Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire – Movie Review (3/5)

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE is out on PVOD so you can rewatch it or finally check it out. Full of glorious nostalgia and all-round wonderful entertainment. A solid addition to the franchise. Read our full Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire movie review here!

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE is the 2024 addition to the franchise that was born in 1984. For this latest movie, there is plenty of nostalgia that goes back to the very beginning of the beloved franchise. While I have loved every single movie in the franchise (yes, including the 2016 movie), this one isn’t my favorite.

However, it doesn’t have to be. It’s still wonderful entertainment and has amazing moments for the entire family. Just as in 1984, Ghostbusters continues to be an excellent way to introduce the next generation to darker storytelling. A solid family horror movie, where the family dynamic plays a bigger role than ever.

Continue reading our Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire movie review below. Find it on PVOD from May 7, 2024.

The Spengler Family

In the previous movie, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, we were introduced to the Spengler family, which consisted of Egon Spengler’s (Harold Ramis) daughter and two grandkids. Especially the younger child in the family, Phoebe, turned out to be very much like her grandfather.

Basically, she’s a genius just like him and while always using science as the guide and framework for everything, she recognizes that ghosts clearly exist. In Afterlife, she finished the job that her grandfather never managed to do.

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Check out our Ghostbusters: Afterlife cameo feature here >

In Frozen Empire, the Spengler family has moved into the old fire station in New York where the Ghostbusters began in 1984.

Mom Callie (Carrie Coon), older brother Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) are now fully-fledged Ghostbusters along with mom’s boyfriend, Gary (Paul Rudd). Or, as Gary introduces himself in relation to Phoebe, he’s her “Step-Teacher”. He was the one who helped Phoebe make sense of Egon’s tools in Afterlife.

Unfortunately for Phoebe, she is only 15 years old, so she isn’t old enough to be a Ghostbuster. Trevor recently turned 18, which he is quick to remind everyone of, but Phoebe is still a child. After all four have chased down a huge ghost in the streets of New York, the authorities insist that she no longer be an active part of the group.

Phoebe finds solace in a New York park where she meets a ghost, Melody (Emily Alyn Lind), and the two play chess against one another. It appears to be the only positive thing in Phoebe’s life after Ghostbusting has been removed.

Let the freezing begin

The story in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire actually begins in 1904. We see a group of adventurers who have frozen to death. Some sort of orb seems to have contained whatever caused it and a person, who is the only thing not frozen solid in the room, appears to have something to do with it.

Jump to the present, and Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani) is trying to sell that very same orb (and a few other knick knacks) to none other than Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd). Curious about what the object is, he turns to whomever he believes can help. This leads him to D. Hubert Wartzki (Patton Oswalt) and soon it all goes terribly wrong.

They accidentally end up activating the ancient artifact which unleashes an evil force that has the power of creating ice and freezing everything over. Fortunately, there is also a counterpart: The Firemaster. Of course, the firemaster has no idea of the powers inherited, so a very quick introduction is necessary.

As an added bonus, the original Ghostbusters – Venkman (Bill Murray), Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), and even Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts) – are there to assist the new Ghostbusters. One of the original Ghostbusters even developed a top-secret research lab to ensure that “busting ghosts” is safer than ever.

Watch Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire at home now!

Gil Kenan is the director of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and he co-wrote the screenplay with Jason Reitman. This is the first Ghostbusters movie directed by Gil Kenan, but he also co-wrote the previous movie. As always, credit also goes to Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ivan Reitman for making the very first movie in 1984.

Also, this latest addition to the franchise is dedicated to Ivan Reitman who passed away in 2022. Exactly like the previous movie, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, was dedicated to Harold Ramis. Both are done via a simple and heartfelt “For Ivan” and “For Harold”. Simple and personal.

Obviously, this is the kind of movie that deserves to be watched in a theater. The monsters are bigger, the sound is louder, and the overall experience is just more immersive. However, I also recognize that many people wait until they can watch movies at home.

Well, now you can finally check out Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire on digital video. It’s available to rent or buy on premium video-on-demand platforms such as VUDU/Fandango, Prime Video, and AppleTV+. Enjoy!

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was released on digital video on May 7, 2024.

Details

In Theaters: March 22, 2024
On PVOD: May 7, 2024
Director: Gil Kenan
Writers: Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan
Cast: Paul Rudd, Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Ernie Hudson, Dan Aykroyd