This isn't exactly a surprise; Eastwood almost always plays a ruthless gunman, etc. The funny thing about Joe Kidd, though, is that we can't keep straight whose side he's on, or why." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune awarded the same two-star grade and said: "Filled with all manner of inconsistencies, the Joe Kidd character is really a prop for a series of violent incidents, most of which are either lifted from other pictures or totally unbelievable.
This isn't entirely unexpected; Eastwood consistently portrays a ruthless marksman, etc. The interesting aspect of Joe Kidd, however, is that we find it difficult to determine whose side he's on, or the reasons behind it." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the same two-star rating and stated: "Filled with various inconsistencies, the Joe Kidd character functions as a prop for a sequence of violent incidents, most of which are either borrowed from other movies or utterly unbelievable.