Comedy Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

[Drizzle]

I wasn't expecting glowing reviews for this looking at Gil Kenan's track record. It's still not deterring me from seeing it in theaters, and I'm almost certain it'll be the same story with GxK next week.

 

[Frodo]

The reviews are what they are , and at the end of the day , all that really matters is whether we , as individuals, enjoy the final product or not .

Ultimately, we can't control how other people feel about things we or don't like .

Ultimately, if you have a good time with it , that's all that matters in terms of how the final product impacts you.

 

[Sithborg]

Exactly. Most families will be seing this in abundance its not like its up against anything in the box office anyway..... Oh I forgot Kung Fu Panda and Godzilla X Kong are dropping at the end of the month. Whoops.

Sony definitely didn't expect KFP 4 to have the legs it is having.

Don't let the reviews get you down if you were excited. It sounds like a lot of the negatives may end up being catnip for Ghostbusters nerds.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Sony definitely didn't expect KFP 4 to have the legs it is having.

Don't let the reviews get you down if you were excited. It sounds like a lot of the negatives may end up being catnip for Ghostbusters nerds.

I think as another poster said, what's getting people down about the reviews is that they could effect how successful the movie is and stop us getting more.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

I thought the last one was fine as a bit of nostalgia, but I never had any desire to see it relaunched as an ongoing franchise from it. Studios need to not be afraid to consider some of these things one-off films.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

I dont even think critics "miss the mark" with movies that got bad reviews and then got re-evaluated. Opinions are not like facts. They change. Sometimes that can be because your personal taste changes or society around you changes, so a work you previously saw no value on now has more meaning, etc. That's just called changing your opinion. My 3 year old used to hate hot dogs and wouldn't touch them. Now she will eat 2 or 3 at a time if I let her. Things change

I’ve definitely changed my mind on films I’ve seen before. I’d still say a strong majority of the time my initial thoughts stick with me years later, but not always. Not by a long shot.

 

[Drizzle]

I thought the last one was fine as a bit of nostalgia, but I never had any desire to see it relaunched as an ongoing franchise from it. Studios need to not be afraid to consider some of these things one-off films.

I agree to an extent but it was also a given that they were going to attempt another movie with the OG Ghostbusters in bigger roles than they had in Afterlife.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

I agree to an extent but it was also a given that they were going to attempt another movie with the OG Ghostbusters in bigger roles than they had in Afterlife.

Well, yeah. Because that’s the business anymore. Any franchise in existence will be milked until it’s a corpse.

 

[Daywalker89]

Sony definitely didn't expect KFP 4 to have the legs it is having.

Don't let the reviews get you down if you were excited. It sounds like a lot of the negatives may end up being catnip for Ghostbusters nerds.

Oh im still seing it regardless of what the critics say and im not even that heavily into Ghostbusters as others are on here lool hopefully its fun and has some moments that the core fanbase can enjoy.

P.S i need to get some usage from my cineworld card lol

 

[DyeLorean]

Even most of the negative reviews aren't totally dismissive of the film. For example there's a 3/5 labeled as "rotten".

 

[OnLeatherWings]

I love Afterlife. That said, I personally am skeptical of this film.

However...

My issue with many of the negative reviews of this film - is that they don't offer criticism of the film itself so much as criticism of its mere existence. That's not helpful to me as a viewer. I am on the fence in regards to this film - and so many reviews that I see that are negative, offer little help to me on making my decision because they come across as trying to spite the film because they feel the franchise should've ended at X-point. Even their (what would be) legitimate 'critiques' come off as in bad-faith and it turns me off from taking their opinion that seriously.

This is not an unusual thing for a lot of critical reviews these days, and it gives me flashbacks to the reviews for Afterlife and the initial reviews for the final Indiana Jones film. And I loved both. Though, neither were critically panned at 46% like this one (Afterlife at 64% and Indy at 70%), I'm still not sure what to really gleam from these negative reviews.

Telling me a film shouldn't exist or is too nostalgic, or too silly isn't as substantive as a lot of modern critics think it is. Ghostbusters is meant to be silly. Its audience doesn't mind nostalgia. That was the intent.

Tell me how well a film did in its goals.

I miss when I felt like critics evaluated films more on their own terms. I was usually in agreement or at least could understand critical assessments in the 2000s-2014ish.

Since then, it feels like a urinating-match, at times. Something changed in the sphere of film criticism in both online discourse (thanks to online critics on YouTube making film nothing more than a nit-pick fest and whining about 'pOLiTiCAl aGeNDas') and with critics (being so far up their rears that they feel like they need to show the reader how smart and above-it-all they are).

So yeah. I don't mind this film getting negative reviews. I just wish those reviews offered me something of substance on why I should avoid the film because me - an undecided viewer - should be their prime candidate they can help.

 

[Filmfan93]

This is getting bad reviews? Color me shocked.

Afterlife was good, but this looked cheap and uninspired from the very first trailer. And the "Busting" line was so cringe it sealed my opinion there probably wasn't any effort put in this.

Will be going for my 6th viewing of Dune Part 2 this weekend instead.

 

[Another_Fool]

I'm seeing this one tonight. I thought Afterlife was only ok. I particularly didnt like the final 15 minutes of the movie and that's the part everyone praises. So seeing these reviews, I mean I'm not surprised.

Regardless I'm a fan of the IP, so always look forward to a new one. Not sure what to expect but we'll see.

But going back to the reviews 40%ish is tough but I mean Godzilla King of the Monsters is the only Monsterverse movie thus far that's been rotten in the 40s, and it's far and away my favorite one of the MV universe. I understand the bad reviews for it but as a fan it connected with me. There's Venom 1 of course, I have a ball with it. 30% is totally warranted. But it's stuff like that that I know I can never count a movie out.

 

[Sithborg]

I love Afterlife. That said, I personally am skeptical of this film.

However...

My issue with many of the negative reviews of this film - is that they don't offer criticism of the film itself so much as criticism of its mere existence. That's not helpful to me as a viewer. I am on the fence in regards to this film - and so many reviews that I see that are negative, offer little help to me on making my decision because they come across as trying to spite the film because they feel the franchise should've ended at X-point. Even their (what would be) legitimate 'critiques' come off as in bad-faith and it turns me off from taking their opinion that seriously.

This is not an unusual thing for a lot of critical reviews these days, and it gives me flashbacks to the reviews for Afterlife and the initial reviews for the final Indiana Jones film. And I loved both. Though, neither were critically panned at 46% like this one (Afterlife at 64% and Indy at 70%), I'm still not sure what to really gleam from these negative reviews.

Telling me a film shouldn't exist or is too nostalgic, or too silly isn't as substantive as a lot of modern critics think it is. Ghostbusters is meant to be silly. Its audience doesn't mind nostalgia. That was the intent.

Tell me how well a film did in its goals.

I miss when I felt like critics evaluated films more on their own terms. I was usually in agreement or at least could understand critical assessments in the 2000s-2014ish.

Since then, it feels like a urinating-match, at times. Something changed in the sphere of film criticism in both online discourse (thanks to online critics on YouTube making film nothing more than a nit-pick fest and whining about 'pOLiTiCAl aGeNDas') and with critics (being so far up their rears that they feel like they need to show the reader how smart and above-it-all they are).

So yeah. I don't mind this film getting negative reviews. I just wish those reviews offered me something of substance on why I should avoid the film because me - an undecided viewer - should be their prime candidate they can help.

Not quite sure what reviews you read, but the two fairly negative reviews I read had some very solid concrete criticisms of this film. Too many characters (new and old, and then new for this film), combined with way, way too many moving parts. Frankly, my only question is why it doesn't work here for them, but did for Infinity War...

 

[Kane52630]

Reading some of the reviews... obsessive fandoms truly ruin everything.

 

[OnLeatherWings]

Not quite sure what reviews you read, but the two fairly negative reviews I read had some very solid concrete criticisms of this film. Too many characters (new and old, and then new for this film), combined with way, way too many moving parts. Frankly, my only question is why it doesn't work here for them, but did for Infinity War...

Well, this is an unpopular opinion - but I had felt for many years that critics were way too lenient on MCU films for a long time. Those films committed sins and fumbled things that they overlooked but would rake other films over the coals for. But that's a separate conversation.

As for why it may not work for them in Frozen Empire - it's not always about doing XYZ at all, but about how well you do XYZ.

To put it in a musical example - think of AC/DC. Is a bad album by them any different stylistically than a great album of theirs? No. But the degree of quality and the level of effort is what separates them.

Maybe it's not that Frozen Empire contains all these moving parts/characters - but it's that it doesn't balance them well.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Just got out. I'd like to first state I loved afterlife and even choked up at the end. I didn't even really grow up with ghostbusters! So that caught me by surprise. I've always been a more casual fan. Unfortunately, this movie was a big mixed bag for me and overall I was disappointed. I see reviews saying it's too much nostalgia bait and I don't agree with that at all. What bothered me is the pacing and amount of characters. The majority of the movie is unfortunately boring to me, which sucks to say because I loved the new characters in afterlife. I was actually shocked at how off the pacing of the movie was. It feels like it got chopped up by studio interference or something in the editing room. Way too many characters, which made it difficult to focus. Finn wolfhard has next to nothing to do in this movie btw.

It was cool seeing the OG cast again but overall, I just walked away from this feeling meh overall. Some cool moments for sure, which don't happen unfortunately until the last 30 minutes. Overall, I'll give this a 6/10. I think I gave afterlife an 8.5/10.

 

[Cap2024]

I wish it was longer. But I liked it a lot better than Afterlife which was a retread of the first film. This is a totally new story and I’d say tied with the second or the second ranks just above. What I loved is it reminded me of all the paranormal animated shows I loved growing up. Kids before me had Ghostbusters cartoon, I had Men In Black and Extreme Ghostbusters, those after me had animated Mummy and Evolution. Nostalgic in more ways than one.

Let downs - long first act, really short third act.

But overall, as said, if your main issue with Afterlife was similarly it was a retread - have no fears here. It’s original and all the better for it. For those who grew up with the paranormal cartoons mentioned, you’ll probably have fun too.

Plus, am I reading into things about Phoebe or is she basically more or less confirmed to be queer in this film? It was like a queer Casper movie which was a nice surprise; I just wish they went further in confirming that was the intent. I wonder if the original intent went further and there was studio interference here.

I’m really hoping it does well because they set up a lot of potential here in how they expanded the world. They have the animated tone I love/d, it just needs more ghost busting.

I’d say around 7.5/10. With Afterlife being a 6. While Afterlife was a retread, this felt more like a really cool extended pilot for a Ghostbusters show based off the classic cartoons.

 

[OnLeatherWings]

Just got out. I'd like to first state I loved afterlife and even choked up at the end. I didn't even really grow up with ghostbusters! So that caught me by surprise. I've always been a more casual fan. Unfortunately, this movie was a big mixed bag for me and overall I was disappointed. I see reviews saying it's too much nostalgia bait and I don't agree with that at all. What bothered me is the pacing and amount of characters. The majority of the movie is unfortunately boring to me, which sucks to say because I loved the new characters in afterlife. I was actually shocked at how off the pacing of the movie was. It feels like it got chopped up by studio interference or something in the editing room. Way too many characters, which made it difficult to focus. Finn wolfhard has next to nothing to do in this movie btw.

It was cool seeing the OG cast again but overall, I just walked away from this feeling meh overall. Some cool moments for sure, which don't happen unfortunately until the last 30 minutes. Overall, I'll give this a 6/10. I think I gave afterlife an 8.5/10.

This review was 10x more helpful than most critic reviews. Much appreciated.

 

[SJD]

Just got out. I'd like to first state I loved afterlife and even choked up at the end. I didn't even really grow up with ghostbusters! So that caught me by surprise. I've always been a more casual fan. Unfortunately, this movie was a big mixed bag for me and overall I was disappointed. I see reviews saying it's too much nostalgia bait and I don't agree with that at all. What bothered me is the pacing and amount of characters. The majority of the movie is unfortunately boring to me, which sucks to say because I loved the new characters in afterlife. I was actually shocked at how off the pacing of the movie was. It feels like it got chopped up by studio interference or something in the editing room. Way too many characters, which made it difficult to focus. Finn wolfhard has next to nothing to do in this movie btw.

It was cool seeing the OG cast again but overall, I just walked away from this feeling meh overall. Some cool moments for sure, which don't happen unfortunately until the last 30 minutes. Overall, I'll give this a 6/10. I think I gave afterlife an 8.5/10.

Just finished watching this myself, I found it to be quite good, with some standout moments. Nevertheless, the film seemed to lack the impact a stronger director could have provided. The pacing issues and underdeveloped characters were disappointing. I believe this may be the last live-action Ghostbusters movie unless it achieves great box office success, a scenario that seems improbable now. I just wish this was handled by a much better director. I sensed that Gil Kenan might not have been the perfect fit for what the film required.

Overall, it's fun but nothing special.

Ghostbusters - 9/10
Ghostbusters: Afterlife - 8/10
Ghostbusters II - 7.5/10
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - 6.5/10

 

[OnLeatherWings]

I can't say - as I've yet to see this new film - but I personally believe that Afterlife was a perfect place to stop.

 

[Gothamsknight]

This review was 10x more helpful than most critic reviews. Much appreciated.

No problem. I hate to say it, but it just seems like this movie needed a much better director. I hate the word, but it felt bland. I don't see this having legs.

I'm unsure why critics have gone after the nostalgia aspect. This movie doesn't hammer it on like they're claiming. For me it's all about the pacing and lack of focus. It felt slow yet all over the place. And anti climactic.

 

[OnLeatherWings]

Plus, am I reading into things about Phoebe or is she basically more or less confirmed to be queer in this film? It was like a queer Casper movie which was a nice surprise; I just wish they went further in confirming that was the intent. I wonder if the original intent went further and there was studio interference here.

I don't get why anyone is outraged or shocked by this.

As a queer person myself, I could tell from the very first scene lol

 

[SJD]

No problem. I hate to say it, but it just seems like this movie needed a much better director. I hate the word, but it felt bland. I don't see this having legs.

I'm unsure why critics have gone after the nostalgia aspect. This movie doesn't hammer it on like they're claiming. For me it's all about the pacing and lack of focus. It felt slow yet all over the place. And anti climactic.

The movie was led by a huge Ghostbusters enthusiast but a mediocre director. What it truly required was a passionate fan along with a skilled director who could have elevated its potential. Gil Kenan stands out as the weakest aspect of this film.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Just finished watching this myself, I found it to be quite good, with some standout moments. Nevertheless, the film seemed to lack the impact a stronger director could have provided. The pacing issues and underdeveloped characters were disappointing. I believe this may be the last live-action Ghostbusters movie unless it achieves great box office success, a scenario that seems improbable now. I just wish this was handled by a much better director. I sensed that Gil Kenan might not have been the perfect fit for what the film required.

Overall, it's fun but nothing special.

Ghostbusters - 9/10
Ghostbusters: Afterlife - 8/10
Ghostbusters II - 7.5/10
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - 6.5/10

Good points all around. Yeah as I said I don't see longevity with this. Afterlife really surprised me and I was invested in where it would go, but at this point I feel like the momentum will just stall. And I don't necessarily think it's a lack of ideas like some reviews are claiming, it just seems like the direction was really off here. This is probabaly the second worst Ghostbusters movie.