Among mainstream critics in the US, the film received generally mixed reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 50% of 46 sampled critics gave the film a positive review, with an average score of 5.1 out of 10. The website's critical consensus reads, ""Volcano"s prodigious pyrotechnics and Tommy Lee Jones crotchety sneers at lava aren't quite enough to save this routine disaster film." At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average using critical reviews, the film received a score of 55 out of 100 based on 22 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale. In 1997, the film was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award in the category of "Worst Reckless Disregard for Human Life and Public Property", but lost to "Con Air".