By Joe Barlow

“Busting makes me feel good.”

5 simple words. So much power. I think it was Friedrich Nietzsche who initially coined this phrase but now we can attribute it to Hollywood hunk Paul Rudd. The quote may as well be the mission statement of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Here’s how Sony Pictures describes the plot:
In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family decide to leave Summerville, Oklahoma and go back to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – and help the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level! But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

This film is a very tricky balancing act. Not only is director Gil Kenan balancing the comedy with the thrills (like the original films), he also has to balance the old with the new. Personally, I think this film succeeds in this difficult task. The action and horror sections are fun to watch (I jumped a few times and swore) and I also laughed at the dialogue.

The script is generous to who gets the laughs, too. As expected, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd (given a much meatier role this time) nailed their one-liners but some of my favorite parts were from the newcomers to the franchise, especially Logan Kim. I’m glad they brought back his character “Podcast” to team up with Aykroyd. Kumail Nanjiani expertly gave me douche Rick Moranis vibes (this is a big compliment) and Patton Oswalt also seamlessly joined the Ghostbusters universe.

Was I annoyed by one character’s motivations? Yes. Did it ruin the movie? No. (You’ll know what I mean when you watch.)

Visually, I loved how some of the effects look like the old films but the main “monster” is incredibly menacing and realistic. It’s also great to be back in the iconic firehouse. 

Haters might say we don’t need more Ghostbusters films. But to them I say this: busting makes me feel good. So bust on, Paul Rudd (and company).

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is in theaters March 22, 2024.