Based on 32 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an overall approval rating from critics of 100%, with an average score of 8.3/10. The site's consensus reads: "Hard-hitting and breathtakingly effective, "La Haine" takes an uncompromising look at long-festering social and economic divisions affecting 1990s Paris". Kevin Thomas of the "Los Angeles Times" called the film "raw, vital and captivating". Wendy Ide of "The Times" stated that "La Haine" is "One of the most blisteringly effective pieces of urban cinema ever made."