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How do I write a proper film review?

How do I write a great film review?

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    Well, the most important job of a film review is to bring up both the positive and negative qualities of the movie in question. One thing to remember about this is that there are varying degrees of 'good' and 'bad', sometimes a film is not really good or bad but merely average or decent, and most of the time it can be subjective. But subjectivity is not something to worry much about, because people will read your reviews to read YOUR take on the movie.   And of course, one has to be specific about what was good or bad. The quality of the acting, the story and the visuals should all be brought up to give the reader a fuller picture of the film and its subject. One good way to determine the quality of the the film is to compare it with another, similar film. What did that other film do better or worse? But only bring up that other film in passing, and not make it a primary subject of the review.   It is also not enough to say 'this is good' or 'that is bad'. One has to explain why it was good or bad in detail, but not too much detail, to give authority to one's words. Other things to include in a review that are helpful but not always mandatory are history about the film's director or inception (if it helps punctuate a point about the quality of the film) and analysis of the film's themes and how well the film did in showing them. Though whether or not it entertains should usually be the most important criteria for a movie.   And don't forget to add a bit of humour too!

Gareth Paul Barsby at Quora Visit the source

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We tell writers we recruit for our website to "balance subjective criticism with objective analysis", which is a nice summary I think. Basically, I always think that, regardless of your own feelings about the film (which should be clear and good to read) then the reader should be be able to either a) determine whether they personally should watch it or b) learn something about the film or people involved.

Jim Ross

I have my own movie review blog and I do a few things: 1. I ask a question to get the reader to relate. 2. I personalize it but just a little bit - heck it is my opinion 3. Most importantly - I DO NOT TELL THE STORY 4. I give it a rating and give details like who is in it, a few good points and a few bad points, etc.... 5. Don't be too long winded. People are impatient. I have written a couple of scripts but that is the extent to my experience with film - other than loving the medium for 30+ years. Here is an example. I did not go to film school and I don't claim to know everything about movies - which is like most movie goers. If you talk over their head they won't care what you say no matter how brilliant you sound. Also, I agree with a little humor from time to time. http://www.tiredofpreviews.com/2011/03/good-heart.html

Katy Kern

Gareth, that was a great answer. I want to expand on what Gareth had to say to add my two cents.   It helps validate your reviews if you had some prior film making experience, such as directing, editing, acting etc. People want to hear your opinion, I have certain movie critiques that I follow because they have my same taste in movies. Make it your personal opinion and you could potentially have a dedicated fan base who enjoys the same type of films you do. I hope this helps!

Robert Nicholas Smith

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