"Flicka" received mixed reviews from critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an approval rating of 54% based on 78 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The site's consensus states: "The rebellious protagonist will rally girls and children, but adults may find "Flicka" saddled with thin characters, over-the-top dialogue, and a plot that wanders into the countryside and never comes back." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 57 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". This version of the "My Friend Flicka" film and book series received mixed to negative praising Tim McGraw and Maria Bello's performances but criticizing the movie for its script, lacking classic, teen drama, plot, narration, unofficial characters (which aren't even authorized in the books and original films), mild profanity and the removal of the beloved 10-year-old boy and official protagonist Ken McLaughlin out of the story for an unofficial female lead character instead unlike the original film franchise and its books.