In the year 2080, McKenna Grace will be as old as Bill Murray is now. And, at that time, I fully expect that Ghostbusters: The Final Final Frontier, Seriously This Time will play exactly as a dead/undead reunion. Of course, by that time, I also fully expect the passing of Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts to yield the anti-GB franchise: Lifebusters, a series of films in which the dead are the good guys constantly haunting and imprisoning those living, proton-pack-wearin’ jerks always showing off their breathing and crap.
For now, McKenna Grace is as good as it gets in the wayward path of Ghostbusters films. Which isn’t to say that’s a bad thing, but for a franchise so large, so notable, and so distinct, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire devolves in Act III from adventure to reunion show. And, unlike Spider-Man: No Way Home, I don’t think the random inclusion of franchise heroes and villains does this film any favors.
When we last saw the Ghostbusters, they were in Oklahoma. That seemed a good place to acquire new blood. A unit family of OK Ghostbusters including Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, and Finn Wolfhard paced a rollicking undead adventure, but the coup was daughter Phoebe (Grace) as the resident heir to Spengler nerdery. 
While the franchise correctly identified Grace as the focal point of the Ghostbusters future, Ghostbusters past took over at that point, and Ghostbusters present relocated to that same ex-firefighter hostel in NYC. Present even insisted upon reviving the villain of the original as William Peck (aka “dickless” – if the film can constantly re-invigor the ghosts of 1984, I sure as Hell can, too) is now Mayor Peck (William Atherton). Well, there should be some good punchlines there, no? No.
The film starts just fine with a giant ghost chase over Manhattan streets. There’s a great marriage there between the old (the Ghostbusters hearse-mobile and proton packs) with the relatively new (gunner seat and drone technology). Sure, the idea that any car can barrel down Manhattan streets midday with relative ease and the fact that Gary Grooberson (Rudd) seems indifferent to brake use ca
n be forgiven and forgotten; we all had fun before this thing got started. Pretty soon, the real plot takes over, which involves the benching of Phoebe (Grace) and the minor god trapped within an ancient magic eight ball brought to Ray Stantz (Aykroyd) by misplaced funnyman Kumail Nanjiani.
Soon enough, the film splits into two storylines, one about ghost hunting with new tech introduced by Winston Zeddemore (Hudson) and another in which forgotten genius teen Phoebe befriends a teen ghost and kindred spirit -pun intended- in Melody (Emily Alyn Lind). The latter is the best relationship in the film. On the former, even if you could convince me ghost-capturing tech was a thing, the entire premise completely falls apart once “Doctor” Venkman (Murray) is summoned.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is not without a bit of adventure and a few laughs. Yet the fact that this film gets its best yuks out of Paul Rudd reciting lyrics from the 1984 Ray Parker Jr. theme song kinda tells you all you need to know. This film will prove amusing exactly up to the point where I start making fun of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. That should be any second now.
There once was a film about bustin’ a ghost
That kids like me loved, loved, and loved most
So they made four more
The last true to the core
It was really entertaining … almost
Rated PG-13, 115 Minutes
Director: Gil Kenan
Writer: Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman, Ivan Reitman
Genre: Unnecessary sequel
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: How desperate are you to re-live the original?
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Demonic gods?
