‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ doesn’t answer the call

In “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” the Spengler family returns to where it all started—the iconic New York City firehouse—to team up with the original Ghostbusters.

Fire up the Ecto-1 mobile. The Ghostbusters are at it again, cruising through Manhattan to rid it of pesky poltergeists, in a tale that recycles all the great bits and beats of the 1984 classic. Director Gil Kenan banks hard on nostalgia, echoing famous lines and mirroring iconic scenes. This trip down memory lane offers a fleeting thrill, but it’s not enough to outpace the movie’s persistent sluggishness or predictability. Yet, as we’ve seen with hits like “Top Gun: Maverick,” nostalgia has a magic all its own.

The OG crew—Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson—make their return, teaming up with the Spengler family to battle a fresh crop of spectral threats. Mom (Carrie Coon,) her science-whiz daughter Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), teenage son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), and teacher-turned-stepdad Gary (Paul Rudd) move into the old firehouse in Greenwich Village to carry on Grandpa Egon’s (the late Harold Ramis) legacy. Their timing is impeccable as a new frosty menace looms over the Big Apple.

Things get wild—well, as wild as the studio allows in a family-friendly film. The action gets off to a good start with a creepy enough prologue set in the early 1900s that invokes horror-movie vibes. From there, we’re thrust into the present, where Phoebe takes the Ecto’s gunner seat, and the Spenglers chase down a ghost known as the Hell’s Kitchen Sewer Dragon. Unfortunately, that’s where the story’s momentum begins to wane. The supernatural sauciness and subversiveness that made “Ghostbusters” a hit are missing from the diluted screenplay, penned by Kenan and Jason Reitman, son of the late Ivan Reitman, director of the original film to whom “Frozen Empire” is dedicated.

From left, Annie Potts, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” (Jaap Buitendijk/Sony Pictures Entertainment/Columbia Pictures) — *From left, Annie Potts, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” (Jaap Buitendijk/Sony Pictures Entertainment/Columbia Pictures)*

Still, the writers are faithful and respective in their second swing at the IP, meaning what we’re seeing isn’t exactly fresh. The ensemble cast keeps things engaging, albeit in a plot crowded with more characters than it can handle. Marie Kondo would have a hard time organizing this mess. Rudd is egregiously underused. His funniest spot? Reciting the lines to Ray Parker Jr.’s theme song. The returning cast, Annie Potts as mother-hen Janine Melnitz, Celeste O’Connor as Lucky, now an intern at Winston’s (Hudson) paranormal research lab, and Logan Kim as Podcast, working at Ray’s (Aykroyd) occult shop, add familiarity and a wee bit of fun. Mayor Walter Peck (William Atherton) still delights in screwing with the Ghostbusters, this time banning Phoebe from the hunt because she’s too young—even if she’s the smartest and most capable of the lot.

Franchise newcomer Kumail Nanjiani injects a welcome dose of sarcasm that would typically be Rudd’s or Murray’s job. Emily Alyn Lind portrays a lonesome ghostly figure with whom Phoebe forms a poignant bond. The two girls play chess in the park and talk deeply about life and death. There’s an obvious attraction there, but the movie has no intention of being that bold.
Comedian Patton Oswalt, playing a librarian specializing in ancient history and dead languages, slings an abundance of expository dialogue about an evil god on a murder bender because of a mysterious orb that one character refers to as “the devil’s testicle.” Eventually, that object’s power is unleashed, and yada, yada, yada, the Ghostbusters have to save the world.

“Ghostbusters” is a comedy, first and foremost. While there are a few one-liners and gags, what passes for humor are sanitized situations involving the mini Stay Puft Marshmallow Men, this movie’s version of Minions, and a subplot between Wolfhard’s Trevor and the chubby ghost Slimer, the Cheetos-loving blob, back from the first movie in all his green, gooey glory.

The film has an inherently spooky premise, but no genuinely scary moments exist. The narrative is cluttered with backstories, characters, and junk science jargon, leaving the movie a bit lost in its universe. When it comes to straight-up story-telling, “Frozen Empire” lacks anything substantial or original, resulting in a film that, despite a few moments of fun, ultimately leaves audiences a bit cold.