Directed by Gil Kenan with a script he co-wrote with Jason Reitman, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the fifth film in the franchise and set three years after the events in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The film follows the Spengler family as they return to where it all started at the firehouse in New York City, now that a very rich Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) is funding the team and has even created a top-secret state of the art lab. Not everyone is happy with their new location, however, as the mayor (William Atherton) uses every excuse to try to shut them down, which ends with the youngest member of the family, Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), benched, as her brother, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), her mother, Callie (Carrie Coon), and Callie’s partner, Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), continue to protect the city without her. While sidelined, Phoebe befriends a ghost, Melody (Emily Alyn Lind), who may not be who she seems. Meanwhile, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) comes across an ancient artifact that unleashes a new foe who wants to open a doorway to the other side to create his own spectral army. Ghostbusters new and old will have to work together to save the world from the evil Garraka and prevent a second Ice Age.

In addition to those mentioned above, Celeste O’Connor and Logan Kim return from Afterlife, and Bill Murray and Annie Potts reprise their roles from earlier films. Also joining the cast are Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt.

Frozen Empire is an enjoyable adventure that’s fun for the whole family. It’s funny yet also maintains an exciting story that’s full of thrilling twists and turns and also has heart.

The script is both well-written and also full of nostalgia for fans of the originals. Frozen Empire does a great job of expanding the world of Ghostbusters with unique new gadgets and ghosts while staying true to the original formula. While having seen Afterlife will certainly give you more context for the film, Frozen Empire can easily be enjoyed without having seen the previous installment, or really any of the original movies for that matter. However, having seen the previous films will definitely make the Easter Eggs more enjoyable. Some are extremely obvious, like Slimer or the mini Stay Pufts, while others are more hidden for fans to look out for.

Regardless of whether you’re new to the franchise or not, the film also looks really good. The special effects are high caliber and the designs of the ghosts and the tech are generally impressive and fun. Also, Garraka was a really cool design and was imposing, and the freezing aspects of his powers really added a unique element.

The cast is also excellent. Each performer brings their A game, from the veterans to the newer cast members, and they all mesh well together. I especially thought Nanjiani was a terrific addition, and his character was hilarious. I also appreciated the addition of the veterans to the film.

Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. I was definitely entertained, and it’s a great entry into the franchise. It made me want to go back and watch the older Ghostbusters movies so I felt more of a connection to things, as it’s been decades since I have seen any of the original films, and I haven’t seen Afterlife. As much as I picked up on some of the more obvious things pulled from the old movies, I can tell that there were a lot of references that I missed that would have made it even more enjoyable. That being said, it was definitely worth seeing regardless, because it was just overall a lot of fun.

Special Features:

Return to the Firehouse: Making Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire [21:40] – Director/co-writer/executive producer Gil Kenan, producer/co-writer Jason Reitman, and production designer, Eve Stewart talk about the iconic location of the firehouse, both the exterior location and the interior set, and creating it. They and cast members also talk about what it was like working there. Both the new and original characters are also discussed and the cast members talk about working with the director and each other. Interspersed with interviews are behind the scenes clips, concept artwork, and scenes from both the new films and from the originals.

Busted: Capturing the Ghosts of Frozen Empire [11:28] – The cast and crew talk about both the returning and new ghosts in the film and how they were brought to life, including the subway dragon, Phosphor, Pukey, Posessor, Melody, the Mini-Pufts, Garraka, the library ghost, and Slimer. The interviews include Kenan and Reitman as well as crew from the visual effects, makeup, and animatronics departments. The feature also includes behind the scenes clips interspersed with the interviews.

Easter Eggs Unleashed [6:34] – Kenan talks about the Easter Eggs and references that are hidden (and some not so hidden) throughout the film.

Manifesting Garraka [3:55] – The cast and crew talk about the new villain Garraka and creating the look of the death chill, as well as the orb. The feature includes interviews with Kenan, Reitman, visual effects producer, Nicole Rowley, visual effects supervisor Geoffrey Baumann, and various cast members, as well as behind-the-scenes footage.

New York, New Gear [7:05] - The cast and crew talk about the new gadgets in the film, including the upgraded proton packs and more. The feature includes interviews and behind-the-scenes-footage as well as concept artwork.

Welcome to the Paranormal Discovery Center [4:44] – Kenan, Reitman, and Stewart talk about designing and creating the the Paranormal Research Center and some of the tech there. Various actors touch on acting in the environment. Costume designer Alexis Forte talks about the updated black uniforms and the Ghostbusters coat. The feature includes clips and behind-the-scenes footage with the interviews.

Knowing the Score [6:33] – The feature includes discussion about creating the score, including finding the tone, some of the instruments used, creating scary soundscapes, and more. It includes interviews with Kenan as well as composer Dario Marianelli, Peter Bernstein who orchestrated the original film, and principal percussion performer Wade Culbreath. The feature includes behind-the-scenes footage of the orchestra and choir and more.

Deleted and Extended Scenes [8:44] – There are six scenes that you can play separately or at once: Headlines, I am a Doctor, Ghost-chopper, News Report, Rooftop Consolation, and Slime Bath

Commentary with Director, Co-Writer Gil Kenan [1:55:06] – Kenan gives insights into creating the film, touching on story, characters, sets, Easter Eggs, and more.

Previews [10:18] – Trailers for The Garfield Movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Gran Turismo, and Madame Web

Final Thoughts:

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is an entertaining film and worth the purchase if you are a Ghostbusters fan or want to see the movie, however, there aren’t enough special features to be the sole reason for purchase, in my opinion.