After months of publicity before its release, the film received mostly mixed responses from critics, especially from admirers of the original "King Kong". However, it did obtain positive reviews from some prominent critics. Pauline Kael from "The New Yorker" praised the film, noting "The movie is a romantic adventure fantasy-colossal, silly, touching, a marvellous ["sic"] Classics Comics movie (and for the whole family). This new "Kong" doesn't have the magical primeval imagery of the first "King Kong", in 1933, and it doesn't have the Gustave Doré fable atmosphere, but it's a happier, livelier entertainment. The first "Kong" was a stunt film that was trying to awe you, and its lewd underlay had a carnival hucksterism that made you feel a little queasy. This new "Kong" isn't a horror movie-it's an absurdist love story." Richard Schickel from "Time" wrote that "The special effects are marvelous, the good-humored script is comic-bookish without being excessively campy, and there are two excellent performances" from Charles Grodin and Jeff Bridges. "Variety" wrote that "Faithful in substantial degree not only to the letter but also the spirit of the 1933 classic for RKO, this $22 million-plus version neatly balances superb special effects with solid dramatic credibility."