Most critics respond favourably to The Name of the Rose, with praise clustering around Sean Connery’s authority as William of Baskerville and the film’s richly detailed medieval setting. His performance gives the mystery a compelling centre, even for reviewers unconvinced by the storytelling. The more enthusiastic reviews find an intelligent, inventive whodunit that makes room for questions of faith and medieval thought. Sets and cinematography also earn credit for preserving some of the novel’s depth.
The spread is wide, however, and the chief disagreement concerns whether the mystery sustains its pace and makes sense on screen. Time Out regards the blend of detection and metaphysics as a success, while Variety finds the adaptation confusing and sluggish. The Los Angeles Times likewise faults the editing and lack of urgency, though it values the warmth between William and Adso. Connery and the surroundings attract considerably more agreement than the film’s handling of its story.