifth film in the Ghostbusters franchise, directed by Gil Kinan. It’s the sequel to the 2021 film “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”. Unfortunately, I had never seen any other Ghostbusters movie aside from this one up until now, so I had to do some background research on characters so I could figure out who was a returning cast member and who wasn’t.
The movie opens with a flashback to New York (where the movie is set) in 1904. Some of these (presumably law enforcement officers?) were called into a mission with the goal of trying to figure out why one room in this building was completely frozen over in the middle of July. Upon entering, the men realize that everyone in that room was nothing more than frosted over mannequins, while an ominous “chanting” sort of noise came from a gramophone at the front of the room.
The film then cuts to present day Gary Splenger (played by Paul Rudd), Callie Splenger (Carrie Coon), Trevor Spengler (Finn Wolfhard), and Phoebe Spengler (Mckenna Grace) all in an epic car chase against an ice dragon of sorts. The creature is caught, but they end up demolishing half the city in the pursuit, leading to one of the main conflicts in the story.
Phoebe’s a 15 year old girl, the youngest Ghostbuster present in the movie, and she ends up getting in trouble with the mayor of New York for working as a minor. Her parents, Gary and Callie, get accused of “child labor” and are forced to suspend Phoebe until she turns 18. Phoebe has what is essentially a meltdown.
In another part of New York, a man named Nadeem Razmaadi (Kumail Nanjiani) sells off this mysterious brown ball with a bunch of relics inscribed on it to former Ghostbuster Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd). Unbeknownst to him, inside that brown ball is actually the spirit of a 4000 year old ghost named Garaka (and he’s definitely not happy).
Phoebe, while on one of her freakouts, meets a ghost named Melody (Emily Alyn Lind) in the park. Melody introduces herself as a girl that burned alive in a “horrifying tenement fire”, with her being the only one in her family stuck on Earth as a ghost.
The Splenger’s (yes, even Phoebe) team up with Ray and other Ghostbusters, veteran and new, to try and take down Garaka before he turns the whole world into his frozen empire, building up an army of the undead in the process.
You may be wondering where the green blob I mentioned comes into play in the story. And in truth? He literally shows up like once, maybe thrice. Upon doing some research, his name is Slimer, and his appearance was basically a cameo to the first few movies. Slimer was the first ghost that the Ghostbusters ever captured. I was a little disappointed that despite being used in the movie poster, he wasn’t really seen often aside from him literally only eating.
I honestly didn’t really care about the main storyline with Garaka. You remember the Nadeem guy I mentioned earlier? Turns out he’s this warrior guy named the Firemaster that was destined to be the guardian of the ball that Garaka was in, but because he sold the ball off, Garaka had a chance at becoming free.
What really stood out to me were the subplots. In a way, the film could be considered a coming of age. Phoebe’s character includes a pretty rocky relationship with her parents, mixed with a growing rebellious streak. Her brother, Trevor, constantly tries to get people to start treating him like an adult (he repeats “I’m 18. I’m an adult” about two or three times straight up at the beginning of the movie).
It is a relatively cliche form of storytelling– the younger characters are looked down upon and treated as children who cannot do anything correctly. But in the end, it is also those young characters that actually end up saving the day. At least in Phoebe’s case.
The movie only ever mentions Trevor’s character arc at the beginning before it is simply thrown out and replaced with the main story about Garaka. That was pretty disappointing as I wanted to see more of his story.
Another conflict in the story that I wish was seen more was family dynamics. Gary is not Phoebe’s and Trevor’s biological father, and is seen a few times grappling with just how to be a parent when he was not originally the parent. One thing he tells Callie is “I want to be more than just their buddy, but I don’t know what’s allowed.” Doesn’t help that Phoebe asks him if he’s “even part of the family.” Eventually, he learns to be more brave with being a parent, and tells Phoebe through her bedroom door that “family is the one thing that’s there no matter what. Sometimes they’re not even your actual blood relatives. They’re the people that remind you you have a home.” Phoebe does not hear that though as she’s off at the park meeting Melody during her meltdown.
Of course, I fully understand that this is a kid’s movie, and super touchy themes are not the most ideal. However, I find it disappointing that there were so many subplots that were being built up, only to be entirely replaced with Phoebe’s “I’m a big girl now!” arc and Garaka’s threat. It does not make much sense to me to have this many conflicts, only to end up completing, like, two (if you even count the conflict with Gary as completed, it was super rushed and barely even given screentime).
Aside from the story? I loved the production of it. The CGI, props, acting, all of it was top notch and had me completely glued to my screen the whole time! So, if you’re just looking for something to watch for funsies, I would probably recommend “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)” if there isn’t anything else to watch. Solid 3/5 stars.
