Bruce Westbrook of The Houston Chronicle though praising the film's spectacular visuals, stated "Visuals alone can't make a story soar, and too often this one becomes bogged down by spectacle..." Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter wrote the film is "A disappointing misfire from a great director." Gene Seymour of Newsweek said: "Curse of the Golden Flower is to the feudal costumed adventure what Nicholas Ray's Johnny Guitar is to the Western.
Bruce Westbrook, writing for The Houston Chronicle and praising the film's spectacular visuals, noted that "Visuals alone can't make a story soar, and this one frequently gets overwhelmed by spectacle..." Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter found the film disappointing. Gene Seymour of Newsweek commented: "Curse of the Golden Flower is as unremarkable in its feudal costume adventure as Nicholas Ray's Johnny Guitar is to the Western."