The Hollywood Reporter on Demme's version: "Not only does the 1962 John Frankenheimer original retain much of its unsettling power, but its place in Hollywood lore -- it's said to have been pulled from release by distributor United Artists in the wake of the Kennedy assassination -- makes for fairly daunting remake material.

As it turns out, director Jonathan Demme has risen to the challenge, delivering a 'Candidate' that simultaneously brings the original Cold War scenario bracingly up to date with a story line that pulses with a topical resonance while paying respectful homage to the late Frankenheimer's artistic vision."