User Reviews

Watched this film today and spent the whole time trying to articulate what was wrong with it to myself. Basically I didn't hate it and I didn't love it. It was competently made, good effects, some comedic moments and good set pieces. But it just didn't feel like something derived from a SNL skit. The joy of ghostbusters was that it was free wheeeling, that it was anarchic. That, similar to the Blues Brothers, somebody had allowed a bunch of slackers to spend millions on making a movie which to coin Bill Murray from Meatballs "just didn't matter". Afterlife was touching and sweet, looking back at that time with a smile and a wink. This however, was just a generic family action movie, using the brand name of the ghostbusters. It left me indifferent.

This film is okay. It's not nearly as good as Ghostbusters Afterlife but it's about what you would expect from a follow up. The new ghosts and elements added to the lore are very cool and some of the visuals are very nice. Some of the jokes are very funny and some aren't. The cast is pretty good here but nothing exceptional performance wise. The action scenes are ok but the final battle is pretty short and a little anti climactic. The original crew is just there to be there with the exception of Dan Aykroyd, who actually has quite a bit of screen time. If you're a Ghostbusters fan you'll probably have a good time with it but don't expect to be blown away.

I saw this film twice because I wanted to see it with my Ghostbusters fan friend and see if this film got better with my second viewing. I seriously wanted to love this movie. The TV spots and trailers looked awesome. This had to be the best Ghostbusters sequel yet! Nope. In fact, this might be the worst.

There's a great Ghostbusters film in this movie. There really is but studio meddling hurt the film. My first time viewing it, I walked out of the film feeling like I just got out of work. Throughout most of the film I struggled to care about anything going on and I was drained. When the actual Ghostbusters show up, I perked up a little bit. However, I should be loving this. All that stuff at the library should have been beyond exciting but not even that.

Then when I saw it again, I figured out the exact moment when I stopped caring and I struggled to get that same investment I had in the film up to this point. That scene is when Phoebe and Podcast and go into that diner for a ghost call and Phoebes ghost girlfriend is sitting at one of the tables. It was that moment and that moment on where my investment in the film cratered and I tried desperately to get back into the film.

These two characters are nothing but a vacuum that sucks the fun and investment of the film into a netherworld that you will never get back. Their scenes mainly consist of "Hey hey sure whatever" and I'm left shouting "what is the point? Move forward! Stop wasting time." And apparently, the studio told the filmmakers they had to cut 20 minutes of this movie two weeks before it premiered. Why werent these scenes cut down?

So many characters and scenes could have gotten the axe with the plethora of characters flooding this film to the point where they move the brother to Slimer duties that had no real purpose in the film. Sunny and Podcast return and add nothing. They should have eliminated them and gave the scenes from Podcast to the brother.

But theres lots to like too. Dan Ackroyd is at his best here and I'm glad Winston and Murray return too. They have a couple cool new ghosts like Pukey and Possessor that were great additions and say what you want about the new villain, but at least finally the Ghostbusters face a new villain.

I'm hoping for a directors cut because there is a lot to like in a movie that is dragged down by an extremely boring subplot that gives you Rings of Power vibes in a potentially great Ghostbusters film.

They could have done so much more with this movie, unfortunately the storyline was only wafer thin, the cast were not used to to produce the same performance that they did in Afterlife and the plot holes were gaping.

If they had only made the connection with Afterlife and built upon the story from the start of the movie, then started introducing the new characters and a more convincing plot, they definitely could have made it better.

I certainly wouldn't rush to watch it again, the special effects were good, some of the comedy value was entertaining, some was just plain silly.

I scored it: 6/10.

Huge fan of the first few original movies. They were good and didn't try too hard. Focused on the main characters and the ghosts even had something enjoyable about them.

But it seems these days Ghostbusters has fallen victim of trying too hard and making a connection with everybody by introducing all these extra characters with their own backstory. The ghosts just become a pawn piece and aren't really the focal point. So much promise in the first half hour, but then more new characters, more side stories, lots of one liners, and then...a quick wrap up and credits roll. Snore. Don't waste your $

Another empty addition to the franchise that adds nothing. I assume the original cast needed the money, because there was on other reason to be part of this dreck.

The action is boring, the story is boring, the dialog is boring.

An evil god is released by an irresponsible child, but all is forgiven, because that's what family does. The saviour of mankind becomes amazing after 5 minutes of practice.

The evil dude is not even seen for 99% of the movie, and is easily dispatched when he finally turns up. Thanks to a bonding moment. Go you all American family!

Just stick to the original. It's still a fun movie to watch. Everything after is not.

Really bad characters with no substance and a sadly terrible movie. Turning McKenna Grace into some sort of boring Harry Potter character was a big mistake and the plot is full of the usual unbelievable Mary Sue tropes.

It's strange to me how it seems impossible for Hollywood to turn out a decent movie recently. Constant reshashing of old stories or franchises, with the inevitable eye-rolling tropes being added to make it more pc just smacks of desperation.

I could possibly understand the misguided attempts at girl-bossing every movie if it meant interesting plots, good acting, and clever writing, but fails so hard. Whatever happen to story-telling and good complex well-cast characters who are cast for their acting talent rather than immutable characteristics?

If you want to hate this movie, or nit pick everything, you can. I am a big Ghostbusters fan, but my family are casual fans and we all loved Frozen Empire. It's fun, funny, at times scary and just a joy to watch. It's great seeing their world expanded. You get so much more lore, and new stuff added that would fit right along with themes from Real Ghostbusters. I can't even really fathom why this is getting negative reactions. I guess post COVID movies aren't supposed to be fun and take the audience on a ride anymore. There's a lot to love here, die hard or casual fans, and it's worth your money to see it on the big screen. A worthy sequel and I hope we get more.

I really wanted to like it because I walked out of Ghostbusters: Afterlife surprisingly pleased, but this one was just a mess at best. I don't think the direction they try to take for the characters from Afterlife makes the most logical sense. There is also too many new characters alongside the ones introduced in Afterlife as well as the OG's like Ray and such. Too many characters to juggle so the ball gets dropped on all of them. Also, I know Afterlife gets some flack for references and Easter egg like fan service, sometimes called "nostalgia bait" I actually thought the way that film handled that stuff wasn't just empty nostalgia bait, I think there is a difference between that and fan service that isn't empty, that works in a story that is actually good. This film ironically IS an example of something that actually does have empty nostalgia bait in a story that feels like it doesn't know what it's suppose to be about. Is it the worst movie ever? No, but I think we also deserved way better. If you ask me, I think Ghostbusters: Afterlife should have been the last one. If there isn't a great script there, then let's just let the series rest.

I enjoyed Frozen Empire, it was especially fun to see so many actors reprising their characters from the very first Ghostbusters movie.

As others have said Phoebe carried the film, and that's not a bad thing. My only complaint is it Bill Murray really seemed to be phoning in his role.

There was a lot of connections to the first Ghostbusters movie and though some people didn't like it I found the plot rather imaginative.

Even though I actually liked Afterlife a little better, this was a fine addition to the Ghostbusters franchise.

Even though the critics didn't like it I think it will be popular enough to merit a continuation of the franchise, I for one will be a returning viewer.

As i recall this is the 5th overall ghostbusters film since the 1984 first entry and still hollywood can not bring back the magic the first film had 40 years ago.

The first film had everything needed. The sci fi and fantasy factor the comedy element a great cast and above all a superb 80s epic soundtrack. The title ghostbusters song by ray parker junior is legendairy and still fresh after 40 long years. Even air supply performed a great ballad called "i can wait forever" a 6 minutes epic song which could be released as a single back then and score the charts.

We don't get songs like these anymore. This new entry in the franchise tried to bring back some magic of the old but not much succeeded to do.

The original cast was back but for a little time and they are getting old.

The music is indefferent and the good scenes are redused in the last half an hour of the film.

How i wish we could get the old days back. Sadly nothing will match the original 1984 ghostbusters film. These were the days .....

Major Ghostbusters fan here, and so sad to say the movie is a monstrosity. Characters are totally flat, acting is so-so (to say the best) but worst of all is the script. The story makes absolute no sense at all, full of plot holes. I know it's not a Nolan movie where everything is perfectly tied up, but here everything is resolved with finding a new character every time. Slapstick comedy is beyond awful, and the saddest part of all is the lost opportunity of making a good film, with the original cast.

Afterlife despite not being the best movie at least had an emotional side, but this time the movie has, in my opinion, nothing appealing. I honestly struggle to understand people giving it a score higher than 5.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire cements that this franchise has forgotten to be a comedy which is ironic considering this is the one to feature James Acaster in a fairly substantial role. However, this is the closest these have ever come to being horror and like Afterlife, it remains a lot of fun as an Amblin throwback.

The biggest issue is there's just too many characters in this one. Everyone is good, even Bill Murray obviously phoning it in. Its just doesn't succeed in the attempt to balance returning characters, the originals and some new faces, resulting in Finn Wolfhard, Celeste O'Connor and Logan Kim getting left by the wayside.

Out of those who do get enough, Mckenna Grace remains a great lead and her growing relationship with Paul Rudd is the heart of this one. Kumail Nanjiani is by far the best new addition and the main source of humour here. Dan Aykroyd clearly loves returning to this character and the enthusiasm he brings is infectious.

Gil Kenan's direction starts off strong with a tense opening and then adds another good car chase to this franchise. His greatest strengths lie in the darker moments with the solid atmosphere and a surprising amount of suspense for a family friendly blockbuster. Also, this generally looks nice with CG and practical effects that go further than the actual budget.

It is a very good film. There are some nice action sequences and lots of humor.

The slow parts in the movie happen when Murray is on screen. Frozen Empire goes out of the way to set him up for one liners that seem intended just to make the trailers. His jokes are forced and didn't add to its enjoyment. The new cast is great, Aykroyd is great also.

From the trailer you'd expect it to have more horror elements. While the big bad is very good, it's not as evil as it it could've been, which would've made the film even better.

Fans will dig the film, casual moviegoers will enjoy it too, but if there's another one they are OK to ghost the classic members of the team.

When Ghostbusters: Afterlife came out I was surprised how much I liked it. I really like the 1984 original and the sequel was pretty good. The reboot in 2016 was ok but I thought the franchise was dead. Afterlife revived the franchise. It was a great mix of new characters and had enough well placed nostalgia. Frozen Empire is unfocused and relies way to much on nostalgia that just dies land as well and seems more desperate and is all over the place.

The story is set in New York with the Spengler family living and ghostbusting there. The cast from Afterlife is back. The focus again is on Phoebe played by Mckenna Grace which is good because she is the best a part of the film. The problem here is that the other characters are almost there just to appear. Paul Rudd is the biggest star here but really dies nothing other than have a couple of decent funny lines. But the rest of the family is just barely there. The nostalgia feels so racked on. Yes, three of the original cast members and a coupme if supporting characters are back but it all feels forced. Where Afterlife earned it's nostalgic moments. This film has them and it feels forced.

There are sone funny moments and sone good special effects and it's not bad but it just feels that they wanted to stuff the film with so much that it is a total mess....

Grade: C.

So much promise, too much stupidity, Perhaps the movie was trying to entertain the younger generation. But, if it was, the director should have remembered, that the originals did that perfectly without the cheese.

The scary and ominous bits were great, the nostalgia was there, the action worked, the big bad was cool but the idea of a fire master was pure junk.

I dig the new Ghostbusters movies and I hope we get more, but please, steer away from the cheese!!!

If this had been serious with a few comic lines/moments scattered like frosting it would have been great. But, it focused too much on trying to be comedy.

So... yeah, but no. Thanks for another Ghostbusters film, because I love the franchise, but this could have been a heap better.

I got to see this at a prescreening and if you weren't a fan of Afterlife because of so-called recycled content, I will tell you that Frozen Empire goes a bit bolder and further from the original content than they ever have before.

Yes, there's a good deal of fan-service, but none of it is by any reasonable argument the driving force of the story.

I was told that Eric Steelberg readied himself by watching the original two films while Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan prepared by watching the animated series, and surely this shows.

As the fourth film in the series, this was the right time to stray from the original formula and hearken more towards something familiar only to the most hardcore of fans and therefore quite new to the general public.

Though much like observing a glorified episode of The Real Ghostbusters, there was nothing about it that felt too familiar or rehashed.

The mythology behind Garraka, the new big baddie, is engaging enough and unique. The build-up to his imminent arrival is pretty intense and quite a satisfying pay-off.

Of the films at the very least, I'd have to argue that this is the most formidable and intimidating enemy that the boys in beige (and girls too - seeing Melnitz in uniform was so satisfying) have encountered thus far.

Each of the characters already established were just as good as you could expect from the preceding films and they were built upon decently enough.. namely Phoebe, Ray Stantz and then perhaps Gary Grooberson in that order.

Patton Oswalt and James Acaster were colorful and very welcoming additions to the group and made it adequately and pragmatically clear that even our favorite characters who seem to know more than most, still don't have all the answers.

Certain elements may feel somewhat forced or far-fetched for some audiences. Others might first point fingers at Kumail Nanjiani or Emily Alyn Lind's characters. However, recalling (at the very least) that Frozen Empire is akin to an episode of the animated series, these seeming imperfections lie solely within the construct of the story and were easily dismissed.

Both Kumail and Emily portrayed their characters and their roles within the story really quite well and admirably.

On my wife's part and most of the audience, Paul and Kumail were the most entertaining and got the most laughs. There was alot going on including plenty of action and cool new gear.

Not much else can be said but that I had a lot of fun and hope to see more just like it down the road.

I personally believe the original Ghostbusters is the greatest comedy of all time. True lightning in a bottle that was due to a number of factors, with the main ones being the chemistry between the cast, the setting, the innovative special effects, and the wonderfully wry screenplay that tied it all together.

Afterlife was an okay attempt to bring the series into the modern age, however it fell into the "soft reboot" trap of excessive fan service and heavily rehashing the story of the first film to the detriment of its own identity in the franchise.

Frozen Empire gives fans something more along the lines of what they really wanted from a long-belated sequel: new ghosts, new gadgets, lots of Dan Aykroyd and improved integration of the rest of the OG cast with some genuinely fun Murray moments.

The setting is back in NYC as it should be (albeit CGI faked for the most part), which was sorely missing from the previous attempt. As a result, it feels much more like a proper Ghostbusters film this time around.

However, it is messy and overstuffed with pointless/cringe characters, leaving the screenplay to desperately justify their presence to a ridiculous degree toward the end. There's questionable story logic (especially concerning why some characters from Afterlife are present in NYC), and your mileage may vary when it comes to the teen/family drama. Then, the villain is rushed and everything wraps up too quickly... not to mention the over reliance on CG... but in spite of all these gripes I was less offended overall than expected.

If you're not a fan of the franchise, Frozen Empire won't win you over, but if you are, there's a lot to like here, in particular the mostly respectful treatment of the legacy characters. It certainly could have been far worse... and yes, we've seen far worse in recent times.

If they can keep the original cast coming back, I'd be happy to watch another one of these.

Scenes that are tiresome and stories that depict a childishly strong and unrealistic character, sometimes portrayed in an unreal and imaginary way, can lead to overly simplistic plots and characters. Action scenes that are disconnected from the story and are included only to engage the audience, especially if overused alongside formulaic narratives and excessive action, can become tedious over time for some viewers. Instead of inviting the audience to think and interact, they merely provide short-term entertainment through childish and tiresome imagery. They are recognized as a superficial and juvenile experience that does not truly seek the viewers' genuine attention. To me, these types of unmotivated and nonsensical structures seem absurd.

Watching it is a waste of time.

I absolutely believe there is some sort of campaign in Hollywood against this film, as it is getting some bad reviews from "professional critics" that are complete and utter BS. PLEASE go see this film, and decide for yourself. As a hardcore fan, I can say I thought the movie was a tad too short, and left me wanting something more. There was a lot of world building in this film, and a lot of stuff seemed to have been left on the cutting room floor. These are my only real gripes with the film, as everything else was delivered well. Acting was on point, the plot was a well thought out story, the effects were a perfect mix of practical and CGI, and the comedy was excellently timed. The original cast makes their presence known, but doesn't cast a long shadow over the newcomers, allowing them to shine through. All in all it is a well rounded movie that has the feel of a long episode of the original cartoon series. Please go see it, and show this franchise support.

Ghostbusters Frozen Empire (2024) : Movie Review -

Ghostbusters Frozen Empire Review: The team of Ghostbusters Afterlife reunites for the sequel, Ghostbusters Frozen Empire, adding ice and fire to it but lacking soul. Even though it is the story of soul-stealing, it still doesn't find its own soul. God knows from where the idea of recreating some of the locational scenes came, but it worked on the positive side. This sequel has a few surprises that are pleasant, but it's hurt by its overanalysing gesture. As expected, the finale comes to the rescue, which was anyway supposed to provide a visual treat. It does that part very well, though. Well, there is less freezing and less use of fire, which is an underwhelming thing to experience. On the soft side, it did manage to leave us with a slight touch of nostalgia.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is set three years after the events of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, as the old gang is joined by a couple of new members. Sadly, Callie (Carrie Coon) benches underage but her best Spangler, Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), to appease the opponent, and the rest of the gang continues to bust ghosts. During her boredom, Phoebe befriends a girl ghost, Melody (Emily Alyn Lind), who beats her at chess. However, Phoebe isn't aware of Melody's actual plan, which is to help Garraka in exchange for her free pass to the afterlife. Phoebe is fooled, and Garraka overpowers them all and arrives in style to take over the entire world. Therefore, the veteran ghostbusters must join forces with their new recruits to save the world.

The idea is generally predictable, as we have the same old methods of catching ghosts, and then someone's coming to destroy the world. Not just that, but even a practical presentation is dated too. The same car, the same Spangler, the same weapons, and the same locations too. We do have brass coming in as a new thing, but you'll see in the climax that it did not really help. "What's the worst part about being a ghost?" asks Phoebe, to which Melody replies, "I'll forever be 16." Well, that's typically girlish. But wait, the next moment is all that ghostly stuff when Phoebe asks, "And what's the best part?" and Melody just says, "Doing this." And disappears. Bang on humour, I must say. I wish they had added some more funny lines like this and intrigued us. Frozen Empire's villain is one such improvement that beats many previous films, but sadly, it appears in the last quarter of the narrative, giving us very little chance of becoming acquainted with it. The Firemaster comes with the same old theories you have seen in MCU and DCU movies for more than a decade.

Frozen Empire has a big cast, but teenager Mckenna Grace walks away with the maximum screen space and best screen presence. Emily Alyn Lind, aka Melody, wasn't there for a long time but has left a solid impact-i.e., more than many leading cast members. Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon could hardly find any scenes to stand out. Finn Wolfhard attempts to catch eyeballs, but it is Kumail Nanjiani who gets the eyeballs. No director wastes Bill Murray like this. That's a terrible injustice to his persona and the character we know from the beginning of the Ghostbusters franchise. Dan Aykroyd still had that one shot left, while Ernie Hudson suited up in old jam alright.

Eric Steelberg's cinematography takes you back to those frames of Ivan Reitman's 1984 blockbuster. The ending sequence is pretty similar to Reitman's evergreen flick. However, the unenthusiastic screenplay and dull dialogue fail to match the "Who you gonna call?" magic here. The visual effects are good in the finale episode and pretty decent otherwise. Nathan Orloff and Shane Reid cut a close to 2-hour film that lags in the middle and doesn't move forward. They could have trimmed 15 minutes here and there to make it gripping. The sound design, production value, and sets seemed okay for the time, in case you were expecting something mind-blowing. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is pretty much in the same zone as Gil Kenan's last Christmas comedy as far as entertainment for different age groups is concerned. Here he had to do a little fan service, and he did that fine. It's modern storytelling and new ideas that seemed missing. Nevertheless, Kenan doesn't bore you to death like others do. Frozen Empire is fairly entertaining in that sense, but a little lower considering the burden of reviving the franchise.

RATING - 5/10*

For me if I really like a movie, coming out of the theater I'm like "Great movie, can't wait to see that again, definitely buying the disc when it's released". Well this movie was not one of them! Like the previous installment, it's just mediocre, not that exciting, thrilling, or even funny, kind of boring actually. Not even the inclusion of Bill Murray and Dan Akroyd can make this movie interesting or much more funny to really make a difference. The only thing that keep this movie from being too boring though, is Kumail Nanjiani who I think is hilarious in everything, movie and TV-Show, I've seen him in, and to a lesser extend Paul Rudd.