Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire cements that this franchise has forgotten to be a comedy which is ironic considering this is the one to feature James Acaster in a fairly substantial role. However, this is the closest these have ever come to being horror and like Afterlife, it remains a lot of fun as an Amblin throwback.
The biggest issue is there's just too many characters in this one. Everyone is good, even Bill Murray obviously phoning it in. Its just doesn't succeed in the attempt to balance returning characters, the originals and some new faces, resulting in Finn Wolfhard, Celeste O'Connor and Logan Kim getting left by the wayside.
Out of those who do get enough, Mckenna Grace remains a great lead and her growing relationship with Paul Rudd is the heart of this one. Kumail Nanjiani is by far the best new addition and the main source of humour here. Dan Aykroyd clearly loves returning to this character and the enthusiasm he brings is infectious.
Gil Kenan's direction starts off strong with a tense opening and then adds another good car chase to this franchise. His greatest strengths lie in the darker moments with the solid atmosphere and a surprising amount of suspense for a family friendly blockbuster. Also, this generally looks nice with CG and practical effects that go further than the actual budget.
The biggest issue is there's just too many characters in this one. Everyone is good, even Bill Murray obviously phoning it in. Its just doesn't succeed in the attempt to balance returning characters, the originals and some new faces, resulting in Finn Wolfhard, Celeste O'Connor and Logan Kim getting left by the wayside.
Out of those who do get enough, Mckenna Grace remains a great lead and her growing relationship with Paul Rudd is the heart of this one. Kumail Nanjiani is by far the best new addition and the main source of humour here. Dan Aykroyd clearly loves returning to this character and the enthusiasm he brings is infectious.
Gil Kenan's direction starts off strong with a tense opening and then adds another good car chase to this franchise. His greatest strengths lie in the darker moments with the solid atmosphere and a surprising amount of suspense for a family friendly blockbuster. Also, this generally looks nice with CG and practical effects that go further than the actual budget.