REVIEW: Ghostbusters Ice Apocalypse is filled with nostalgia, but lacks plot development
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One classic cult of cinemas, Ghostbusters built a legacy of fans since its first movie directed by Ivan Reitman in 1984. And after a continuation in 1989 to reboot poorly received in 2016, is sequel in 2021, the franchise launches another production entitled Ghostbusters: Ice Apocalypse, which continues the story from the 2021 film.
Will the new 2024 release do justice to previous productions with controversial reviews? One thing is certain: nostalgia has certainly been a fan service well served. See what the first impressions of the film were. No spoilers, of course. As for Easter eggs, it's impossible not to give some, so keep that in mind.
Ghostbusters Story: Ice Apocalypse
Em Ghostbuster: Afterlife (2021), which takes place 35 years after Ghostbusters 2 (1989), we were introduced to Callie (Carrie Coon), daughter of Egon Spengler, one of the franchise's original protagonists, and her family: Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd).
Now in Ghostbusters Ice Apocalypse, we return to the Spengler family nucleus as the new Ghostbusters team, and the iconic fire station that marked the films of the 80s. Mixing a potentially engaging new plot and classic elements from the old films, Ice Apocalypse could mark a return to popularity for the franchise.
After Garraka, an ancient icy ghostly force, is released and is about to gather an army of ghosts to destroy the world, the new generation of Ghostbusters must join the original team to annihilate the imminent threat. Using a top-secret laboratory with new technologies against specters, the powers of the Ghostbusters super team rise to another level, and together with Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani), descendant of the ancient Fire Masters, the team will face Garraka “face and face” .
Unlike the previous film, in this one we see a much greater role for the original characters, each with background, of personal history, leaving aside the “surprise accessory” aspect that was given to them in the previous film, while the new Ghostbusters brings unique aspects to the adventure.
main highlights
The film begins with an intriguing scene, already showing us the destructive potential of the big villain of the time, Garraka. The beginning reminds us of a typical Marvel film, which begins with impactful scenes, but which do not necessarily dictate the general pace of the plot. I, who like superhero movie clichés, was bothered by the pace of the fifth Ghostbusters film.
Of course, the proposed threat of extinction of the human race is always exciting to follow, especially with something relatively different from the traditional, which is an ancient ghost with ice powers, capable of controlling other specters from beyond. And it could have great development, if production focused more on the central proposal.
Os takes that show Garraka, with his terrifying aura and fearsome look, and the apprehension built up until the moment of his freedom, could set the exact tone for the suspense, but the film's attempt to elaborate countless subplots it detracted from the experience.
In defense of the film's result (but not that much), it is difficult to imagine a successful script that tries to fit around 7 subplots with no less than 13 protagonists. It's the old saying: a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. In this case, a well-crafted main plot, with 2 or 3 enriching secondary stories, was better than a “hodgepodge” of poorly crafted fictions.
The good part is that, despite not having the development they deserve, the stories are interesting and captivating enough to make us like the characters, even if the complete context remains in our heads.
Bringing yet another comparison with Marvel superhero films, the humor of Ghostbusters: Ice Apocalypse It's also a bit slapstick. If you, like me, enjoy casual giggles, that's fine. But one point to highlight is the lack of timing of certain jokes, and even more so, of certain characters.
Nadeem, character by Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals, 2021) was the comic relief of comic reliefs, bringing “ice-breaking” jokes at inopportune moments, where the tension should have marked the environment more. As a character who carried the responsibility of saving the world, it was exaggerated to have shown so much irreverence in such critical situations. Yet the viewing room laughed at the flustered Nadeem.
Paul Rudd's character (Ant Man, 2015), Gary Grooberson, lost his hand in the jokes. The brushstrokes of its individual plot proposed a more exciting topic, which was impossible to take seriously.
But not everything is stones. The emotion of seeing the original team together gave a great warm feeling in the heart, certainly if you are a fan of the franchise you will feel the same. Dan Aykroyd shines once again in the role of Ray Stantz, who now runs a paranormal supply store, and makes videos for the internet with the help of Podcast (Logan Kim).
Ray's enthusiasm leads the ancient Ghostbusters, connecting the generations and dictating the pace of the investigation against Garraka. Little by little, the other members of the team began to appear, and I opened a smile with each mention, until everyone's appearance, especially Dr Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), who only had a few minutes of screen time, but made it count. in all.
Young prodigy Phoebe Spengler, played by McKenna Grace (Handsmaids Tale) is another delight in the film. Together with Ray Stantz, Phoebe makes the film happen. The young actress, just 17 years old, gives credibility by bringing to life the dilemmas of a super-gifted ghost hunting teenager and fan of quantum physics. It's no wonder that since her acting debut in 2012, McKenna has been given bigger and bigger roles.
Cast
Spengler family
- Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler;
- Finn Wolfhard as Trevor Spengler;
- Paul Rudd as Gary Grooberson;
- Carrie Coon as Callie.
Original Ghostbusters and Fire Master
- Kumail Nanjiani as Nadeem;
- Bill Murray as Dr Peter Venkman;
- Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz;
- Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore;
- Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz;
- Patton Oswalt as Hubert Wartzki;
- William Atherton as Walter Peck.
Others
- Amily Alyn Lind as Melody;
- James Acaster as Lars Pinfield;
- Logan Kim as Podcast;
- Celeste O'Connor as Lucky.
Technical aspects
- Daryn McLaughlan Art Director;
- Ruth Myers Chief Costume Designer;
- Michael Standish Consultant;
- Eve Stewart Set Designer;
- Michael Standish Scenographer.
Nostalgia and Easter Eggs
Mini Stay-Pluft
The chaotic mini marshmallow men are the tiny version of the final monster from the first 1984 film. Cute but destructive, the mini marshmallows have become one of the trademarks of the Ghostbusters franchise, and the ice apocalypse was no different. Their presence was not at all subtle: in the first scene of the mini-pufts they are already in action, moving and playing with the belongings in Ray's hidden basement, until Podcast crushes one of them with a good blow. Which didn't stop them from continuing the mess. Their appearances made everyone present laugh.
Ghost Slimer
Ghost Slimer is not one of the exclusive Easter Eggs in Ghostbusters Ice Apocalypse, as the hungry Slimer has become a pop culture icon, and even those who have never seen Ghostbusters may be able to recognize his figure out there. He was the first ghost successfully captured by the Ghostbusters, and is well known for his gigantic appetite and the goo he leaves behind when he passes through solid objects. His charisma was so great that in the other films he gained a more complete background, and became one of the “good guys”, especially in the 1986 cartoon.
In the current film he isn't as prominent, but it's fun to follow Trevor trying to capture Slimer buried in food in the attic.
Library Ghost
One of the best surprises in the film was, certainly, the appearance of the library ghost, which provided a good scare in the first film, and did not disappoint in this one either. Ray, who was in the library gathering information about Garraka, passed through one of the hallways and noticed a familiar figure. It was the library ghost in its human form, however, when Ray tried to pay more attention to the figure, it transformed, and just like in the 1984 film, it projected itself towards Ray, giving that scare.
Conclusion
Ghostbusters: Ice Apocalypse It's not a perfect film. You leave the session with a slight impression of having missed something in the story, as if something was missing. Even so, it is possible to be satisfied with the team's reunion. It's not new that nostalgia has become a profitable Hollywood product, and this film is clearly just that: a nostalgic production.
It does alleviate the disappointing effect of the 2016 film, and it also proves to be better than its predecessor, the Ghostbusters: Afterlife. I recommend it, but go with low expectations.
Where to watch Ghostbusters: Ice Apocalypse
Ghostbusters: Ice Apocalypse will be available in Brazilian cinemas from April 11th.
However, if you want to marathon the previous films before watching the release, you can check out the first Ghostbusters 1984 at Max. The second film, Ghostbusters 2, from 1989, is on both Max and Prime Video; O reboot with a female cast is on Netflix. And the 2021 film, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the first with the Spengler family, is also on Prime Video.
Read also
Review: Ghostbusters: Beyond | The nostalgia that worked
Text proofread by: Pedro Bomfim
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