“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” directed by Gil Kenan, follows the Spengler family as they return to New York City to live in the classic Ghostbusters headquarters when an evil demon upends the city, sending it into a frozen wasteland in an attempt to bring back the reign of his empire.
Script issues, while not glaringly obvious, crop up everywhere throughout the film. Sometimes dialogue comes off as cheesy, like when characters refer to a grandmother’s secret room as a sex dungeon, alongside minor plot holes that ultimately don’t matter but will leave audiences scratching their heads. The biggest plot hole example comes when the main cast loses a battle with the demon but survives, despite showing other characters bite the dust in the same way earlier in the film. None of these issues hinder the enjoyment of the film, but they do stand out.
To the film’s benefit, blockbusters are supposed to be a good time, and that’s exactly what “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” sets out to do. Despite any issues audiences may have, the film remains charming and an overall enjoyable experience. It feels nice to silence one’s mind and just enjoy the craziness of the world presented before them.
The visual effects of the film are solid. The streams from the proton packs look realistic and are aided by excellent sound design and lighting that bring them to life on screen. The ghost effects are also remarkable. Slimer looks great in a modern setting with his green glow and belchy sounds, and the main big bad of the film looks scary, a first for the franchise since the original film.
All of these factors culminate into what makes this entry successful: it feels like a “Ghostbusters” movie. It offers all the paranormal jargon anyone could ask for, the return of the original cast, nods to the original, the soundtrack and so much more. It feels like everything Ghostbusters fans have wanted for years while not leaving behind newcomers.
“Ghostbusters” continues to be one of the most spotty franchises in terms of quality, making “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” much more impressive. While nothing remarkable, the film brings back classic Ghostbusters fun rather than acting as a nostalgia trip with the sole purpose of “getting the band back together,” which most modern requels tend to do. The film makes a fun time at the theater and is worth audiences’ time.
3 ½ ice spikes out of 5
