How To Write a Film Review: Movie Ratings and Reviews

Become a Movie Critic with These Tips

Here's how to write a film review.
1. After you have selected your movie, get familiar with its context. By this I mean, before you even see the
movie, get to know a little about it. What have the actors and director worked on before? Maybe check out
some of their past work. Are they Oscar winners? Are they known for a certain style? Is the movie based on a
book or an historical event? Is it a remake or a sequel? Look into those kind of things. All of this information will
help you understand the movie better. You'll pick up on details, allusions, trademarks of the actor or director,
and probably have more insight into important story elements. You'll be able to tell readers how it lived up to
the original, say, or the book. These are the things that help a critic write a solid movie review that is of interest
to the fan.
2. After you see the movie, formulate a specific opinion in one sentence. Your job as movie reviewer is to
give an opinion of the movie. Ultimately, this may come down to a "thumbs up" or "three stars out of five." But
you want to have a specific thesis to drive your critique. For example, "I didn't like this comedy" becomes "The
story had funny moments but it went on too long." "This horror movie is good" becomes "This horror movie
works because it builds suspense right up until the end." So, try to find that very specific opinion that will be the
foundation of your film review.
3. Create a good lead. There are basic writing tips that apply to most forms of writing. One of those tips is to
grab your reader immediately. You want your reader to be interested in what you have to say. Grab her in that
first or "lead" paragraph in one of several ways: Start with a great quote from the movie, and explain how it
reflects the movie; refer to the reputation of the actor or director and compare it to how he or she did in this
movie; compare this movie to another well-known film in a few sentences or two; explain what your expectation
was, and then if it was fulfilled or not. Then end that first paragraph by writing your opinion statement.
4. Recap briefly, but don't give away anything big. If you've read professional movie reviews, you know they
always include a little bit of recap. Some readers like to know what they're getting into before they lay down
their money for a ticket. You can tell people the basic premise of the movie. In fact, you should write the basic
premise, and tell them how the story builds, but don't give away key moments, especially not the ending! And
keep the movie synopsis brief. Then get to reviewing.
5. Back up your main opinion with specifics. The readers now know you think "This comedy had funny
moments but went on too long." It's time for you to prove it. Write about how the teen actors had good timing
like they did in that other movie. Write about how the writers did a great parody of that famous film. But then
add that there were too many scenes involving the family or the boyfriend. Talk about the fact that there were
multiple endings and all of them were long. Use specifics to make your readers see you're right.
6. Be interesting. Just because this is a movie review doesn't mean it's got to be dull. From lead to ending
paragraph, make the review engaging, using metaphors, analogy, specific adjectives and adverbs in your
movie ratings and reviews to create the images you're looking for. But also be concise. A review isn't a place for
long diatribes or flowery prose. Then again, where is the place for long diatribes and flowery prose?
7. Be honest in your appraisal. Your reader and the work you're critiquing both deserve an honest opinion,

right? So even if you HATE that actor or LOVE that actress, when writing a movie review be sure not to hold
back your true opinion of the film. Have some standards in mind. A comedy should be funny, a horror movie
should be scary, etc.; judge the movie against those standards, not against any pre-existing opinions you may
have. It will make the review more valuable to the reader and honest writing is always best, isn't it?

How To Write A Movie Review

You dont need a degree in English to be a good movie reviewer, and that everyone is invited to rate & critique
a movie here. However, as you step into reviewing movies professionally, there are certain quality and
guidelines that your critiques should possess. You should not use generalized opinions such as oh, it was a
great movie or the acting was horrible, but rather give specific reasons and the whys.
Here is a good guide to read up on. While we dont limit you to a certain style of writing, the number of words
you must have in your review, and what you must (or must not) write about, we do provide the following
guideline to help you get started in writing a review.
Title of the movie
Paragraph1
You will need to include the following: name of the film, prominent stars of the film, basic setting ( time and
place), and type of film ( comedy, adventure, drama, etc.)
Paragraph2
You will need to write a plot summary for the movie. Do not reveal the ending. Discuss at least 5 events and be
sure to cover the entire scope of the movie, except the very end.
Paragraph3
Discuss one aspect of filmmaking. You may choose from acting, direction, editing, costume design, set design,
photography, background music, or anything else you may think of. Be sure that you are specific and cite
examples from the movie.
Paragraph4
Discuss another aspect of filmmaking. You may choose from acting, direction, editing, costume design, set
design, photography, background music, or anything else you may think of, but obviously choose something
different from what you discussed in the previous paragraph. Be sure that you are specific and cite examples
from the movie.
Paragraph5
Give your overall reaction to the film as well as your opinion on the quality of the film. also include your
recommendations for potential viewers.

Remember, the guideline above is just what it is. Its just a guideline, so throw in your own spin and develop
your own format if you want to. Take a look at a sample movie critique for Forrest Gump:
Forrest Gump
Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what youre gonna get. However, when you watch Forrest
Gump starring Tom Hanks as Forrest and Robin Wright as Jenny, you know you are going to get a lot of laughs
and even a few tears. The screenplay for the 1994 movie was written by Eric Roth, based on the novel by
Winston Groom. The story follows Forrest through 30 years of trials and tribulations, placing Forrest within
historical moments of history, and in pursuit of his one dreamhis most special friend, Jenny. According to the
Washington Post, Forrest Gump won Oscar awards for Best Picture, Best Actor (Hanks), Best Director (Robert
Zemeckis), Film Editing, Visual Effects and Adapted Screenplay. The movie was well deserving of these
awards since the acting and the visual effects were extraordinary.
The films actors success in portraying their characters is a major factor in the films awards. Tom Hanks and
Robin Wright worked well together, just like peas and carrots. The on-screen chemistry between the two was
phenomenal. I felt a real connection between the two, finding myself mad at Jenny when she blew Forrest off
and in tears when he told her that he was heading to Vietnam. Mokuis Movie Review states Tom Hanks IS
Forrest GumpHe breathes life into the guy and you will feel what Forrest feels (1994, par 1). James
Berardinelli states, Robin Wright gives the best performance of her career, surpassing what she accomplished
in The Playboys (1994, par2). Another performance that stands out is that of Gary Sinise. Sinise plays the part
of Lieutenant Dan Taylor, whose life is saved by Forrest during the Vietnam War. James Berardinelli writes, In
this movie, his Lieutenant Dan Taylor is riveting (1994, par 3). I thought that Sinise was quite convincing with
his emotions throughout the movie, as if he was really a disabled vet who had lost both legs in the war.
Just as good as the actors were those working behind the scenes with the special effects. Throughout Forrest
Gump the special effects were incredible. During Lieutenant Taylors scenes, I was convinced that he really
didnt have legs. I was studying the scenes, looking for any signs of legs, trying to figure out how it was done. It
turns out that each and every frame was painted over to give it the true to life values that it holds. Also bringing
the movie more credibility was the ability to place Forrest in history making events. These events ranged from
Forrest teaching Elvis how to swing his hips to meeting Presidents for various accomplishments. These
television clips of Forrest were done with such finesse that they look real. Critic Brian Webster (2003) states,
This is handled virtually flawlessly; if you didnt know better, youd believe that a fellow named Gump really did
tell President Lyndon Johnson that he had been shot in the rump while acting heroically in Vietnam (par 2).
Rolling Stone (2003) states, The effects dazzle, though never at the expense of the story (Travers, par 2).
This story, complete with the Oscar winning performances in both acting and special effects is perfect for those
in need of a dose of goodness. My family enjoys watching Forrest Gump together for rejuvenation, to view
someone with true values of honesty, friendship and family. Forrest, with his heart of gold and his low IQ, never
gives up. He always looks for the best in every scenario. The movie opens with a feather floating down over the
city, landing at Forrests feet. Near the end of the story, Forrest questions, Do we each have a destiny - or do

we just float around accidental, like on a breeze? As you are contemplating this question, the feather
reappears and floats through the countryside right up into the ending credits.
Now, lets look at what you need to do BEFORE you even start writing a single word:
Steps
1. Watch a movie, and during the movie, think about what you like and dont like about it. Try to remember
these things, because you will need them during the writing part.
2. Go home, and write down all the information that you gathered during the movie. Let all the information sit
for up to a day because you need time to think over the movie. But, dont let yourself take more than a day,
because if you wait too long, you tend to lose interest and forget important things that you felt.
3. Write all the information down in a format that is readable for others. Remember to include a basic summary
for people who havent heard of the movie, but remember to not give away the ending, or any other part that
they wouldnt want to have ruined for them.
4. Remember to aim for about 600-700 words for the entire review.
5. Hand out copies of your review to other people, so they can have the chance to read your opinion, and after
time, you may start to get people wanting more and more reviews.
Tips
a. Remember to try reviewing every movie you see, because when you get into the habit, it will become easier.
b. Once you gain more confidence in your reviews, try to match the tone of each with the style of the movie. For
example, a humorous writing style would work well for a comedy, whereas a more serious tone would be good
for writing a drama review.
Warning
Try not to slam actors too much, because if it gets too out of hand, they may consider legal action against you.
Just be careful.
Again, as mentioned, we are not very strict in terms of the format and minimal word length. We do encourage
you to have your own writing style that you are most comfortable with instead of going with the norm. You will
continue to grow your readership as more people appreciates your style and agree with your reviews.

MOVIE REVIEW FORMAT

I. Introduction
A. Title of the Movie

Director
Principal Actors, Principal Actresses
Movie Company

B. A beginning statement or comment, attractive

and interesting; catching the readers attention

C.A statement of an over-all impression

of the movie

II. Summary
A brief summary of the story

III. Critique
Evaluation, comments to clarify what
was pain in the Intro
a) positive aspects
b) negative
c) Significant Remarks

IV. Conclusion

MOVIE REVIEW GUIDE

Write a 250 word (minimum) Movie Review. As you prepare to write your review, keep in mind that the purpose
of a Movie Review is to inform a potential movie goer about the movie you have just seen. Include the following
information in your review:

1. A brief summary of the story. Describe the major conflict in the

story, who (or what) is having the conflict and how the conflict is
dealt with.
2. Make commendations (things you really like about the picture) and
recommendations (suggestions on how you would have like to have
seen the movie filmed). Be sure to give specific examples from the
movie to support your views.
3. For your conclusion, state whether you would give the movie a ...."thumbs up" or a "thumbs down" rating.
Would you recommend your
readers to see the movie? Why or why not?
You can make commendations and recommendations about the following
elements of the movie:
1. ACTING...............How well did the actors/actresses portray their character?
2. DIRECTING........Did the director create a film that flowed from scene to scene? Was it easy to follow the
story?
3. WRITING.............Did you understand the story line? Was the story believable?
4. PHOTOGRAPHY.....How well did the cameraman visualize the characters and the setting where the story
took place?
5. COSTUMES.............Did the costumes accurately reflect the time period, place, and characters.
6. MUSIC.......................Did the music create the right mood for the story?
7. SPECIAL EFFECTS...Were there any special effects that amazed you?