"Making the most of a modest budget, director and co-writer Mickle profitably focuses on establishing character and the film's overall haunted tone rather than simply conjuring gratuitous mayhem. An effective economy of style and the faded color scheme admirably suit this stripped-down aesthetic. The lead performances are solid, despite somewhat generic characterizations, and all-importantly, the vampires' acting, makeup and costuming are persuasive, even if they appear nearly as dim-witted as a typical zombie. Stake Land's trenchant worldview, both dystopian and completely rational, shows more affinity with the likes of The Road, 28 Days Later and Night of the Living Dead than it does with movies inclined to romanticize or demonize vampires. The message that America, with all of its social ills and conflicts, is a nation devouring itself seems particularly appropriate as budget battles and culture wars rage on unabated." - Justin Lowe, The Hollywood Reporter