John Howard

Frozen Empire leaves me cold!

It was something I'd been looking forward to for a while; a chance to get to the cinema (alone) to view another part of a story that held so many childhood memories for me. 

And, please, please let that be the end of this story!

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the fourth instalment of the much loved saga (let's not speak of that disastrous effort of 2016) that follows a team of spook hunters determined to protect New York's streets. 

Three years on from the success of Afterlife, three of the original quartet return for a more meatier contribution than their brief cameo in the aforementioned 2021 film. 

The plot sees the veteran Ghostbusters join forces with their new recruits to save the world in New York City from a death-chilling god who seeks to build a spectral army. 

Spoiler: They do it and all ends up right between the worlds. 

The main problem with this film is its lack of originality. It has all been done before and I felt that this was more about nostalgia rather than freshening up what is becoming a tired formula. 

Yes, it is great to see Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd sharing the screen once again as Peter Venkman and Ray Stantz, respectively, while Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore now being a wealthy philanthropist was a nice touch. 

And Annie Potts reprising her role as the quirky Janine Melnitz and William Atherton as the obnoxious Walter Peck (now the mayor) was also welcome.

But that is the main issue, the best bits of the film focus on characters who helped make Ghostbusters iconic in the 1980s. Fans who remember the 1984 and 1989 instalments will experience a mixture of wonderful memories and disappointment. 

Why on the latter? This is 2024. Film making, like society, is different now. That's not to say we can't love and cherish classics from bygone areas (believe me I do), but trying to shoehorn and reshape movies into modern-day thinking rarely works. 

Of the modern ear, Paul Rudd delivers his usual solid performance as the head hunter who balances his time with battling the undead while trying to win the affections of his partner's children. 

Humorous, but no Venkman.

Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard is somewhat lacklustre in his second outing as Egon Spengler's grandson, Trevor, but Mckenna Grace's turn as the socially awkward genius, Phoebe, who is befriended by a more confident, cooler female spirit is quite touching. 

Ultimately, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a comedy that delivered few laughs. Kumail Nanjiani as Nadeem Razmaadi, a petty hustler whose latent pyrokinetic powers are oblivious to him raises a few smiles, but he is no Rick Moranis.

Younger fans may enjoy the special effects and the struggles the Spenglers face as they balance everyday family issues with being the last line of defence against the supernatural. 

John's Judgement - 5/10.

To sum up, the franchise has gone to the well one too many times and should leave fans with the laughs and the memories the first two movies created. 

Not another one, please!