"TV Guide" panned the film, awarding it one out of four stars, stating, "Although the special effects (including some startling uses of gore makeup) are noteworthy, the actors aren't given much to do other than stand around and talk. The final result is disappointing". Mark L. Miller of Ain't It Cool News wrote, "All in all, "Nightbeast" is drive-in, beer-swilling, audience-heckling fun." Bill Gibron of DVD Talk rated it 2.5/5 stars and called it "an angry middle aged man's cry for attention".