The Los Angeles Times called it "commendably free of unhealthy sensationalism... tells its unpretentious little moral simply enough."[6]
The Monthly Film Bulletin said the film "without being positively vicious... has its fair share of violence and unpleasantness."[7]
Diabolique magazine claimed Ashley gave the best performance.[8]
Legacy
Film director John Carpenter listed the movie as one of his guilty pleasures. "Good guy teen Steve Terrell vs. cool bad guy teen John Ashley on motorcycles. Anne Neyland has some trouble deciding between them. Carl (Alfalfa) Switzer is the comic relief. Russ Bender tries to help testosterone-fueled teens go straight and narrow. Very cool."[9]
Theme Comparison
1950s motorcycle gang interest, showing the same influence of female gentleness upon aimless, male youth, may further be studied in The Wild One.