Most critics find Romancing the Stone a lively, likeable adventure, with praise centred on its old-fashioned escapism, comic energy and romantic leads. Kathleen Turner’s performance draws particular approval, as does her chemistry with Michael Douglas: their verbal sparring gives the action a welcome lightness. The favourable reviews also enjoy the treasure-hunt ingredients and the heroine’s growing resourcefulness, generally accepting the familiar storytelling as part of the pleasure.
The reservations concern originality and the assumptions behind the romance, though their severity varies considerably. Some otherwise appreciative reviews acknowledge dryness or familiar plotting. Variety is cooler about the heroine’s transformation, treating it as a predictable screen formula. Slant Magazine offers the sharpest dissent, arguing that the film’s xenophobia and male self-importance make its adventure a defence of white male protection. The spread is therefore wider than the broadly favourable consensus might suggest: the objections extend beyond how efficiently the entertainment works.