Summary

• Frozen Empire introduces a new thrilling villain - Garraka - that poses a formidable threat to the Ghostbusters.
• The movie is filled with various characters. However, they lack in-depth exploration and may leave some audience wanting more.
• While offering chills and thrills, Frozen Empire struggles with a slow-moving plot, uneven character distribution, and an easily resolved resolution.

It's probably safe to say that when the original Ghostbusters was released in 1984, it wasn't intended to start a sprawling franchise with a deep mythology. It told a fun, self-contained story that entertained and inspired — that would've been enough to create a long-lasting legacy. And yet, nearly 40 years later we're welcoming Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the fifth overall movie in the franchise and the direct sequel to 2021's Afterlife. Whereas the previous movies were directed by either the late Ivan Reitman or his son Jason (except for 2016's female-led reboot), the new movie is helmed by Gil Kenan.

There's a lot that should be working in Frozen Empire's favor, from an excellent returning cast (including the original Ghostbusters themselves) to a chilling new villain. Throw in plenty of callbacks to what came before and some interesting newcomers, and it seems like the franchise has another hit on its hands. Unfortunately, the overall execution falls flat due to a slow-moving plot and character threads that end up going nowhere. Though the franchise's usual humor is still firmly intact (there were plenty of people laughing at my screening), it feels like some of the magic is gone.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Suffers From A Slow-Moving Plot

Set two years after the franchise reset that was Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Frozen Empire picks up with Egon Spengler's family — daughter Callie (Carrie Coon), grandchildren Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), and almost son-in-law Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd) — living in the iconic New York City firehouse and continuing the ghost-hunting business. Screenwriters Kenan and Jason Reitman throw in plenty of references to what happened in the last movie in case audiences have forgotten, though there aren't any lingering plot threads to tie up. Instead, the Ghostbusters are faced with a new enemy, one who comes from ancient times.

When Garraka is unleashed, Frozen Empire is thrilling.

This god-like monster, who possesses the ability to encase the world in ice and control fellow ghosts, is trapped inside an artifact that is brought to Ray Stanz's (Dan Aykroyd) attention, courtesy of new character Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani). From the very beginning of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, it's clear that the monster, known as Garraka, is a formidable villain, perhaps the worst these heroes have ever faced. Its design, hinted at in various posters and trailers, is fittingly scary, with a towering body, enormous horns, and fingers as skinny and sharp as icicles. When Garraka is unleashed, Frozen Empire is thrilling.

The problem, though, is that it takes a very long time for this to happen. Much of the movie is spent laying the groundwork for Garraka's arrival, starting with an ominous prologue set in 1904. There are signs that something is stirring, such as a surge of energy surrounding the Ghostbusters' containment unit that threatens to tear it right open. Ray, Phoebe, and several other characters spend ample time investigating the artifact, and there are a few action sequences thrown in to keep things moving. Ultimately, though, the build-up feels more like treading water.

Frozen Empire Is Too Overstuffed With Characters

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is positively bursting with characters, to the point where covering each one would take up this entire review. As in Afterlife, Phoebe is the de facto protagonist here, wrestling with the fact that she's legally too young to be a Ghostbuster and a surprising crush. Aykroyd gets the biggest part of the original cast, as Ray takes on a mentor role for Phoebe and her friend Podcast (Logan Kim). In exploring how Ray grapples with his love of the paranormal alongside entering his "golden years," as phrased by Ernie Hudson's Winston, Aykroyd gives a wonderful, heartfelt performance.

The uneven distribution of screentime for the original cast might rankle some, but there is an undeniable thrill at seeing them all united for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's climax. There's a reason these movies are so beloved, and it all began with them.

Due to the sheer size of the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire cast, it's inevitable that some characters would fall to the wayside, and many sadly do. Despite being Spengler's daughter, Coon's Callie gets little to do besides fret about Phoebe and continue her relationship with Gary. In fact, a conflict between Callie and Phoebe, while packing a genuine punch thanks to a fiery bit of dialogue from the latter, gets no real exploration. Wolfhard's Trevor is similarly reduced to only a few amusing quips about being an adult now (he's 18) and a feud with a returning Slimer.

Outside of Ray, Winston appears with some frequency because of his role as the Ghostbusters' backer, but Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) and Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts) only get a handful of scenes. The uneven distribution of screentime for the original cast might rankle some, but there is an undeniable thrill at seeing them all united for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's climax. There's a reason these movies are so beloved, and it all began with them.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Has Thrills, But Not Enough

When Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is able to fully explore the horror behind its central villain, it gets in real chills. Kenan slips in several jump scares, adding to the tension that comes from having numerous ghosts trapped close by. At the same time, the movie retains the franchise's overall lightness, preventing it from becoming too scary. In other words, it doesn't take itself too seriously now that it has become a mega-franchise.

Ultimately, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire focuses too much on the build-up, ghost-science exposition dumps, and smaller arcs that vary in strength; examples of the last one include Phoebe's crush (a refreshing inclusion) and the return of anti-Ghostbuster Walter Peck (William Atherton), now mayor with the power to truly shut the team down. It takes too long for the movie to reach its most compelling moments, and when it finally does, the resolution comes far too easily. The Ghostbusters still have some charm, but there's so much untapped potential that it's hard not to feel a chill at the prospect of more.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire releases in theaters Friday, March 22. It is rated PG-13 for supernatural action/violence, language and suggestive references.