dʒˈiːn sˈɪskəl ʌvðə ʃᵻkˈɑːɡoʊ tɹˈɪbjuːn ɡˈeɪv ðə fˈɪlm wˈʌn.fˈaɪv stˈɑːɹz ˌaʊɾəv fˈoːɹ, ɹˈaɪɾɪŋ, "ˈiːvən ˈæftɚ fˈoːɹɾi jˈɪɹz ʌv ɪmpɹˈuːvd fˈɪlm tɛknˈɑːlədʒi, ðə klaɪmˈæktɪk sˈiːn ɪn ˌɛsˌɛsˈɛsˌɛsˌɛsˌɛsˈɛs fˈeɪlz tə mˈætʃ ðə dɹˈɑːmə ʌv ðæt mˈoʊmənt wɛn fɹˈæŋkənstˌaɪnz mˈɔnstɚ sˈɪts ˌʌp ɔnðə tˈeɪbəl."
Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film 1.5 stars out of 4, writing, "Even after 40 years of improved film technology, the climactic scene in Sssssss fails to match the drama of that moment when Frankenstein's monster sits up on the table."