Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters (1984)

  • 94% of critics liked it
    (53 reviews)

  • 81% of users liked it
    (949,269 ratings)

Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson star as a quartet of Manhattan-based "paranormal investigators". When their government grants run out, the former three go into business as The Ghostbusters, later hiring Hudson on. Armed with electronic paraphernalia, the team is… More

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PG,
Directed By
Genres
Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy
In Theaters
Jun 1, 1984 Wide
Columbia Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

    Whoever thought of having evil's final manifestation take the form of a 100-ft. marshmallow deserves the rational mind's eternal gratitude.

  • , Variety

    Only intermittently impressive.

  • Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

    Essentially a $30 million version of Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy but not at all a bad time, thanks mainly to Bill Murray's incredibly dry line readings and director Ivan Reitman's maintenance of a moderately coherent tone and plotline.

  • , Time Out

    The story of a trio of incompetent 'experts' in the paranormal (Murray, Aykroyd and Ramis), who set up as ghostbusters after they are canned from their college sinecures, is less cynical a construction than it sounds.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    This movie is an exception to the general rule that big special effects can wreck a comedy.

Read all 23 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Eugene B


    A fun-filled comedic adventure that's a true defining film of it's decade. Ghostbusters' combustion of laughter, special effects and a tactical cast makes it enjoyable and entertaining for all audiences. 4/5

  • Thomas B


    A total classic and with good reason. MVP Bill Murray. Full review later.

  • Mike S


    There are a lot of reasons to love the 80's and this is one of them. After seeing it now for the umpteenth time, it's still as ingeniously funny as ever. Some of the special effects may look a little dated compared to what we're spoiled with today, but it doesn't… More

  • Daniel P


    You've seen it on TV, in bits and pieces. You've picked it up midway and watched to the end, and conversely, you've started it on a lazy afternoon and abandoned it to do something else. You've seen it drunk. You've seen it at eleven in the morning, or three in… More

  • Michael E


    The first Ghostbusters film is a very funny movie, and probably one of the most innovative films of the time. Bill Murray does a hysterically well done job as the douche-bag Dr. Peter Venkman, and the other Ghostbusters do great jobs, Dan Akroyd is great as Peters friend Ray, Harold… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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Cast

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Trailers & Clips