The film received generally negative reviews from critics upon its 1986 release but has since developed a nostalgic following.
The chemistry between Virginia Madsen and Craig Sheffer is widely considered the film's strongest asset.
Some modern reviewers, like those at Pop Culture Reverie , praise the first 80% of the film for its chemistry and "MTV aesthetic" while calling the final action-heavy act a "complete disaster".
Many critics found the plot contrived and the script uninspired, noting that the screenplay was credited to four different writers. Reviewers from The New York Times and The Betamax Rundown criticized its slow pacing and lack of emotional depth.