Rick Sherwood of the "San Bernardino Sun" deemed the film a "less-than-satisfying teenage monster movie," adding: "The two-hour made-for-TV movie is billed as a humorous horror romp, but "The Midnight Hour" is really a campy monster bash in which revived corpses break into song and dance. Expect neither tricks nor treats, just lots of rock music, fake-looking special effects, and slow-moving scenes." A review published in "The Des Moines Register" noted: "The plot is contrived and simple, but the special effects, makeup, and costumes (done by the same person who staged Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video) may be worth the watch," while a review in "The Tennessean" described the film as "a sophomoric concoction about a bunch of teenagers who conjure up a gang of goblins." Leonard Maltin wrote in his 1987 film guide that "The Midnight Hour" was "below average... bland concoction of teen comedies, music videos, horror spoofs, and monster mashes."