Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 40 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[5]
IndieWire found the film mediocre, suffering from a "lack of dramatic shape" but with "good intentions", giving it a "C" grade.[6]The Wrap called it "a film with its heart in the right place yet only a faint pulse", writing "Not only does the film's conclusion then feel quite rushed, it's hard to say that everything that preceded it was patient enough either. The story Jolie is seeking to tell in Without Blood is certainly one worth telling, it's just a shame this isn’t the film to do it successfully."[7] Similarly, The Hollywood Reporter stated that the film "plays it safe" and "the story ultimately seems too thin to bear the weight of its themes."[8]
Baricco praised the film, saying that he saw "the characters I had imagined come to life. It was amazing. Meeting Angelina, her talent, her courage, and her gentle strength, has been a privilege for me. The beauty of the film preserves much of what is so special about her."[9]