"TV Guide" gave the film a mixed review, awarding it 2/5 stars, writing, "While it lacks the wry, subversive humor of his most popular films, Stuart Gordon's "Castle Freak" is a scary and satisfying exercise in straightforward horror." Dennis Schwartz from "Ozus' World Movie Reviews" awarded the film a grade B-, stating that the film was "Not that interesting psychologically and not as freaky as it sounds". Schwartz did however, commend the film's reasonably good acting, and Gothic mood, concluding that the film was "slightly above the average of the usual Haunted House genre offering."