"Rolling Stone" called the film a "next-gen update of 1982's "Wild Style". With strong whiffs of "Trainspotting" and "Kids"" that "distinguishes itself with streaky, Krylon-bright editing and El-P's eerie soundtrack beats." "Village Voice" noted the movie was "birthed from a blunt-fueled blend of Aronofskian frenzy and nostalgia for the agreeable griminess of mid-'90s Wu-Tang Clan videos." "Los Angeles Times" critic Kevin Crust wrote, "Lough's impressive, if uneven, debut feature captures the adrenaline rush and contradictory nature of the simultaneously creative and criminal activity." "The New York Times" review was the most positive: "The movie runs on the synergy between this grimy but glamorous urban landscape and the emotional intensity of characters who at moments suggest contemporary descendants of the innocent, tormented teenagers in "Rebel Without a Cause". "Bomb the System", which rides on a subtle hip-hop soundtrack, might be described as soulful pulp; cult recognition awaits it."