The film has received mixed to positive reviews both during and since its release. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 80% approval rating with an average of 5.84/10 based on 20 reviews. Vincent Canby of "The New York Times" reviewed the film in a positive light, writing that its "suspense is frequently as genuine as its wit and its fond awareness of the clichés uses". Jim Knipfel of the website "Den of Geek" awarded the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it "intelligent and stylish". Kim Newman of "Empire" praised its "witty" script, "solid performances, effective effects", and "spirited B-level direction". However, Roger Ebert gave the film one out of four stars, suggesting that it would be best to "flush this movie down the toilet to see if it also grows into something big and fearsome." Film historian Leonard Maltin, on the other hand, gave the movie 3 out of a possible 4 stars: "If you've got to make a movie about a giant alligator, this is the way to do it...And don't miss the graffiti in the final scene."