"Ghostbusters" opened to generally positive reviews. Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of four, citing it as a rare example of successfully combining a special effects blockbuster with "sly" dialogue. Ebert noted the effects existed to serve the actors' performances and not the reverse, saying it is "an exception to the general rule that big special effects can wreck a comedy." He also cited "Ghostbusters" as a rare mainstream film with many quotable lines. Gene Siskel enjoyed the characters interacting with each other and praised Murray's performance in particular, saying his comedic sensibilities compensated for "boring special effects". He was critical of Hudson's late addition to the plot as Winston Zeddemore and the character's lack of development, saying it makes "him appear as only a token box office lure."