The film holds a 16% approval rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 64 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "A gratuitous remake of the 1974 slasher, "Black Christmas" pumps out the gore and blood with zero creativity, humor, or visual flair." On Metacritic, the film was given an average rating of 22 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". The film has been characterized by film scholars and critics as an example of a contemporary slasher film.