"But for all its familiarity and flaws, It Came from Beneath the Sea stands as a magnificent accomplishment in pure cinema. It's a film that not only exhibits the medium's possibilities at the time but also its continuing appeal. Sometimes, we go to the movies for pure, sheer spectacle, and nobody delivered that more earnestly than Harryhausen. In this case, his work thrives due to a more theatrical flair, as one of Gordon's most noteworthy decisions is to shroud the effects in mystery. We don't get a good glimpse of the giant octopus for quite some time; like any good carnival showman, Gordon knows what his biggest attraction is, so he keeps the curtain down for as long as possible. While this does result in an overly talky and obvious approach (of course the military guys end up looking like dumb curmudgeons), it also ensures that the film earns its eventual awe." - Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror