Netflix Sci-Fi Comedy Flopped In Theaters But Conquers Streaming

Sometimes a film just has to thaw out a little before audiences can really warm up to it. Following its lackluster performance at the box office, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire joined Netflix’s streaming collection on July 22.

Since then, it has become the streaming giant’s new number #1 hit.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire follows the Ghostbusters as they band together to save the world from a frozen army of the undead when an ancient artifact awakens an ancient spirit from its slumber.

The film stars Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Carrie Coon, and Paul Rudd. If that isn’t enough, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Dan Aykroyd join the cast well.

With a 42 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was a certified dud among critics. It was panned for being nothing more than a star-studded yet unoriginal film that primarily catered to dedicated fans of the franchise.

Many critics thought the paranormal comedy was all style with very little substance to go along with it.

However, the majority of fans of the Ghostbusters franchise are on the complete opposite side of critics.

Boasting an impressive 83 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has clearly resonated with viewers.

Despite scoring high marks from fans, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire failed to truly hold its own at the box office. Following its debut at #1 in March, the film gradually fell out of the top five just two weeks later.

After an 18-week run in theaters, the movie grossed just over $200 million at the global box office.

While $200 million is obviously nothing to sneeze at, the haul can still be considered somewhat underwhelming when compared to the film’s $100 million budget. Adding insult to injury, the original Ghostbusters film grossed nearly $300 million back in 1984.

So, are the critics right about the movie’s flaws? Or did audiences just overlook weaknesses in the story and enjoy Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire for what it really is? Well, it’s a little bit of both.

As mentioned by most critics, the movie is nothing groundbreaking. In fact, it closely follows the tried and true classic Ghostbusters formula down to a tee. But sometimes following a formula is all that a film needs to do in order to be successful.

There are plenty of funny moments throughout the film. Even when the world is on the brink of entering an ice age, jokes and hilarious set pieces are still widely available.

Whenever Paul Rudd is involved in a project, you just know there’s going to be some laugh out loud moments.

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Adding to the film’s comedic atmosphere, the return of Ghostbusters‘ legends is done well. Murray, Akroyd, Hudson, and Potts all do a terrific job with what they have to work with. And they do have a lot to work with.

Even with the funny moments, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire can feel overstuffed and tedious at times. There is almost too much going on, which distracts from key moments in the film. But despite the hefty plot, the film is an enjoyable experience for any fan of the franchise and worth the watch on Netflix.