Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) Movie Review – A nostalgic treat for legacy fans

A joyous return to the iconic firehouse

When Jason Reitman rebooted the Ghostbusters franchise in 2021, there was renewed optimism for the direction it was going in, as he had a deep understanding of what these movies meant to the fans. He’d literally grown up with them after his late father Ivan Reitman directed Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2. Afterlife was a smash hit when it was released, and this led to a sequel being greenlit, which is how we ended up with Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

The action has been relocated to New York City where it arguably belongs, and Gary, Callie, Phoebe and Trevor are now running the Splengler family business while living out of the famous firehouse. Trouble soon ensues, and they must save the world from a mysterious entity. There are a lot of subplots that lead to a steady build-up, but once the movie really gets going, it’s great old-school fun. 

Dan Ackroyd is back as Ray Stantz, and his role is beefed up this time around after he made a brief appearance at the end of Afterlife. He is central to the plot, as is Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore, who is responsible for opening up the old firehouse. Bill Murray’s role is much more threadbare than his former Ghostbusting colleagues, but equally enjoyable and memorable. 

The movie is also filled with brilliant supporting characters new and old, with William Atherton returning for the first time since the first movie 40 years ago, as Mayor Walter Peck. There are characters like Podcast and Lucky who return from Afterlife, and James Acaster is the stand-out new character, playing research scientist Lars Pinfield.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire isn’t without its faults, but overall, it’s enjoyable and ticks the boxes for both new and old fans. 

 

Read more: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Ending Explained


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  • Verdict - 7/10
    7/10
7/10

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