Critical response

Common criticism for the film centered upon what the reviewers felt was the film’s failure to live up to its full potential, considering its atmosphere and all-A-list cast. The Los Angeles Times wrote, "On the surface, Anderson seems to have all the necessary pieces for a surreal psycho pop. But the fear factor eludes him, leaving Stonehearst Asylum more insipid than insane."

the reviewer for Film Journal International wrote, "While the film lacks the macabre humor of the original story, it does an excellent job of conveying the creeping horror of Victorian medicine."