When I reviewed Ghostbusters: Afterlife, I came to the conclusion that I really enjoyed the first two acts because it was doing something different, yet still familiar. I wasn’t much of a fan of the final act, as it was just a rehash of the last act of the original film and got a bit too heavy with the fan service. To get in the mood for this film, I rewatched Afterlife and yup, my opinion hasn’t changed. Going into Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, I kept my expectations relatively middle-ground. This review will contain very mild spoilers, just stuff that is already known about from the trailers and such. I’m not going into major plot points.

The basic premise of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is that Callie (Carrie Coon), Gary (Paul Rudd). Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) have all moved to New York and are living in the famed Ghostbusters firehouse as working Ghostbusters. The film picks up with them already established and busting ghosts. Ray (Dan Aykroyd) has an Internet show, with Podcast (Logan Kim) where they look at possibly possessed everyday items. When a patron of said show, Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani) sells Ray an item that has crazy PKE readings, things take a turn for the worst. Meanwhile, Winston (Ernie Hudson) has a paranormal research centre which is used to train new Ghostbusters and to research new and update the current equipment… and they’re really going to need it too because old dickless, Walter (William Atherton) is back and now the Mayor of New York, and he’s hell-bent on finishing what he started 40 years ago by ending the Ghostbusters permanently. Of course, the shit hits the fan and (as seen in the trailers) the big bad of the film sends New York into a new ice age, and it is up to the Ghostbusters to sort it all out.

For me, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has the same issues that Afterlife had. A really great first and second act, but a pretty substandard last act that borrows heavily from the original film. There is a new big bad in this and following Afterlife and its reuse of Gozer, it is very refreshing… but the climax is all too familiar with a lot of callbacks to the first film, and it just feels a bit too ‘safe’. The fan service is back too, only nowhere near as obtrusive as with Afterlife. This may explain why I actually enjoyed this more than the previous film. Yeah, I really enjoyed this, it’s entertaining, has some good laughs along the way and sets things up nicely for an expanded Ghostbusters universe.

As with Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Mckenna Grace as Phoebe Spengler knocks it out of the park, she is clearly the driving force of the franchise now and more than capable of being the lead character too. Yes, the last original three Ghostbusters are back, and they have more to do than in Afterlife. They don’t just turn up 5 minutes from the end to help out, they drive the plot forward, especially Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson. Bill Murray… not so much. In fact, I’d have been happier if he wasn’t in it at all. I loved Bill when he was in his prime, but it is now painfully clear that he just does not give a shit any more, and he’s only here to get paid. Shockingly, there’s no Dana (except for a blink, and you’ll miss it reference) and honestly, I’d rather have seen Sigourney Weaver suit-up and join the fray over Bill Murray.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire doesn’t do anything particularly amazing, but it doesn’t really need to. It’s a Ghostbusters film and when you take the rose-tinted glasses off, they’re just goofy action-comedies that are made to be a bit of entertaining fun. I was entertained, I found this fun. The film did what it set out to do, and I’m hopeful of seeing more from the franchise in the future… just without Bill Murray. Oh, and those mini-Stay Puff men are seriously annoying, don’t bother staying for the mid-credits scene.

2024 marks 100th anniversary of Columbia Pictures, 40 years since the original film was released, 35 years since Ghostbusters II and sadly, it also marks 10 years since Harold Ramis passed away. That’s a lot of Ghostbusters history to celebrate and remember. For my money, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire does a good job of it too. It’s just a silly and fun movie.