Todd McCarthy of "Variety" called it derivative of classic science fiction films and devoid of suspense. Janet Maslin of "The New York Times" wrote, "While this is no quick-witted treat on a par with Mr. Levinson's "Wag the Dog", it's a solid thriller with showy scientific overtones". Kenneth Turan of the "Los Angeles Times" wrote, "The more the movie explains itself, the more ordinary it becomes." Roger Ebert gave the film 1.5 stars out of 4 and stated, " 'Sphere' feels rushed. The screenplay uses lots of talk to conceal the fact that the story has never been grappled with."