Ghostbusters

On Rotten Tomatoes, the majority of critics' reviews were positive, with the consensus describing the film as standing on its own as a freewheeling, well-cast supernatural comedy, even if it pales somewhat compared to the original. Metacritic reflected more mixed reception, landing in "mixed or average" territory. Critics repeatedly praised the chemistry among the four leads, with several singling out a supporting cast member's performance as a scene-stealing highlight.

Where critics diverged was mainly on pacing, tone, and the film's reliance on spectacle. A recurring complaint was excess CGI and overlong action sequences crowding out the character-driven comedy that worked best. Others felt the film sometimes held back from fully committing to anarchic comedy. A minority of critics were considerably harsher, dismissing the script, effects, and performances outright.

The film's release was inseparable from public conversation about its all-female casting. Critics and commentators characterized much of the loudest backlash as driven by resistance to a franchise reboot recasting its leads as women rather than by the film's actual merits, though disagreement persists over how much of the negative reaction was legitimate criticism versus reflexive hostility. Audience reception skewed more divided than critical consensus, with the film earning a solid but not enthusiastic average grade from opening-weekend moviegoers.

Overall, the film is best understood as a competent, well-cast studio comedy that succeeds most when it lets its ensemble riff and struggles when it defaults to franchise-scale spectacle.