In a review published by "Time Out", the film was called "a sincere "Halloween" rip-off which takes time out to milk "Carrie", "Saturday Night Fever", and all those B-feature 'lust and rivalry' high school sagas", but praised Jamie Lee Curtis's performance, writing: "Curtis is superb as Miss Naturally Popular and Prom Queen-to-be, isolated in empty high school corridors." "TV Guide" gave the film one out of four stars, writing: "Curtis disco-dancing and wonderful moments such as when the severed head of a victim rolls across the dance floor. "Prom Night" is better than most slasher movies, mainly because it's funnier."