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Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire proves that no matter how much you flog a dead horse, the more it’ll continue to get up. It’s probably a ghost at this point…
Anyhoo, this fifth film that bears the Ghostbusters moniker begins at the firehouse in New York 1904, where a load of frozen stuff is happening, before we head to the present day, where the Spengler family are now living in New York. How convenient for the plot.
At least one neat thing is shown in this film, where ghosts can be picked up with the trap either used on a remote control car, or a drone in the sky – the latter for a dragon ghost.
But when it comes to what excuses for a plot, slacker Nadeem Razmaadi (Kumail Nanjiani – The Big Sick) sells a special orb to Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd – Behind The Candelabra) and… frozen stuff happpens. Meanwhile, the firehouse container unit hasn’t been emptied in 40 years, even though when it accidentally opened in the original film, tons of ghosts spilled out. Hence, problems are expected to ensue.
Meanwhile, nerdy Phoebe (Mckenna Grace – Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie) plays chess with ghost Melody (Emily Alyn Lind – Doctor Sleep Director’s Cut), leading to the crowbarring in of a very bizarre lesbian relationship, ticking a diversity box for the script. She does have a plot point, however, as she’s having problems moving to the other side to see the rest of her family, hence is stuck in purgatory. Can Phoebe help her? Does anyone care? At almost two hours, the film’s running far too long as it is.
The old ghostbusters are still whoring themselves out, not least Bill Murray as Peter Venkman, who turns up for literally just five minutes to repeat his psychiatric test, but in a lazy callback to the original film, just like every other time this film runs out of ideas. A ghost in the library is another one. This nonsense is also lazy in the script, so when it comes to catching ghosts, “We’re gonna need a bigger trap”.
We also didn’t need James Acaster as this film’s generic nerd, either. He’s not funny. There’s also what feels like a ton of other random characters getting in on the action for no apparent reason, and I’d completely forgotten them the moment I’d left the screening.
The only time his words gave me a laugh, was because of the situation, not because of him, as he references a CD Discman which was inhabited by the ghost of an “evil Spin Doctors CD“, as I was dumped by a woman at Uni who was a huge fan of them, and I couldn’t stand them!
Also, while it’s good to see William Atherton back as Mayor Walter Peck, it’s 40 years on, so in real life, he would’ve long since retired, or been promoted many times. Additionally, he’s still as angry with them now as he was in 1984. That man will give himself a heart attack if he’s not careful.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is too long and take forever to get to the point, and only shows a big baddie up late in the final act, as if it was an afterthought, and that’s before they’re quickly dispatched.
In fact, I really don’t know why this film was greenlit. It certainly wasn’t made for the love or necessity, was justmade for the money, and even then it failed.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife cost $75m to make, a film needs to take up to three times its budget in order to simply break even, which would put that one at $225m. It took $204.3m. Doesn’t anyone know how to add up at Sony?!
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire cost $100m, and after the opening weekend, has limped in with a mere $64.2m. Plus, Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire comes out this Friday, so good luck getting any more cash in, now. Also don’t forget that while the big G gets the IMAX screens, the ghostbusters never did, since they were still taken up with Dune Part Two.
Additionaly, for some reason, Jason Reitman isn’t directing this one, but is still producing and co-writing it with Gil Kenan, who IS directing this one. What was he responsible for? The godawful 2015 Poltergeist reboot.
There’s also a mid-credits scene:
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is in cinemas now, and is available to pre-order on 4K Blu-ray, Limited 4K Blu-ray Steelbook, Blu-ray and DVD, ahead of its release date TBA.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 115 minutes
Release date: March 22nd 2024
Studio: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 (Anamorphic Panavision)
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 3/10
Director: Gil Kenan
Producers: Jason Blumenfeld, Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman
Screenplay: Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman
Music: Dario Marianelli
Cast:
Gary Grooberson: Paul Rudd
Callie Spengler: Carrie Coon
Trevor Spengler: Finn Wolfhard
Phoebe Spengler: Mckenna Grace
Nadeem Razmaadi: Kumail Nanjiani
Dr. Hubert Wartzki: Patton Oswalt
Lucky: Celeste O’Connor
Podcast: Logan Kim
Melody: Emily Alyn Lind
Lars Pinfield: James Acaster
Peter Venkman: Bill Murray
Ray Stantz: Dan Aykroyd
Winston Zeddemore: Ernie Hudson
Janine Melnitz: Annie Potts
Mayor Walter Peck: William Atherton
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.