Too much of this is tedious, rather like off-cuts from his recent movies, but the reasonable photography and good action material help. Country singer Jerry Reed makes a good heavy, and when Reynolds keeps it simple, his direction suggests the makings of a modest craftsman.
50
TV Guide Magazine
TV Guide Magazine
An entertaining piece of good ol' boy fluff with plenty of car and boat chases.
This follow-up to White Lightning never takes itself seriously, veering as it does through many incompatible dramatic and violent moods for nearly two hours.
50
Village Voice
Village Voice
Structurally, Gator is a bit of a mess, largely because of the civilizing and romantic influence Reynolds has brought to the randy domain of the redneck action film.
50
The New York Times
The New York Times
Messy little melodrama of Southern corruption. [25 Aug 1976, p.46]
40
NewsweekJack Kroll
NewsweekJack Kroll
Gator is sloppily directed by Reynolds himself and filled with anti-ethnic humor that Reynolds has picked up from all those guest shots on the talk shows with Don Rickles et al. [13 Sep 1976, p.89]
38
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Gator is yet another Good Ol' Movie, and not, I fear, the summer's last. If only it had a Good Ol' Plot worth a damn, it might have even been a halfway tolerable ol' movie.