The Spengler family returns to the iconic New York City firehouse where the original Ghostbusters have taken ghost-busting to the next level. When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must unite to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.

If there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, you know who to call, and the Ghostbusters, both new and old, are back for the follow-up to the much-lauded Ghostbusters: Afterlife with Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. And there’s a solid mixture of spooky horror and laugh-out-loud horror moments in this all-new story that continues the story of the Spengler family as they continue to hunt down all manner of ghouls and ghost who threaten the denizens of New York City and the entire world. And the horrors are damn well world-ending. Director Gil Kenan steps up to take on the director’s chair this time and has reconnected the past nostalgic moments of the franchise and pairing it with the fresh perspective brought upon by the younger Spenglers.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire takes the action back to New York City, and it’s fun to see the Fire House back in action as a new generation of Spenglers deal with a whole heap of ghosts and the problems that arise from 40 years of Ghostbusting. While Paul Rudd’s Gary Grooberson is trying to learn to be a ‘makeshift’ father figure to the now teenaged Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe Spengler (Mckenna Grace), Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon) tries to keep it all together and to keep the business afloat. Which ain’t exactly easy. But it’s young Phoebe Spengler who finds herself benched and out of place, and the actress brings a great sense of growing pains and doubt to this character as she matures into her teenage years. Plus, keep an eye open for plenty of hi-jinks from Kumail Nanjiani as Nadeem Razmaadi, a slacker from Queens who has a great destiny ahead of him, and he leads the charge with the comedy in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

This sequel finds its charm in the return of the original cast of characters, including Bill Murray as Dr Peter Venkman, Dan Aykroyd as Dr Raymond “Ray” Stantz, Ernie Hudson as Dr Winston Zeddemore and Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz, and they’re all a hoot to watch on screen. While Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson pass on wisdom and guidance as Stantz and Zeddemore, Bill Murray is still the same sly, charming roguish Venkman, and it’s a lot of fun to see them all put on Proton Packs again. Annie Potts is once again a scene-stealer as Janine Melnitz, and keep your eyes open for the special return of William Atherton as Walter Peck, who is now the Mayor of New York City, and he hasn’t forgotten about the Ghostbusters or the embarrassment he suffered because of them. There’s plenty of nostalgia seeing this team return, and they keep the newer cast on their toes.

There’s a solid mix of equal parts scares and comedy in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and the film’s New York setting adds to the fun of it all. Director Gil Kenan has plenty of fun pushing the movie in a new direction, and his use of CGI and animatronics makes for a fun combination. The comedy also crackles, and there’s an adult edge to the humour that certainly pushes the envelope. Plus, did we mention that there’s a good helping of Proton Pack action that will keep you hooked in, and damn do things get explosive when the big bad of the demonic god Garraka arrives on the scene. The sense of design and animation is in keeping with Ghostbusters classic nostalgia, and fans will get a kick out of it.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire takes the franchise in a new direction, offering something for both new and old fans with its enjoyable mix of scares and laughs.

Image: Sony Pictures

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After being evicted from their home, a single mother and her two children are forced to move to a decayed farmhouse in Summerville, Oklahoma, left to them by the children of their late grandfather, where a series of unexplained earthquakes are occurring despite not being situated on any fault and strange things are happening in an old mine which once belonged to the alleged occultist Ivo Shandor.

Taking up the director’s chair from his father Ivan Reitman is Jason Reitman, a filmmaker who continues to push the boundaries with each new film and whose list of credits is incredibly diverse and packed out with original stories. Now he takes up the reigns from his father for a revitalisation of the Ghostbusters franchise and you feel in watching this picture, that for the younger Reitman, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is very much a family movie. This is a film about a family, made by a family and with a great sense of nostalgia which is blended together with a terrific modern adventure story that is uniquely American and as an audience member you get a real rush of a film experience in Ghostbusters; Afterlife.

At the centre of this new chapter of the Ghostbusters franchise are siblings Phoebe and Trevor Spengler (Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard), who just happen to be the grandchildren of the late Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) who has died under mysterious circumstances and left his daughter Callie (Carrie Coon), and his grandchildren a dilapidated farmhouse in Summerville, Oklahoma. Both Phoebe and Trevor are out of their element and wishing for something fantastical to happen and very quickly they are pulled into a crazy mission to uncover the legacy of the Ghostbusters and stop the threat of a dangerous ancient power. Stars Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard are perfectly cast as the Spengler kids, and Grace especially holds the centre of the screen as the scientifically gifted Phoebe who has a knack for finding trouble and a gifted mind for curiosity and invention.

Providing a key level of support in Ghostbusters: Afterlife is Carrie Coon as Phoebe and Trevor’s mum Callie and Paul Rudd as Phoebe’s summer school teacher Gary Grooberson. Coon brings a lot of emotion to the frazzled Callie who has a lot of issues with her now-deceased father and his life as a Ghostbuster. Rudd’s Grooberson on the other hand is all too excited when he finds out who the Spengler kids actually are and is all gung-ho to get into the Ghostbusting business when he and Phoebe decipher the ancient and terrible secrets that lay at the heart of Summerville. As an audience member, it’s very apparent to see that for Rudd, the ability to be a part of Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a dream come true and his enthusiasm for the film’s story certainly shines through in his performance.

As a cinematic experience, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is just straight-up fun. This is an incredibly joyous and exciting film to watch and when the Spengler kids decide to unleash Ecto-1 and go ghost hunting the result is one crazy and rock n’roll ride through the streets of Summerville. Director Jason Reitman injects the film with fast-paced kinetic energy and you get caught up in the moment with everything that’s going on. There’s something nostalgic, but also incredibly contemporary about Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Reitman’s unique mix of action moments and laugh-out-loud comedy keep you invested in the story and its universe saving stakes. Plus the appearance of a few familiar faces will certainly have you smiling.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is just a fun time out at the movies. It’s a film filled with family, adventure, the supernatural and a terrific sense of joy and is a perfect time out at the movies this holiday season.

Image: Sony Pictures

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