Times where somebody refuses the call in Live-Action Films.
- In the 2018 version of A Star Is Born (2018) Ally at first refuses to come out on stage when Jackson calls on her to come out and duet her song with him; she then rushes out to the microphone at the last second, with results that are wildly successful but ultimately tragic for her.
- In the 2010 film version of Alice in Wonderland (2010), a prophecy says that the Jabberwock (a beast that serves the Red Queen which she uses to intimidate her subjects into submission, and pretty much the one way she keeps a hold on power) can only be slain by the Vorpal Sword, and that Alice is the only one capable of using it. However, Alice spends most of the film denying that she is capable of it, going so far as to insist to the creatures who tell her this that they have the wrong person. (The film seems to be a Coming of Age Story, more or less, so Alice has to do a lot of Character Development before she comes to her senses and accepts the call.)
- In Aliens, Ripley initially refuses to join the team being sent to see why the colony has stopped communicating and whether it really has been overtaken by aliens. Then, she realises that facing her terror is the only way to stop the nightmares.
- Inverted at the end of The Avengers. When Agent Hill asks Director Fury if the Avengers will return, he says they will. When she asks how does he know, he responds, "We'll need them to."
- Avengers: Endgame: When the surviving Avengers approach Tony Stark for help with their "time heist," a desperate Hail Mary attempt to reverse the events of Avengers: Infinity War and bring back everyone Thanos killed, he turns them down cold. He was absolutely traumatized by the loss to Thanos. He was also lucky enough that his wife survived The Snap, and he now has a daughter he adores, so he refuses to risk the life he has in an attempt to restore the old world. Of course, Tony being Tony, he can't stop thinking about the problem of time travel, and he realizes he can't rest knowing that he could have helped but didn't.
- Barbie (2023): In the second trailer, the main Barbie visits McKinnon’s disheveled Barbie for advice on the sudden imperfections with her life. The disheveled Barbie offers her two choices represented by two shoes - a pink high-heel to represent going back to her regular life or a brown sandal to represent going to the Real World to find the truth of her existence.Disheveled Barbie: The choice is now yours.
Barbie: (Not even hesitating) The first one. The high-heel.
Disheveled Barbie: …You have to want to know. Okay? Do it again. - In both Braveheart and The Patriot (2000) (a.k.a. Braveheart recycled IN AMERICA) Mel Gibson plays an influential but unambitious farmer who is asked by his countrymen to help in a rebellion against their oppressive king. He refuses to take up arms because he'd rather live a simple life than go to war. Then the king's soldiers kill one his his loved ones and leave him no choice.
- Condorman: When Harry asks Woody, a comic book writer, to undertake a CIA courier mission to Istanbul that the two sides have mutually agreed will be done by civilians in order to reduce tensions, he initially refuses because he is "not a spy." It takes Harry playing on Woody's vanity and his desire to prove that his Condorman character is realistic to get him to go along.
- Dogma takes this and runs the whole nine yards. Bethany doesn't take her job in trying to stop Loki and Bartleby from getting back into Heaven seriously, despite being told by Metatron and meeting "prophets" Jay and Silent Bob, the 13th Apostle Rufus and the muse Serendipity. It isn't until they meet the two and Rufus reveals that she's a descendant of Jesus Christ that Bethany outright walks off from the group and begins ranting and raving as to why she's suddenly being thrust into all of this. Metatron shows up again to comfort her and even says that Jesus Himself pulled this when he found out about his heritage (it's hinted that he went into a Heroic BSoD when he found out, explaining the large time gap in The Bible.)
- In Dr. Dolittle, when the stray dog Dr. Dolittle almost runs over calls him a "bonehead," he thinks he's losing his mind. Then, when his daughter's guinea pig Rodney starts talking to him, his reaction to abandon both him and his cage on the side of the road and drive away. This is thwarted when Rodney appeals to his better nature as a doctor, causing him to come back for him.
- In Escape from New York, the Anti-Hero Snake Plissken is offered a pardon for his past crimes if he'll rescue the President and a lost tape. He initially refuses, but changes his mind because he thinks he can use the opportunity to escape altogether. It happens again in both the comic series (when he refuses to get involved with the Twins' plan to secede Florida from the mainland U.S.) and Escape from L.A. (when he refuses to go on a second suicide mission to get the Sword of Damocles until the President forces him to, via a Explosive Leash variant and the promise of a pardon.
- Near the start of Everything Everywhere All at Once, after Alphaverse Waymond beats up the IRS security guards, he tells Evelyn to come with him, or lie there and face the consequences. Evelyn immediately chooses to lie down on the floor.
- In Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, the final confrontation takes place over the vote for the ruler of the international wizarding confederation, which involves the Qilin, a rare magical creature that can see the purity of a wizard or witch's soul, bowing to the wizard with the purest soul. After Grindlewald tries to rig the vote using a Qilin he had reanimated through necromancy, Newt introduces a healthy Qilin which initially bows to Albus Dumbledore, but Albus tells the creature that while he is honored to have been recognised as a pure soul he doesn't feel he is worthy of the role, and asks it to choose someone else.
- In Gladiator, when first approached by his mentor and father figure Marcus Aurelius with the task of taking power and saving Rome, Maximus initially refuses. However, by the end of the conversation, he says that he needs to think about it. Somewhat similarly to two previous examples (Braveheart and The Patriot), it is in large part because he wants to return home to live a simple and peaceful life as a farmer and family man, though he also implies to Marcus that he doubts his capabilities to carry out the task. Later on after much thought however, as well as a meaningful exchange with his servant Cicero concerning how, "Sometimes I do what I want to do. But the rest of time, I do what I have to", Maximus changes his mind on this decision. However it ultimately comes a little too late, as Commodus discovers what his father has planned before Maximus could accept it and thus before it could be announced to those including the Senators brought into attendance. Leading to Marcus being murdered by him, Maximus ironically enough refusing a "call" from Commodus himself to become his enforcer, and thus leading to Commodus attempting to have Maximus as well as his family executed.
- The Golden Child. Chandler Jarrow absolutely refuses to accept that he's The Chosen One, but helps the good guys anyway because he wants to save the title character. By the end he grudgingly accepts his fate, mainly due to his love for the heroine Kee.
- Bilbo in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey initially wanted nothing to do with Gandalf or the Dwarves, simply wanting to be left in peace. But he eventually Jumped at the Call when he woke up the next morning and realized his normal life just wouldn't be enough if he didn't do it.
- In Jumper, David is watching the news while reporters detail severe flooding which has trapped multiple people on their roofs. The reporter even questions what will happen to them. Saved by a mysterious teleporter? Nope, he was busy banging some British chick.
- In Kaamelott: Premier Volet, a deposed Arthur Pendragon is expected to come back by everyone in his former kingdom to overthrow Lancelot's tyranny... but he really, really doesn't want to. Circumstances end up forcing his hand.
- In Kingdom of Heaven, Balian is approached by his estranged biological father Godfrey to join him in the Holy Land, where he plans on giving him a new start and a living. (Potentially considering making him a knight, but that isn't made clear at the start) Godfrey needs an heir, and wants to set things right for his conscience's sake. Balian declines, however, and only winds up joining them after he kills his brother for desecrating his deceased wife's body. Having a need to get away as well as deciding to take the opportunity to try and redeem he and his wife's souls.
- In The Last Starfighter, Alex Rogan finds his favourite videogame is a military recruitment tool that got him inducted into The Star League. However, whatever interest he has vanishes when the villain Xur has a spy tortured to death on video and Alex instantly demands to be taken home, now!
- However, when Xur learns about him and sends assassins after him, Alex realizes that his only chance of survival is as a starfighter.
- In Lockout, the leading man, Snow, initially refuses the call to save the President's daughter with the line, "I'd rather castrate myself with blunt rocks."
- In Madame Web (2024), once Cassandra's initial heroic instinct in saving the girls fades and she realises there's an inhumanly strong and fast wall-crawling killer after them, she's all too ready to dump Julia, Maddie and Anya on the police - and an Imagine Spot has her trying to do exactly that. However, a very specific set of visions clue her in on Ezekiel's motivations and that he'll never stop hunting them, leading her to get her head back in the game.
- The Matrix is (re)loaded with this one.
- Neo literally receives a cell phone call to adventure at work from Morpheus. He refuses the call by dropping it, figuratively and literally. He wimps out in escaping the agents hunting for him, refusing to go out on a scaffold, while dropping Morpheus' phone several stories below.
- He's later given a second chance, by way of another phone call at home, again from Morpheus, to finally discover what is the Matrix.
- Neo's belief that he's not the One is dangled nicely by the Oracle, who gives him a choice to save himself or Morpheus. This choice bites him in the ass.
- He finally stops refusing the call when he fights Agent Smith. More chases ensue... all of Neo intently rushing to find a call anywhere he can get one.
- In The Mummy Returns:Ardeth Bay: If I was to say to you, "I am a stranger traveling from the east, seeking that which was lost," what would you say?
Rick O'Connell: Then I would reply, "I am a stranger traveling from the West, and it is I who you seek."
Ardeth Bay: Then it is true. You have the sacred mark. [points to tattoo]
Rick O'Connell: That? No, that got slapped on me when I was in an orphanage in Cairo.
Ardeth Bay: The mark means you're a protector of man, a warrior for God, a Magi.
Rick O'Connell: Sorry, you've got the wrong guy. [lightning strikes] - Our Man Flint. Superspy Flint is called on repeatedly by his erstwhile boss Kramden to save the world, but brushes him off disinterestedly. It's only when Kramden is hit in an assassination attempt meant for him that he figures he's in whether he likes it or not (and saves Kramden, naturally.)
- For about three-quarters of The Postman, Shakespeare is visibly uncomfortable about being treated like a hero, and tries to actively discourage the various mail-carrier's "do or die" attitude. He's absolutely horrified by Ford's statement that he (Ford) "would die to get a letter through," especially since Shakespeare knows he was the inspiration for it all.
- In Serenity, Mal's first reaction to River's sudden bout of insanity and ludicrous martial-arts skill is to hide. Unfortunately, The Operative has already burned down his destination on Haven and killed everyone there, causing Mal to snap. It goes poorly for all sides. (One of the themes of the movie is that if the Alliance knew to leave well enough alone, everything would go more smoothly.)
- Species II: Preston Lennox, having retired from freelance hunting to making a counter-terrorism security firm. He doesn't want to do anything if the government became idiots by making another Sil (though it's unclear why he's not affected or swayed by Fitch and Arden dying by Sil's hands and being nearly killed himself with Dan and Laura), and only gets talked into dealing with the new threat by being offered a million dollars.
- Star Trek: First Contact: Zefram Cochrane doesn't want to be a statue.
- Star Wars:
- In The Phantom Menace as communicated via her decoy Padme initially plans to stay on the Trade Federation occupied Naboo, feeling it is her duty to stay with her people. However after some convincing by Qui-Gon Jinn and Sio Bibble she gives the signal to her double with the line "We are brave, your highness" to allow them to go on the journey with the Jedi.
- Later on in the movie Anakin Skywalker, although enthusiastic about the prospect of being freed from slavery and becoming a Jedi, has trepidation about leaving his still enslaved mother behind. As he and Qui-Gon are walking away from his childhood home he runs back to her and claims "I can't do it, mom. I just can't do it." However with some encouragement by Shmi he ultimately does manage to walk away and begin his new path.
- In A New Hope, Luke Skywalker expresses a wish to get off Tatooine but refuses the call due to his current situation ("Alderaan? I'm not going to Alderaan. I've got to go home; it's late, I'm in for it as it is!"). He's later forced into it when his uncle and aunt are killed; with them gone "There's nothing here for me now."
- Later in the same film, as the Rebels are preparing to assault the Death Star, Han Solo refuses to take part in the attack, feeling it would just be suicide. (He shows up in the nick of time, though.)
- In The Force Awakens, Finn and Rey hang up on The Call for various reasons. Finn is an ex-Stormtrooper who's adamant in getting as far away from the First Order as possible; Rey wants to help, but is also compelled to return to Jakku as soon as possible - specially after experiencing a distressing Force-induced vision. Then the planet where they're on is attacked by the First Order, forcing both to fight (and in Rey's case, she even ends up captured by the villain Kylo Ren).
- In The Last Jedi, Luke Skywalker refuses to have anything to do with Rey, and refuses to fight the First Order. Why? While he was training his nephew, he sensed the Dark Side growing within the boy as Supreme Leader Snoke corrupted him. At one point, he almost killed him, but changed his mind at the last minute. Unfortunately, Kylo saw his uncle's lightsaber lit up at him, and was pushed to the Dark Side fully, leading to the slaughter of the Jedi Academy, the rise of the First Order, and the subsequent events that followed from there. Because of his mistake, Luke had become bitter and cynical, cut himself off from the Force, and traveled to Ach-To to live out his days in peace while he waited for death to come. Rey (and later Yoda) are able to get him to snap out of this, which allows him to force project across the galaxy to distract his vengeful nephew long enough to give the Resistance enough time to escape.
- After a dramatic buildup, Gary in Team America: World Police abruptly decides not to join Team America. Of course, after a montage sequence of visiting American monuments and listening to a hilarious satire of patriotic country musicnote , he eventually changes his mind.
- The Terminator franchise:
- In The Terminator, Sarah Connor tells Reese how she is not up to the level of the woman who will someday give birth to the savior of humanity, she can't be, and she doesn't want the job. Later she realizes that whether she wanted it or not she has to take the responsibility.
- In Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, John Connor refuses to be the leader of the resistance against Skynet and even at one point threatened to commit suicide in front of the T-800. This is mostly because he knows that his being leader of the resistance means that billions of people will die to nuclear holocaust. By the end of the film, he takes up this responsibility one way or another.
- Transformers Film Series:
- In Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen and to a lesser extent Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Sam actively tries to avoid getting involved with the Cybertronian Wars; in the novelization of the former, he even cites chronic pains from the climax of the first movie. Unfortunately, The Call Knows Where You Live and he's got an overwhelming sense of duty.
- In Transformers: Age of Extinction, Optimus Prime himself isn't exactly fond of the idea of helping the humans again, as even after saving Earth three times, Transformers (Even Autobots) are still treated like a threat, and are being hunted down by the very same race they have saved. He even has abandoned his rule of never hurting humans, but still only fights back in self-defense, and doesn't hurt innocents. He however mellows down during the course of the film, with only one confirmed human casualty, which was required to save another human.
- In Troy, Achilles resents King Agamemnon from the get-go, thus his friend Odysseus is sent to persuade him in leading the Myrmidons to join the rest of the Greeks into going to war with the Trojans. Playing up things like loyalty, honor, and his pride in order to try and convince him. Achilles refuses however, though subsequently changes his mind after a talk with his mother Thetis who asserts that the Trojan War is his ticket to glory and immortality, though also his doom.
- Spider-Man: Far From Home
- After the Infinity War, Peter doesn't think he's cut for the "saving the world" kind of super-heroing, and is now content to be the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man. He's now very reluctant to step in Iron Man's shoes.
- There's also a literal example as an incredulous Happy Hogan is absolutely shocked that Peter Parker just ghosted Nick Fury by sending his phone call to voicemail. Peter just wanted to enjoy his vacation in Europe (and preserve his secret identity). Sadly, The Call Knows Where You're Vacationing.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home: When five super villains from Spidey's cinematic past are dropped into his backyard, Peter is initially content to send them back home and not help them, admitting it's "Not [his] problem", but Aunt May convinces him to at least try to help. Doing so bites him in the ass, as Green Goblin kills Aunt May and convinces the other villains to turn against him. After that, he's content to send them back and let them all die as they were originally intended, falling right back into the "Not my problem" mindset, but fortunately, two other Spider-Men talk him down by pointing out their own failures with their loved ones, and encourage him not to make the same mistakes.
- Zack Snyder's Justice League:
- Aquaman does this three separate times. The movie starts with Batman trying to recruit him for the Justice League after Superman's death, with Arthur throwing Supes' death back in his face as exactly why he doesn't want to stick his neck out. Later, Vulko warns him about Darkseid's invasion while chastising him for refusing the throne and Arthur ignores him only to change his mind and join the League when Steppenwolf attacks Atlantis. At the end, Mera and Vulko come to see Aquaman to talk to him about important matters but he simply chooses to go back home to his father.
- Cyborg was on the fence about joining the League as he was still bitter about his Unwilling Roboticisation but Wonder Woman was able to appeal to his better nature before he flew off. He makes the decision to join after Steppenwolf abducts his father.
