In 1984, something profound happened aside from George Orwell’s potent political novel about authoritarianism. Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Rick Moranis wrote the supernatural comedy film Ghostbusters that had everyone picking up their phones and humming that infectious tune in cinema aisles while they were on hold trying to book an appointment with that unique ghost removal service based in New York City. Directed by Ivan Reitman, the film spawned remakes, sequels, and a whole new take on popular culture by making ghosts fun again. The latest entry into the franchise is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.
Jason Reitman already possessed his father Ivan’s cinematic DNA when he stepped up to fill his father’s big cinematic boots and assuredly directed Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2021. Ivan was on set to oversee, guide, and counsel his son to ensure the nuances of the original film remained. Critics and audiences loved it and wanted more. Welcome to Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire three years later written by Gil Kenan, Ivan and Jason Reitman and directed by Jason.
Making The Old New Again
A key to rejuvenating the Ghostbusters franchise is to make references to characters and places in the original film such as the iconic Tribeca fire station in Lower East Side Manhattan. The Spengler family also returns.
Ivan has since passed and bequeathed his Ghosbusters legacy to Jason. Prior to that moment, father and son, laid the story foundation for the story of Ghostbusters: Ice Age, returning to its roots in Manhattan. Notably, the ghostbusters have never been portrayed as superheroes despite their feats. They were ordinary people happy to apply their scientific skills outside the laboratory. They amazed themselves more than the New Yorkers with their successes.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures
“We are all aiming high to create a film worthy of the Ghostbusters logo, and the spirit that allows the improvisation, the looseness, the sense of play or life in front of the camera. It’s all part of a collective spirit of trying to capture lighting in a bottle,” shares co-writer Gil Kenan. Its tone covers a curious blend of scares and giggles.
Similar to Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Frozen Empire serves as a reboot and an introduction to the franchise for newer audiences to discover the magic of the 1984 film.
From Afterlife To Frozen Empire
In addition to all the supernatural fun, Jason Reitman explores some serious themes in his work. Of personal relevance, Afterlife explores mortality, legacy, and intergenerational transfer of knowledge and skills. Frozen Empire explores the notion of home and a family returning to its roots.
In Frozen Empire, an ancient artefact releases an army of ghosts who release the “Death Chill” on New York City which can turn everyone into a block of ice in an instant. In response, an army of ghostbusters old and new, young and old must “bust” them to avoid a second ice age. Dan Ackroyd returns as Ray Stantz, now a family man, and happy to lend a hand “busting” ghosts.
Many newer characters introduced in Afterlife such as Callie (Carrie Coon), Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), Gary (Paul Rudd), Lucky (Celeste O’Connor), and Podcast (Logan Kim) revisited in Frozen Empire.
Afterlife ends with Ecto-1 being captured and returned to the Tribeca Fire House so the Spengler family can learn to behave a family again in Frozen Empire and hopefully retire from “busting.”
There’s a villain in Mayor Walter Peck (William Atherton) who always resented the Spenglers despite their heroic work. Phoebe Spengler (Mckenna Grace) is especially upset because she found a sense of purpose and belonging in busting ghosts even after the family vowed to retire.
The role of Nadeem (Kumail Nanjian) is especially refreshing. He’s a no-hoper selling off this deceased grandmother’s trinkets including an old brass orb, the ancient ornament that houses Garraka – en evil demon with the power to freeze everything and everyone on earth with the Death Chill. Nadeem steps into his unrealized potential and becomes instrumental in the mission.
Expired ghosts such as Melody (Emily Alyn Lind) who is trapped in the human dimension and befriends Pheobe who’s been removed from the ghostbusting team, examine the idea of settling unfinished business beyond life.
