The song received generally favorable reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called it "a sleek, spooky collaboration with Kanye West", while Caryn Ganz of Rolling Stone said the collaboration "gel[s] perfectly". Ben Kelly of Attitude said, "West's production makes a real moment" and "Her anti-Vogue rap of suspected Illuminati members is probably the only time Rihanna and Queen Elizabeth will feature side by side". Gavin Haynes of NME described it as "classy, 'Vogue'-referencing". Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times called it "one of the record's highlights", saying, "[s]he raps during [the song] and doesn’t sound totally ridiculous". He also said the track balances "club frenzy and revelatory lyricism". Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine said, "West gives 'Illuminati' the Yeezus treatment ... her rapped verses about the titular secret society are clean and tight enough to make you forget about 'American Life'". Kevin Ritchie of Now called it one of "the most ambitious and interesting lyrically". Lindsay Zoladz of New York Daily News wrote that the song is "just goofy enough to work".
