Most critics respond warmly to Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, with praise clustering around its tenderness, its attack on prejudice and Fassbinder’s precise visual staging. The reviews repeatedly describe framing, mirrors and camerawork that make Emmi and Ali’s isolation visible without overwhelming the romance. Performances and dialogue also draw praise, while several accounts stress how affecting the relationship remains alongside the film’s scrutiny of racism.
The spread runs from moderate approval to strong enthusiasm, though the available summaries contain few explicit complaints. Slant Magazine stresses the film’s hopefulness despite the persistence of racism; Empire places more weight on the social pressures constraining the couple. This is chiefly a difference of emphasis, rather than a clear dispute about the filmmaking. The single mixed score has no verifiable accompanying verdict, so it offers no firm basis for identifying a contrary critical argument.