A film/movie review is a balanced synthesis of the author’s opinion about the movie and a critique of its thematic as well as technical content. These reviews are normally classified as creative reviews meaning that all films are considered as works of art. For this reason, you need to utilize both creative and analytical approaches while composing this paper.
Such a combination allows you to write a persuasive and exhaustive paper. To draft the best quality review of a film, you first need to learn how to compose a proper film review. The rest of this article provides crucial information to help you learn more about writing movie reviews the right way.
What Is the Purpose of Writing a Movie Review?
The fundamental aims of drafting a movie review composition are to convince, inform, analyze and entertain. The #1 priority is definitely to inform the audience about the quality of content within the film. Devoid of some basic information, it is impossible to make a sound decision on whether to watch the film or not.
In case you are convinced that the movie is worth watching, you must then persuade your audience that your evaluation was right. Similarly, if you dislike the movie, you must convince your readers not to waste their time watching it.
Through detailed analysis of a movie, you can teach the inexperienced audience on how to properly watch the movie and gain maximum understanding and entertainment. Some films also have complicated plots with sudden twists that need further explanations.
How to Prepare for a Review Essay
The first step is to select a movie to analyze in case the instructor has not provided any. Sometimes, the prompt might specify the thematic content or genre of the essay. In such a case, try to find a famous film that has a good reception both from the audiences and critics.
Next, you need to watch the movie. Watch it two to three times since you cannot notice all details the first time. The first viewing should aim at understanding the general plot. The subsequent views require you to examine the acting, sound, cinematography, among others. Closely make notes on all the crucial aspects of the movie.
In case you are still unable to formulate a thesis for your review after the viewings, watch it once more or, at least, a few important scenes. Your aim here is to find an effective way of connecting the technical and thematic content of the film to evaluate their combination.
Moreover, it is impossible to know everything about a movie simply by viewing it. Make an investigation on its background, and you are likely to discover a lot of amazing facts that can add decoration to your review. This makes it more attractive to your audience. Mention details about the shooting process, the difficulties the production team encountered as well as other interesting facts.
The Step-by-Step Process of Writing a Great Movie Review
Begin the composition with a catchy introduction. It should also include essential details about the film. These are the title, the genre of the movie, the director’s name, and airing date. The thesis statement is also an important part of the introduction. It is the starting point for your critical analysis of the film. Your thesis can display various aspects, e.g., the connection between the central idea and current events or issues; or the correlation between the film’s thematic content and its formal aspects. Furthermore, you can discuss the similarity between the theme and your real-life experience. You can also provide a brief evaluation in the beginning since some audiences might not read the entire content.
Give a short plot summary by describing some major events but do not discuss their endings. Avoid “spoilers” for the sake of enhancing the suspense. In case you have to mention a significant event, make sure to warn the readers about it. Provide the relevant examples as you describe the overall impression of the film. You need to inform the audience what you felt rather than just what you saw.
In conclusion, emphasize what impressed you the most in the movie. Give personal recommendations and recommend a suitable audience.
At the same time, the internet is full of numerous writing services. However, not all of them provide desirable custom writing assistance. This can cause a lot of consternation to the students. One effective method of gaining insight on how to compose such reviews is through movie blogs and reputable websites.
