Film historian Joel W. Finler described "The Devils" as Russell's "most brilliant cinematic achievement, but widely regarded as his most distasteful and offensive work." In 2002, when 100 film makers and critics were asked to cite what they considered to be the ten most important films ever made, "The Devils" featured in the lists submitted by critic Mark Kermode and director Alex Cox. In 2014, Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro publicly criticized Warner Bros. for censoring the film and limiting its availability in home video markets.