upon its theatrical release, "major dundee" received generally negative reviews while acknowledging the film's potential. in his review in "the new york times", eugene archer wrote that the film had "an interesting cast, a superior visual texture, unexpected bits of character revelation and a choppy continuity that finally negates its impact." he praised peckinpah for "seeking a fresh approach to the western" and acknowledged that the director "displays a fine eye for panoramic vistas." archer concludes: