Review: "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire"

“When there’s something strange in you’re neighborhood, who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! When there’s something weird and it don’t look good, who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS!” 

For the past four decades, movie buffs have been spellbound by the “Ghostbusters” franchise, beginning with the release of the first Ghostbusters (1984), which will turn 40 on June 8th of this year, and featuring an Oscar-nominated with the aforementioned lyrics by Ray Parker, Jr. Since the release of “Ghostbusters 1,” additions to the franchise have included animated television series: The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991) and Extreme Ghostbusters (1997) a female reboot Ghostbusters (2016) and three sequels to the original film Ghostbusters II (1989), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) released on March 22nd, 2024. Here are my thoughts:

Callie Spengler has relocated from Summerville, Oklahoma with her children, Trevor and Phoebe, and boyfriend, Gary Grooberson, to the beloved “Ghostbusters” firehouse in New York City. There they learn more secrets of Callie’s deceased father, Egon Spengler, including how and he his teammates: Raymond Stantz, Peter Venkman, and Winston Zeddermore started their old business and how they’ve managed to keep it going today. As they work together to trap new ghosts, they ultimately get in trouble with the law, headed by the mayor of New York City, who happens to be a former “Ghostbusters” enemy, Walter Peck. 

Ivan Reitman, who directed “Ghostbusters 1 and 2,” and co-produced “Afterlife,” directed by his son, Jason Reitman, passed away in 2022. “Frozen Empire,” was made as a tribute to the senior Reitman. Ivan was an actor’s director, besides directing the first two “Ghostbusters,” he directed cast members in other projects including: Stripes (1981) which starred Bill Murray and Harold Ramis (“Egon Spengler” and co-writer of first two “Ghostbusters”), Meatballs (1979) which also starred Murray, and Dave (1993) which starred Sigourney Weaver. (“Meatballs,” can be credited for igniting Ivan’ Reitman’s career as a director as well as Murray’s career as a leading man in movies.) 

Futhermore, Reitman directed Twins (1988), Kindergarten Cop (1990), and Junior (1994), each of which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Six Days, Seven Nights (1998) starring Harrison Ford and Anne Heche. The very last film he directed was Draft Day (2014), which starred Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner. He was given posthumous credit for co-producing 

“Frozen Empire” does an exceptional job of continuing to include “Easter Eggs” to the original “Ghostbusters.” While it doesn’t outdo the emotion of “Afterlife,” which was made as a tribute to Ramis, who passed away in 2016, it’s still a very fitting tribute film, continuing the best of the franchise’s legacy.

“Frozen Empire’s” all-star cast reunites Carrie Coon as Callie Spengler, McKenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard as Trevor and Phoebe, Paul Rudd as Gary Grooberson, and once again we see Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts as Pete Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddermore, and Janine Melnitz. The film also brings back original “Ghostbusters” cast member William Atherton as Mayor Walter Peck. The film was co-produced by Ivan and Jason Reitman and Jason Blumenfeld, was co-written by Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan and directed by Kenan, who is no stranger to apparitions, having received an Oscar nod for directing the motion-capture animated film, Monster House (2006). The film features a Score by Oscar-Winning Composer Dario Marianelli that continues to pay homage to Elmer Bernstein’s score from the original. The film includes a cameo by John Rothman who played the Library Administrator who summoned the Ghostbusters to catch their first ghost at the very beginning of the original.

“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” will likely be entertaining for all fans of the franchise. It’s thanks to the reunion of the original cast, plus Jason Reitman’s skills as a producer/director that “Frozen Empire,” and “Afterlife,” continue the groundbreaking legacy of the original.