A review for a Ghostbusters film is probably the last thing you need to read from a site that is dedicated to all things Ghostbusters. That being said, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a perfect Ghostbusters movie. It was made by Ghostbusters fans for Ghostbusters fans, and the love and passion shine through with every member of the cast and in every single scene.
I was lucky enough to attend the New York City Premiere and hang out on the red carpet with the cast before and during the movie. It was an incredible honor to be there, to help cover the event for the
Yes Have Some podcast, take a
few photos and videos, and chat with the stars of the movie for a few minutes near the entrance to the carpet. Putting a crown on the event was
Bill Murray anointing us and the rest of the cast upon his triumphant, albeit late, entrance.
My first viewing of the movie was there in the auditorium with the cast and crew. There was an amazing electric vibe in the room. Within a few dozen seats were everyone: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Paul Rudd, McKenna Grace, Carrie Coon, Annie Potts, William Atherton, Patton Oswalt, Finn Wolfhard, Logan Kim, Celeste O'Connor, James Acaster, Emily Lind, and more. The excitement of seeing the movie and everything else going on left me feeling rushed. The movie felt too short; everything felt like it went by too fast. By the time the third act arrived, it felt like the movie still had an hour to go and then it was over. Many critics echoed these sentiments, feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of characters and the perceived disjointedness. It is a strange feeling, the anticipation of what is going to happen, wondering what the next thing will be, until finally you realize it's over. That anticipation really wreaked havoc upon the first viewing for me.
But wait, didn't I say: "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a perfect Ghostbusters movie"?
It wasn't until the second viewing that everything really clicked. No longer burdened by the anticipation for 'what happens next', I was able to enjoy every element of the movie. Each scene, each act, each set of dialog builds upon one another, moving the story forward in such a perfect way. By the time the third act comes along, it no longer feels rushed; it feels like a brilliant conclusion to the story. The additional storylines and new characters, such as Kumail Nanjiani, James Acaster, and Emily Lind, were welcomed additions. Additional lore and backstory provided by Patton Oswalt yielded a set of fun situations. The movie had so many amazing performances. Dan Aykroyd crushed it as Ray Stantz. Any scene with McKenna Grace was absolutely perfect and only aided and improved by Emily Lind's character. Logan Kim's Podcast remained easily one of the funniest and best characters of the series. James Acaster added a well-needed amount of dry humor, reminiscent of Harold Ramis' Egon Spengler. Finally, Kumail Nanjiani's character was hilarious in every way, and he absolutely crushed the role.
