Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire: Movie Review

Cast: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson, Bill Murray, Kumail Nanjiani, James Acaster, Patton Oswalt
Director: Gil Kenan

Returning after the well-intentioned but occasionally weak 2021 Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the latest installment of the family friendly, sometimes scary franchise proves to be a mixed but mostly enjoyable albeit patchy outing.

Two years after events in Oklahoma, the nuclear family of Trevor, Phoebe, Callie and Gary are living the life of a Ghostbuster in New York at the traditional base of the firehouse. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, it's up to the Spenglers and the older generation of the Ghostbusters to come together to save the day.

Despite a very bizarre AI-led opening with its uncanny valley settings, the tone of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is largely comfortable.

That is to say the return of the old favourites - including Slimer the greedy ghost and the mini Stay Pufts from Afterlife - feels like putting on an old pair of slippers. Complete with characters from the past, the film settles for an odd mix of prolonged build up to CGI ghost-related mayhem and a mesh up of Jurassic Park where the animals escape to catastrophic effect. 

Which all means that it perhaps feels a little too familiar in parts, and a bit strained as the long two hour tease plays out. With nods to the past (the refrain of "Are you the Fire Master" feels like the 2024 equivalent of "Are You the Keymaster") and some easy comedy largely from Nanjiani and Acaster's awkwardness, it's all very affable stuff, if somewhat underwhelming in parts thanks to long stretches of exposition and a MacGuffin.

A side story that involves Grace's Phoebe feeling sidelined in life and indulging with dalliances with a ghost that conjures up the spirit of Jenna Ortega hits some emotional moments, but it's all in service of a wider narrative rather than character development.

It also doesn't help much that a largely overstuffed cast struggles to have their consistent respective moments - and in some cases, suffer largely from cameo-status. 

But as the proton packs are fired up and the gang race through the streets of New York to where it all began, complete with a CGI baddie that's evocative of Ray Harryhausen and the models of the first film, as well as old school simplicity, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire coalesces into something that gets to the ethos of the success of the Ghostbusters, even if it does reek of rolling out greatest hits from the genre.

Chiefly that busting - even with its flaws and moments of underdevelopment - makes you feel good.