Peter Stack of the San Francisco Chronicle called the film "mysterious and sexy", adding that it is "enough to keep tension alive until, too bad, the whole thing collapses with a twist ending that is nearly laughable". Caryn James of The New York Times called the film's ending "idiotic" and wrote that Peter Hall, the director, "is obviously more at home with Shakespeare than with this material".
Peter Stack of the San Francisco Chronicle described the film as "enigmatic and alluring", stating that it is "sufficient to maintain suspense until, unfortunately, the whole thing unravels with a twist ending that is nearly comical". Caryn James of The New York Times called the film's conclusion "absurd" and wrote that Peter Hall, the director, "clearly excels at Shakespeare rather than this material".