36
Metascore
7 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 50The A.V. ClubNathan RabinThe A.V. ClubNathan RabinNot nearly as bad as it should be. For the most part, it's a well-made, enjoyably pulpy little genre film, albeit one that never quite overcomes the flimsiness of its source material.
- 50Los Angeles TimesKevin ThomasLos Angeles TimesKevin ThomasA provocative though murky thriller from the horrormeister that's heavy on gore and laced with more irony than perhaps intended. It's far from first-rate King, but his fans probably will feel it delivers the gory goods. Best of all, it affords a big star role for Miguel Ferrer, a fine and distinctive actor.
- 50Miami HeraldCurtis MorganMiami HeraldCurtis MorganThe Night Flier flirts with being a decent chiller, one that for a time values the dark morality tale over the oozing entrails. In the end, it gives in to its cheap soul (it was made for and first shown on HBO) and sometimes cheesy plot (adapted from one of King's sillier stories), but not before it conjures up a creepy tone and an aptly unappealing main character. [6 Feb 1998, p.12G]
- 40New York Daily NewsJami BernardNew York Daily NewsJami BernardA grade better than the made-for-cable market whence it came.
- 30The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenA thuddingly blunt contemporary morality tale devoid of wit and only minimally suspenseful.
- 25TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghThere's nothing hugely wrong with this picture, if you allow for the fact that it's derivative, predictable and crude. There just isn't anything especially right with it, except for a pretty creepy black-and-white nightmare sequence and a scene that reveals more than most people want to know about vampires' urinary peculiarities, but is certainly something you haven't seen before. Unfortunately, both occur within the last 20 minutes of the film, and there's a formulaic lot of nonsense to huff and puff through first.