How to write a Movie Review? The Complete Guide | Edusson Blog

The first thing you do after watching a movie is go online and write a review about it. comments about movies are usually posted on social media profiles or public pages, review sites, blogs, among other platforms. you can make the process easier with the tools available online.

Writing a movie review is a common assignment that students have to do in high school and college. Although it seems simple, movie reviews require time and proper organization. It’s not just about writing what happens on the screen, the review goes further.

purpose of the movie review

The main purpose of a movie review is to inform the reader about the movie and its ideas. seems simple, right? reporting all the events that happen and giving an opinion about them is a common mistake that many students make. While film criticism allows writers to express their opinions about any film or documentary, there is also a need for an unbiased and objective approach. an ideal review combines both.

The review determines if someone will want to see the movie. Even if the professor (or teacher) assigned a specific title and film to review, you should act as if this is the perfect opportunity to present the film work to your lecturer. always assume they haven’t seen it before. As a result, it becomes easier to analyze the events that occurred on the screen.

The movie review should be detailed enough to help make an honest decision, i.e. whether the reader wants to see it or would like to. Why is this type of paper a common school assignment? teachers want to learn more about a student’s critical thinking skills and ability to report events (one or more of them) in a way that is easily understood by others.

also, they want to evaluate the way you analyze the plot and the characters. after all, movie reviews also involve analyzing events that happened in a “normal” documentary or movie. reviews test vocabulary and writing skills, adapting to the different genres and events they represent, and their ability to summarize important work and report it in a cohesive, logical, and interesting way.

While reviews carry more responsibility than initially thought, students find them fun, and with this guide, you will too.

how to write a good movie review

You have to write a movie review for school, now what? where to start, how to make it look more “academic”? Today, we have the opportunity to use numerous tools to make every part of our lives easier, and writing movie reviews is no exception. Throughout this tutorial, you’ll learn how to write a movie report and what tools to use to simplify the process.

step by step guide on how to write a movie review

The beginnings are always the most difficult. this is the point where you set the pace and determine how to approach this task most efficiently. Here are some helpful tips to kick-start the movie review writing process:

• Watch the movie or documentary twice and take notes on the main and supporting events and characters. it is a mistake to rely only on the power of your memory, there is always something that we overlook or forget
• do a thorough investigation. watching the movie is not enough, the research is equally important. look for details such as the name of the filmmaker and his motivation for making that film or documentary work, locations, plot, characterization, historical events that served as inspiration for the film (if applicable). basically, your research should serve to gather information that provides more depth to the review
• analyze the movie after seeing it. don’t start working on the review if you’re not sure you understand the movie. evaluate the film from beginning to end. watch it again, if necessary, if you find some confusing parts. only when you understand the events that happened on the screen, it will be easier for you to create the review
• clear an outline that you will follow to write the review concisely and coherently
• include examples of claims you make about the film. if the plot has gaps, then give an example of a situation or scene when that was apparent. Also, if characters are poorly developed or poor casting affected the quality of the film, give examples as well. give examples when commenting on dialogues, places, plot, everything. If you want the reader to agree with you, it is essential to back up your claims with evidence. you don’t want it to seem like you’re praising or criticizing the movie for no reason
• consider and comment on the originality of the movie and the quality of the scenes. explain how the film stands out or if you just use the same approach that worked for previous work in the industry

how to organize a movie review

The quality of your article depends on the level of organization you implement. never underestimate the importance of a well-structured outline, regardless of the type of paper you have to write. outlines help you stay on topic and contribute to a logical flow.

Also, organizing things before you start writing is a great way to save time later. Instead of trying to figure out what to include, you’ll have a well-structured plan to follow. Needless to mention, you won’t be too stressed. this is how you organize your movie review:

• introduction (with title, release date, background information)
• story summary
• analysis of plot elements (rising action, climax)
• creative elements (dialogue, characters, use of colors, camera techniques, mood, tone, symbols, costumes, or anything that adds to or detracts from the overall plot)
• opinion (supported with examples and facts from the story)
• conclusion (state whether the filmmaker was successful, reaffirm their evidence, explain how the film was helpful in providing a deeper understanding of the course topic )

movie review elements

• the title of the film/documentary: the fact that the title shows the name of the film or documentary does not mean that you should not mention it in the text. always name the function you have seen in the introductory paragraph. Pointing this out may seem silly, but it is one of the most common mistakes students make
• summary: the purpose of the review is to summarize the documentary or film for people who they haven’t seen it yet. For this to be as effective as possible, always assume your teacher hasn’t seen it either (as mentioned above). why is this important? you won’t leave out some important details thinking they already saw it so they don’t get upset. As a critic, your job is to explain what happened in the film and to express whether the filmmaker failed or succeeded. again, saying you liked him or you didn’t like him is not a viable comment. your opinion should be supported by specific reasons and examples from the film itself
• filmmaker: do some research on the person who directed the piece. Is that person a controversial figure? Is he known for a political stance? Does the filmmaker have a significant background? devote a paragraph or two to the person behind the film and their other works to establish the importance of the film you are reviewing to the director’s career
• importance to your class – How does the content of the documentary or film fit into the topic of your course? is it important for historical accuracy? if you’re watching the movie for history class, take note of the over-dramatization. if the movie is based on the book you analyzed in English class, you can mention similarities, differences or some elements that the movie contains, but not the book, and so on
• creativity elements: Filmmakers strive to include creative elements in their films. how important are these elements for the plot and the film in general? for example, costumes can enhance the film or betray its intent. the colors can be vivid and enhance the atmosphere or mood of the movie or they can be dull and make it seem depressing. good sound effects enrich the viewing experience, while bad ones just destroy everything. in addition, the movements and angles of the camera also add elements to the story. take note of the story symbols, if any.
• actors – let’s not forget the casting! Were the actors realistic? did they successfully play the role of a specific character? did they have good acting skills? Do you think any particular actor was right for the role?

checklist/outline for a good movie review

• introduction (title, theme, release date, background information)
• accuracy of representation
• use of sources in the documentary
• creative elements that make or break the overall story (script quality, visual design, acting, lighting, hair and makeup, costumes, set design, symbolism)
• your opinion
• conclusion

mistakes to avoid

• Don’t focus on the movie: While connecting the plot to some specific historical event is a good idea (where applicable), do your best to avoid writing about unnecessary details or introducing irrelevant information, such as the history of cinematography or that particular event. genre, snacks, among other things
• insert yourself – you are the one writing the review. the document reflects your understanding and opinion of the movie you’ve seen and you don’t need to write in the first person all the time: I noticed this, I saw I liked this, I didn’t like that
• no background check of the film and the release date, the director, the casting, etc.
• give your opinion without mentioning any reason why you think that way
• talk about irrelevancies
• write an unstructured review
• write generalities like great acting, good effects, a good movie, it was bad etc.
• write a review without substance or feature analysis

movie review examples

• the hunger games and the idea of ​​dystopia
• mean girls review: does it exploit stereotypes about high schools or help to undermine them?
• the martian review and its connection to daniel defoe’s robinson crusoe
• the last jedi review: all the reasons why it’s far from the original saga
• manchester by the sea and ideas of forgiveness and pain
• forrest gump review
• i am sam review
• runaway bride review and its role in the modern understanding of marriage

help with movie reviews

Like other types of writing, movie reviews require patience and time. being a student is not the easiest task in the world and you don’t have enough time to spend on one task while neglecting others. there is no need to despair; You can use the internet to get much needed help with this task. here’s how:

by markers expectations / rubrics

Clear organization: As stated above, clear organization is vital to a well-structured movie review. You can use the edusson website to guide you through this process with numerous writing publications, self-help resources, and sample essays that serve as an excellent platform to improve your writing skills and draft your paper.

robotdon’s essay verification platform proves useful when you complete the writing process and want to make sure it is unique, without fluff and water, repetitive words and expressions.

Let’s not forget that you can hire an essay writer who will write a perfect review for you.

Use of Sources: Just because this is a movie review, doesn’t mean you should avoid using sources to support your claims. Sources are particularly important for documentary reviews or when you’re trying to connect the review to an issue in society. Research is more time consuming than any other part of the process and you can easily hire a professional i.e. helper to do it for you

Opinion: A movie review is about balancing impartial reporting and personal opinion. While it’s okay to say what you think about the movie, you should also approach certain aspects objectively to help the reader better understand the movie. Finding the balance between subjective and objective writing can be frustrating, so professional service is helpful. all you have to do is provide the title, information, your opinion and a professional writer will take care of that

by service

essay writing service: No need to stress that you have a lot of work to do when professional writing service can write movie reviews easily. services like edusson are used by students who cannot keep up with the constant demands at school or university, but who do not want to jeopardize their grades. With over 1,000 writers, Edusson is a perfect assignment writing service. you have full control of the project through set deadlines, choosing the writer for this task, etc.

Essay Editing Service: Sometimes students don’t need help with the writing process, but they do need someone to edit them. don’t ask your friends and family to do it for you, hire professionals. improve your role. upload your notes! edusson’s editors and proofreaders correct grammar, spelling, syntax, punctuation errors, check style, format, organization and other aspects of your work to improve its quality. you can also use robotdon to edit an essay on your own.

FAQs about movie reviews

Do I have to write a movie review in a certain formatting style? It all depends on the instructions your teacher gives you. It often happens that a movie review can be free of academic formatting. but don’t rule out the possibility that you will have to complete this paper in mla or be given the task of writing a paper in apa.

can I copy a review of an existing movie? Well, of course, it’s important to look at examples from other movie reviews to better understand the structure and ways ideas are expressed. but if you copy a movie review directly from the other source, your curator will check for plagiarism.

my specialization is not filmmaking. why am I assigned to write a film report? students are assigned to write a film report, first of all, to broaden their minds and assess how they can analyze the material and express their opinion. Don’t be confused if your professor asks you to review a movie in psychology class. it is a common practice for students who are completing their degree in various fields of study.

Would you give me someone else’s review?

not at all! edusson stands out as the writing service with full transparency. All essays and other papers are written from scratch by professional writers with a strong work ethic and a desire to help their clients get better grades. The movie review you receive is 100% original, and you can check it with robotdon’s plagiarism checker.

will you send my review to someone else?

The answer is – no. clients are not only in control of the process, but the copyright is transferred to them at the time the review is done. once the writing process is complete, the review is yours and can never be sent to someone else.

what if I need more modifications?

If you need changes or would like specific information added, our writers will be happy to make the necessary revisions.

I need more help with the movie review service, how can I contact you?

Our customer service is always available via the live chat feature 24/7.

Do you like movies? who does not? Movie and documentary reviews give you a unique opportunity to improve your writing skills by combining school assignments with someone you really like. While it’s not that difficult to write a movie review or some educational/informational feature, feel free to use all available resources to get the most out of your assignment. use the advantage of the internet to work on your revision and obtain important benefits such as:

improve your work

practice makes everything better and the internet allows you to make it happen. For example, Edusson acts as a perfect tutorial + professional writing service platform, allowing you to improve your writing skills while receiving assistance from professional writers and editors when needed. DIYers benefit greatly from robotdon, a friendly helper that analyzes the revision and identifies errors that need to be fixed. The result of using these resources is a well-written film review that meets or exceeds the teacher’s expectations.

increase your gpa (grade)

Using multiple resources and platforms to your advantage can only be a good thing for your gpa. When you’re a student, everything you do counts and contributes to your GPA. it all boils down to learning how to make student life easier for you and one way to do that is to incorporate online tools into your assignments. your teacher will appreciate the effort, and thanks to improved writing skills, good grades are inevitable.