On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, "Friday the 13th" holds an approval rating of 64% based on 55 reviews, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Rather quaint by today's standards, "Friday the 13th" still has its share of bloody surprises and a '70s-holdover aesthetic to slightly compel." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 22 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews." It was nominated for Worst Picture at the 1st Golden Raspberry Awards, and Palmer was nominated for Worst Supporting Actress.