Mark Demetrius of "Filmink" opined that the film was ruined by cliches, an overwhelming amount of adult jokes, forced humor, and "pathetic" ending. Franklin also panned its "dated" and "forced" pop-culture humor, and Janice Page wrote it "riffs on classic monster-movie cliches mostly by spinning them into newly unfunny cliches." A review from the "Toronto Star" claimed cliches, "movie quotes and Hollywood parodies dictate the action," also stating the kids wouldn't get the references. Schager explained, "Director Anthony Leondis peppers his tale with a host of leaden cinematic references children will almost surely miss, which is just as well since virtually every film-related gag directed at adults feels like a pitiful attempt at knowing cleverness." According to "The Hollywood Reporter", the plot was "undernourished, and the wit erupts only in flashes." "The Orlando Sentinel" dismissed it as "chatty and dull" and "a bit too reliant on innuendo." As "Entertainment Weekly" summarized in their review, "the visuals are a kick; the groan-inducing dialogue isn't," and the hero is "charmless." Even a positive "TV Guide" review thought it didn't work as a children's film due to its adult references and horror film elements.