I watched Ghostbusters: Answer the Call and I didn’t like it. 2/5
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Ghostbusters: Answer the Call had all the ingredients for a great comedy: a stellar cast, talented comedians, and the legacy of an iconic franchise. Unfortunately, the film struggles to balance its humor and its storytelling, resulting in a movie that feels more chaotic than cohesive. While there are undeniably funny moments and strong performances scattered throughout, the film’s over-reliance on improv and a lack of grounding make it a missed opportunity.
The story reimagines the Ghostbusters universe with a new team: physicist Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig), her eccentric ex-partner Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), engineer Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon), and subway worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones). Together, they battle a supernatural threat unleashed by an embittered loner intent on opening a portal to the spirit world. While the setup has potential, the execution feels muddled. The plot is thin and often takes a backseat to extended comedic bits that, while occasionally funny, rarely serve the narrative.
The cast is undeniably talented, and each actress brings something unique to the table. Wiig and McCarthy have great chemistry and are at their best when bouncing off each other’s energy. Kate McKinnon’s Holtzmann is the wild card, delivering offbeat humor and quirky inventions, while Leslie Jones injects enthusiasm and relatability as Patty. Individually, they’re great, but as a team, their dynamic feels unbalanced. The film lacks a “straight man” character to ground the humor, leaving every interaction feeling over-the-top. Without someone to counterbalance the goofy antics, the comedy becomes too broad and chaotic, making it hard for the audience to connect.
Much of the humor leans on improv, which occasionally produces hilarious moments but often feels unfocused. Instead of sharp, purposeful jokes, many scenes feel like extended comedy sketches where the actors riff until something sticks. This approach works for some moments—Chris Hemsworth’s dim-witted receptionist, Kevin, steals a few laughs—but it undermines the story’s momentum. The result is a film that feels like it’s trying too hard to be funny at every turn, sacrificing emotional beats and narrative coherence in the process.
Visually, Answer the Call delivers with colorful ghost designs and some fun action sequences. The proton pack effects and ghostbusting tools get an upgrade, and the climactic showdown in Times Square offers a spectacle. However, the ghosts themselves, while visually striking, lack the eerie charm of the original film’s supernatural entities. The scares are replaced with slapstick, which further detracts from the tension and stakes.
The film also struggles to carve out its own identity within the Ghostbusters franchise. It leans heavily on callbacks and cameos from the original cast, which, while nostalgic, often feel forced. These moments remind the audience of the 1984 classic rather than allowing the new film to stand on its own merits.
Ultimately, Ghostbusters: Answer the Call is a movie with a great cast but an underwhelming script. The performers are clearly having fun, and there are a handful of genuinely funny moments, but the lack of balance and focus makes it hard to stay invested. The absence of a grounding presence turns every character into a caricature, and the over-reliance on improv dilutes both the humor and the story.
While it’s not without its charms, Answer the Call feels more like a series of comedic sketches than a cohesive film. Fans of the cast may find something to enjoy, but as a Ghostbusters entry, it falls short of the legacy it’s trying to honor.