[5] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 67 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

[6] Karsten Kastelan of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "It is highly watchable, clearly (and unabashedly) exploitative and often offensive – but it undeniably unearths some very uncomfortable truths about Central Africa in general, corruption in particular and individual greed on top of it.

"[9] Chris Cabin of Slant Magazine commended Brügger for successfully documenting Central Africa's handling of diplomacy and politics but was disappointed in the lack of "pointedly outlandish" moments that add context into why people are given these positions of power, saying: "It tempers the politics down, for better or worse, and makes The Ambassador more of a lopsided, if irrefutably involving, act of gonzo reportage, part absurdist how-to guide on becoming a diamond smuggler, part outsider tour of a truly lawless land infested with poverty and incessant corruption.

"[10] Mark Jenkins of NPR felt that Brügger lacked a clear source when expounding his alter ego's "racialist baloney" and was limited by his narrative progression due to being an outsider, concluding that: "The Central African Republic is a violent and often lawless country, which makes The Ambassador a brave undertaking.

Yet the movie lacks enough context for the general viewer, or the Mike Wallace-style showdown that would provide a big finish to all the filmmaker's skulking.