The film received positive reviews from critics. UltimateDisney.com called the role "a strong departure from her flaky London Tipton character in "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody"", adding that Song "shows in this movie that she no longer has to restrict herself to playing the dumb one." The site praised the film, stating, "Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior is an enjoyable little telefilm, rife with killer action sequences (for a DCOM), and a great showcase of talent in both acting and martial for Brenda Song. Aside from a few totally clichéd characters and situations, it's worth 91 minutes of your time." "Allmovie" described Song as a "charming and appealing personality, even when playing a shallow airhead".