Critical response

Vincent Canby, writing for The New York Times, believes the message of the film was lost. He wrote: "[Shoot] apparently hopes to be making a statement about the mayhem that can be caused by easy access to weaponry, but most of the time the film doesn't believe in itself. When one character says to another, 'I can't believe it really happened', it's as if the film makers were trying to disassociate themselves from the melodramatic nonsense they've concocted."^[2]

More recently, AllMovie film critic Donald Guarisco wrote a favorable review, "This Canadian drama is modest but effective stuff. The most interesting aspect of Shoot is its cool, methodical approach: the script presents a story that slowly but surely builds, never going big peaks of drama or action as it builds toward an inevitable showdown ... Harvey Hart keeps things subtle with his direction, wrapping the film in atmospheric visuals and getting low-key performances from his cast. Cliff Robertson is excellent as the quietly mad protagonist, painting a chilling portrait of a man whose dissatisfaction with his post-military life leads to dangerous choices for himself and others in a tense situation ... [as] a result, it is worth a look to fans of offbeat 1970's cinema."^[3]