Movie Review: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) co-written and directed by Gil Kenan

The Spengler family has moved to New York City and taken over the old fire house where the original Ghostbusters first opened shop. They take up busting ghosts as a family, though they haven't worked out all the family dynamics since Gary (Paul Rudd) is a step-father to Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace). He wants to be the cool friend (he's their former high school science teacher) but mom Callie (Carrie Coon) could really use another adult in the family. Their day job gets complicated when Ray (Dan Aykroyd) buys an ancient orb that, as viewers have seen in the opening scene from 1904, is a prison for some sort of ice demon (of course it accidentally opens). Another problem--the containment field in the fire department basement is starting to break down. And yet another problem--Mayor Walter Peck (William Atherton) still wants to shut the Ghostbusters down even after forty years when he was only a government bureaucrat.

The special effects are amazing but the plot meanders around, trying to give each of the characters stuff to do. The movie is interesting enough but not particularly funny, which is a bit out of character for a Ghostbusters film. A lot of jokes fall flat or are too predictable to work well. The cast is earnest at their roles. No one is outstanding or terrible. The movie has a lot of fan service for franchise fans, which was fun to me (I am a great fan of the original film). I am glad I watched it but probably won't revisit it again.

Mildly recommended--this is for fans of the series.