Most critics respond warmly to An American Werewolf in London, praising its ability to make comedy and horror work together without softening the scares. Praise clusters around Rick Baker’s practical effects, particularly the transformation scene, while the soundtrack, dry humour and characterisation also draw approval. Several reviews find something affecting beneath the gore and jokes, reading the American outsider’s experience in Britain as a source of cultural unease, romance and tragedy.
The spread is wide, however, and the balance of tones that pleases most critics is precisely what troubles the dissenters. The New York Times admires the early restraint and lead casting but finds that comic detachment prevents a deeper emotional response. RogerEbert.com is more firmly opposed: its review acknowledges the effects but finds weak transitions, thin character development and an uneasy combination of comedy and horror that the individual set pieces cannot repair.