The reviews are unanimous in their approval, and most critics make the same case: that the film’s Cold War paranoia has lost none of its force in the decades since it was made. Praise clusters on two things. Angela Lansbury’s performance as Raymond Shaw’s mother is singled out again and again, described as chilling, commanding and hard-edged. Frankenheimer’s direction draws the rest of the attention, particularly the fragmented press conference, the surreal Manchuria sequence and the distorted compositions that feed the film’s sense of dread. Frank Sinatra’s performance also earns notice from the earliest reviews.
Reservations are scarce and the spread is narrow, from a firm recommendation to a full score. The AV Club is the only voice to suggest a flaw, arguing that the film’s set pieces do not always add up to a satisfying whole. The Guardian frames its praise as a case for the original over the later remake. Nobody dissents from the general verdict.