Tips for Writing Movie Reviews
The Job of Reviewer is Harder Than it Looks
When reviewing movies (or television, theater, books, etc.) remember that your goal is simple: Give readers enough information to know whether or not they would enjoy it.
Here are a few suggestions for helping you, the reviewer, achieve this goal.
Remember that the director/producer/actor is not the film itself. With movies (or television/theater reviews), this means avoiding the temptation to write about someone’s personal life instead of his or her portrayal of the character or function on the movie set. Let’s say the two leads fall in love and begin an affair based on their roles. This may merit a one-sentence mention, but should never be the focus of the review. Any review should offer a thorough critique of the product (the movie, DVD release, or CD soundtrack) with only a passing reference to other works by the cast and crew as a means of comparison.
Keep Movie Reviews Balanced
Be sure to balance your objective observations with your subjective opinion. The best reviews are a blend of describing the details of the product and giving your opinion of them. The facts should be used to form your opinion, and all opinions need to be supported by facts. A review that provides only facts will not give readers a good sense of whether or not they will like it. On the other hand, a review that provides only your opinion does not provide readers with the essential facts they need to make an informed decision.
This same balance comes into play when deciding how much of the story to reveal. If a movie (or other entertainment product) has uncredited cameos or a surprise ending (and most do), don’t spoil the fun by giving too much away. Provide enough storyline summarization that readers will know what to expect from the story within that genre (a suspense thriller, a light romance, a little-known documentary, a gross-out comedy, etc.), but don’t share all the best jokes or most tender moments in a review. Even with older stories that many people already know (like a new DVD release of a classic movie), don’t reveal the ending for those who have forgotten or never knew the surprise twist that awaits them.
Remember the Audience
Some reviewers look at other movie reviews before writing; some don’t. Most will look over production notes or flip through a press kit, if available. However, it doesn’t matter how much research you do first as long as you give your honest opinion. Don’t be swayed by what others say about a film. A good reviewer should have a strong opinion (supported by factual examples). If every reviewer said the same thing about each movie, there would be no point in having multiple reviewers. It’s perfectly fine to dislike a film with Academy-Award buzz or today’s top actor attached to it.
It’s important to always remember your audience when writing movie reviews. Are you writing for a local, regional, national, or international market? Will they have built-in prejudices against this film or certain cast members? Do you have a built-in prejudice against this film or certain cast members? (If so, you should opt not to review it or should state your bias in the article.) If the film is older, foreign, independent, or obscure, will readers have the background knowledge necessary to understand your review or will you need to provide it for them?
Finally, reviewing a film should never be a cause for self-indulgence. The point of critiquing is not to impress people with your clever writing skills or vast knowledge of the film industry, but to help readers decide whether or not they should invest their time and money in buying a ticket, renting a DVD, or purchasing a product. Be honest in your evaluation. Be original in your ideas. Be fair in your criticisms.
