movie review essay for college

Quick Guide on How to Write a Movie Review Essay

What Is a Movie Review

The internet has revolutionized the realm of film criticism. No matter a movie's level of quality, it is always worth analyzing. Despite the growing number of individuals attempting to write about movies, few are successful. Most people do not provide insightful analysis, instead simply state how much they liked or disliked the film.

A movie criticism, usually composed by a professional in film studies, takes a comprehensive look at the film from a historical, social, political, or theoretical standpoint. This is unlike the opinion or suggestion given in a movie review, which is shorter and more concise.

A remarkable aspect of a good film review is that it doesn't just rate the movie but provides explicit views that form the critique's basis. This form of writing, like crafting essays, research papers, and term papers, should be insightful and draw the reader in quickly. It's important to discuss the reputation of the lead actors and directors and to write about what you expected and if they were met. The reviewer must explain a story's development without recalling major plot points and endings. The review must be concise, engaging, and should involve metaphors, specific words, analogies, etc.

Movie Review Purpose

Most film reviews are intended to guide readers in deciding whether to view, rent, or purchase the film. They should provide the necessary information to aid readers in deciding without divulging any fundamental details, such as the storyline or any surprises. This paper is common in schools because the lecturer wants to evaluate the student's ability to think critically and report the event easily for others to understand.

Movie reviews typically present a brief summary of the film's storyline. They provide readers with an overview of the characters, relationships, and scenarios but do not convey the complete narrative. Perusing the review should be different from seeing the movie. Nonetheless, feel free to highlight the essential moments or pivotal points that make the film worthwhile viewing.

Our college essay writing service has put together some advice on composing a movie review essay like a real critic, so let's explore the article further!

How to Write a Movie Review: Movie Review Outline

The structure is key when it comes to the quality of your paper. Don't neglect the power of a good outline, no matter what paper you're writing. Outlines help you stay on track and make sure your paper flows well.

Taking the time to arrange your ideas before starting to write is an effective way to save time further down the line. With a well-structured plan already in place, you won't have to worry about other elements. This will also make the writing process less stressful. Here is a guide on how to organize your movie review outline:

How Do You Start a Movie Review Essay: Introduction

The introductory paragraph is the first obvious step in crafting a movie review essay outline. Here, you want to quickly captivate the reader. Deliver your viewpoint instantly and make it unambiguous. Don't leave the audience wondering whether you enjoyed the film. Tell them right off the bat so you have time to justify your assessment throughout the remainder of the process.

In the introduction movie review should also describe your thesis. Develop the main concept for your essay that you can support using your perceptions of the movie's various aspects. The reader should be able to tell from this statement if you thought the film was fantastic, awful, or simply alright. By including a thesis statement, you may move your analysis beyond the plot synopsis phase into the movie critique category, which is considered a separate creative process.

Crafting Your Essay Movie Review Analysis

According to our research paper service , film analysis is similar to building a case. You're attempting to influence the reader to follow your recommendation to watch or disregard the film. So, you must ensure your essay movie review will be convincing. Giving instances that demonstrate the validity of your personal opinion is the only method to do this. If you find any dialogue in the movie that you think best exemplifies whether the work is strong or not, utilize quotes. This also applies to all of the movie's artistic decisions. But, just because a movie's narrative isn't strong or engaging doesn't indicate the rest of the film is worthless. Carefully highlight how some factors might undermine the movie in your explanation.

The movie's plot is only one component and shouldn't dominate the overall piece. The following are the important aspects to include in your movie review structure:

Cinematography - Cinematography covers much more than simply camera angles. It includes how the picture is lit, how it moves, appears, and what lenses are used. Here you can try the following analysis: 'Warm, gentle colors are used throughout the film, combined with soothing whites and grays, to simultaneously create and gradually tear away the characters' romantic sentiments for one another. There is a painting-like quality to each image.'

Editing - The editing is arguably the absolute star of what creates a good movie review example. It affects both the duration and the flow of a movie. Without effective editing, there would be uncomfortable gaps between pictures and many errors.

Costuming - The clothing the characters wear is called a costume, but there are a number of things to consider while evaluating movie costumes. You should be able to decide if the outfits suit the characters and the movie's atmosphere.

Casting and Acting - Finding the ideal performers to bring characters to life is the goal of casting. This sometimes entails seeing performers portray both familiar personas and figures who are entirely at odds with who they are. Casting, therefore, involves more than just finding talented performers. You can assess the acting in the following way: 'Even though he excels while on the go, his stoic behaviorism causes him to fall short of his co-star during calm scenes where he keeps a blank look on his face.'

Once you have finished analyzing the acting, directing, cinematography, setting, etc., wrap up with concise, stimulating wording to sustain readers' attention. Don't forget to provide a few examples to support your statements about the film.

Concluding Your Essay Movie Review

Finalize your review by coming full circle. Close the review by returning to your introductory fact or thesis. Give your readers a refresher on the movie's most intriguing aspects. It's important to remember that before choosing a movie, viewers check reviews. Finish with a statement indicating whether it is worthwhile for them to view. Be specific about who this movie will be more fascinating to and why in your suggestions. Remember that your ending is your last shot at influencing your audience, so use it wisely.

No matter the kind of movie review you have to complete, our professional specialists are willing to help you. Directly forward your needs to our research paper service and get it done quickly.

Need Help With MOVIE REVIEW WRITING?

No matter what type of movie review you want, our qualified specialists are ready to assist you.

Short Movie Review Form

If you are currently working on a new or old movie review, reading our suggestions should be sufficient to help you earn an A. So what if you'll be writing many reviews in the future? In this situation, we advise you to develop a uniform movie review template, which will enable you to save time and complete your upcoming projects successfully.

So, how to write a movie review template, you may ask? Well, our essay helper prepared a simple yet great movie review template you may use as a foundation for your own writing if you need some help getting started:

Example Papers

Once you know how to review a movie and learn the most valuable tips to handle this assignment, it is time to look at some movie review examples to get you on the right track.

Check out the following pieces to see which of these movie review essay examples you might want to keep at hand when working on your own assignment:

Helpful Tips on Writing Movie Reviews

Here are some extra helpful tips to keep in mind when unsure how to write a movie review essay:

• Add Your Own Personal Feel to Your Movie Critique - You might not have much spare time for your pastime of reviewing. You won't be able to write a movie review, though, if you just wing it without reading what others have said. Make a note of the things that intrigued you, alarmed you, made you uncomfortable, or caused you to pause and consider something, and then use that list as the basis for your research.
• Develop a Distinctive Writing Style - Have an idol—it's good for you. You must be careful not to just paraphrase and duplicate what they say without adding your own original viewpoint. Instead, in order to stand out from the throng, you must discover your own voice. When writing movie reviews, you should also have a distinct writing style.
• Include Extensive Information -Mention the film's photographer, special effects designer, and director. Your review might be significantly impacted by this. Then you may list all the memorable movie moments that also stuck with you.
• Voice Your Views and Back Up Your Criticism - Give your own assessment of the film. Make sure you have evidence to support your criticisms. Use the movie's details that most shocked or humiliated you. Review genuine information rather than merely expressing your opinions without supporting details.

Final Thoughts

Composing a good movie review essay sample is easy if you follow this article's main steps and techniques. Furthermore, we strongly believe that this guide will assist you in achieving remarkable outcomes and ease your writing process. The staff at EssayPro is always available to provide a helping hand if you need a little additional push with movie review examples or even if it's simply coming up with a catchy essay title .

Order an essay and await excellent results! Contact our expert writers and ask them to ' write my essay for me ' – and they will ensure your academic success!

Do You Require a Skilled Professional Writer?

Our writers take extra measures to make sure that your essay is created precisely in accordance with your specifications.

FAQs on Writing an Essay Movie Review

Here are the most frequently asked questions on how to write a movie review. We provided extra details on movie analysis to simplify writing film reviews.

What are the 6 Important Things to Include in a Film Review?

How long should a movie review be, what are the 5 c's in film, related articles.

How to Write a Movie Review

Writing a Film Review

Movies have become a cultural mainstay of our society. Not only are they art and entertainment, but they have also become a way for people to bond and make connections. Finding someone who has a similar taste in movies can create new friendships and start interesting conversations. That's why understanding how to analyze a movie and write movie reviews is such a useful skill. 

Do you need to know how to write a movie review for college? Or how to write a movie critique? Or maybe just how to do a movie review? In this article, you will learn how to write a movie review step by step, as well as get an in-depth guide into each section of a movie review.

What is a Movie Review?

A film review essay is more than just a plot summary followed by a recommendation. A movie review analyzes different elements of a movie and mixes personal opinion with objective analysis. The goal of the movie review is to tell the reader about the details of a movie while giving them enough information to decide for themselves whether it's worth watching or not. Of course, a good movie review also has to be interesting and engaging! 

How to Write a Good Movie Review

More than most other pieces of writing, there are a lot of steps to take before actually getting into writing a movie review. But don't worry though, most of these steps are pretty fun and if you follow them, you will know how to review movies. 

Watch the film! 

It goes without saying that you need to watch a movie before you write a review for it, so, before you do anything else, watch the movie at least once. Don't worry about trying to pick up specific details on your first watch, just enjoy the movie and get a general impression of whether you liked it or not and what you liked or disliked. Ideally, you should watch the movie at least two times. On your second and third viewings, pay attention to movie review criteria like cinematography, acting, dialogue, character development, deeper meanings, etc. Read some film review examples to get a sense of the things they talk about.

Pause the movie on your second and third viewings and take notes on things that stand out to you. Don't be afraid to take as many notes as you want, after all these notes are just for you.  You might not use all the notes you have taken, but they will help you compose the main part of your body paragraphs.

Express your opinions

Once you have watched the movie a few times and taken notes, make a list of the strongest opinions you have about the movie. If you think that the quality of acting was one of the best parts of the movie, use your notes to come up with specific examples. You should have between 3 and 5 key opinions that you will elaborate on when writing a film review along with examples to back up your claims.

Think about your audience

The language you use is going to change based on who you are writing the movie review for. If it is an assignment for school or university, then you may have to use more technical language.  If you're writing an article for a website or personal blog, then think about who the audience is and use language appropriate for them. Keep in mind that your audience also depends on the genre of the movie you are critiquing. A movie review for a serious period drama will have a different audience than a buddy cop comedy and therefore different language. Look at a movie review sample from different genres to get an idea of the type of language to use. 

Research the actors

Having big movie stars associated with a film is often one of the main selling points of a movie.  If an actor is critically acclaimed, it’s especially important to mention the awards they have won as this is often a sign of the overall quality of the movie. It's also possible that you didn't like the movie overall, but one of your favorite actors was in it so you enjoyed the movie and another fan might enjoy it too. 

Do background research

An easy way to make a movie review interesting is to search for interesting details about the making of the movie. It may be worth mentioning if it was shot in a particularly beautiful place or a unique location, or if the special effects were practical rather than CGI. Include interesting casting decisions or other actors that were considered for a particular role. Think about what information could be interesting to someone who might want to watch the movie and include those details. Go over some movie critique examples to get inspiration. 

Research the professionals

People can be fans not just of the actors, but of directors, writers, cinematographers, costume designers, and many other elements of filmmaking. Many directors are auteurs, which means they have a very particular visual style or storytelling method. How much time you spend on this section is dependent on your audience. If you're writing for social media or a blog for general people, then this might not be interesting to most. But if you're writing for film school or for a specific audience interested in filmmaking, then this section will need to be more elaborate. Look at a film review example written for different audiences to understand the differences. 

Draft an outline

Now that you've done all the required research, it's time to come up with a review outline. An outline is always useful when doing any piece of writing because it gives you a  chance to visualize the structure and plan how you want to incorporate information. This is the general film review format.

Introduction

• Brief summary of the film
• Discuss plot, tone, characters
• Discuss creative and technical elements
• Your opinions

Conclusion 

Come up with a catchy title.

Almost more than any other piece of writing, a movie review’s title needs to be engaging. A title like ”film review of (name of the movie) might be to the point, but isn't going to stand out. A good title should grab the reader's attention and make them want to read more. A few ways you can do this is by talking about a specific actor or director, or by using one of the main plot points of the movie. For example, “A Romantic Comedy for the Unromantic”,  or “Chris Pratt Plays Against Type in the Best Possible Way”. Look at the titles of some movie review examples for inspiration!

Write your review

It's finally time to get to the actual writing! The next part of this article talks in-depth about each section of a film review. 

People aren't going to take a review seriously if you have spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. If it's an assignment for school, then you’re going to lose marks because of mistakes like that. Make sure you reread your paper a few times and check for typos and other silly mistakes.  Read the paper out loud once or twice to get an idea of if it has a good flow. Don't be afraid to move sections around if you think it helps you build a stronger case.

Struggling with the Film Review?

Get your assignments done by real pros. Save your precious time and boost your marks with ease.

How to Write a Film Review

Do you want a ‘how to write a movie review’ template? Let's go over the specific parts of a film review and what to include in each one.

Your first sentence needs to capture the reader's attention. You can do this by stating an interesting fact about the movie, starting off by expressing your opinion of whether it's good or bad, mentioning some of the important actors, comparing it to other movies in the genre or to real-world events, whatever it is, make sure it's catchy!

Next, give background information about the movie. This includes things like the title, release date, studio, important cast members, director, budget, etc. Make sure to highlight any achievements of the movie, for example, if it was nominated for any awards. The same goes for the director as well as important members of the cast. This shouldn't just be a dry stating of facts, rather this should be a collection of interesting information about the background of the movie. 

Finally, end your introduction paragraph with your thesis. In the case of a film review, your thesis is essentially what you thought about the film. Without giving away too much, express your overall impression of the movie noting particular things that you thought stood out or were weak.

Summary of the story

The trick to writing the summary of the story is giving readers an idea of what to expect without giving away any important plot points or spoilers. The goal of this section isn't to explain the plot of the movie, It's to make sure that people have a basic understanding of the story so that the rest of the review can make sense. Describe the setting of the movie, which includes the main locations and time period. Introduce the main characters (including the name of the actor in parentheses after the name of their character). And go over the general storyline. 

Plot elements

This is when you start explaining what you thought about the movie. Start with an analysis of the plot itself. Did it have a rising action that builds suspense? Was the climax a good payoff? What were your overall impressions of the movie? How did it make you feel? What do you think the purpose of the movie was and did the director succeed in their goal? 

This is also the section where you get to talk about the different characters in the movie. Why did you enjoy certain characters? Were some characters better developed than others? Could some characters have benefited from more development? Was the villain particularly interesting? 

Think about the overall mood of the movie, did it change over time? How did the tones and symbols of the movie emphasize elements of the plot? Remember that any point you make in this section has to be backed up by examples. So if you say that there are several plot holes that make the movie complicated to understand, mention the specific scenes.

Creative elements

There are a lot of technical and creative elements in a movie that can stand out even if the overall plot and story weren’t the best. On the other hand, even a great story can be spoiled by bad dialogue or set design. These are some of the creative elements you should pay attention to especially when rewatching the movie and taking notes.

Dialogue : This can refer to the overall writing of the movie as well. If you can get your hands on a script then read it! When thinking about dialogue ask yourself, did the conversation between characters seem natural and flow easily? Or did it seem choppy and unnatural? 

Cinematography : Cinematography refers to the camera effects and the choices of how to film a certain scene. The lighting, the choice of camera angles, essentially the unique perspective of the story as told through the camera. 

Editing : Editing refers to the transition between different scenes as well as how well the movie flows together. This could include things like clever montages, longshots, different perspectives, etc.  

Costumes : Some movies, especially historical movies, fantasy films, and science fiction films, depend heavily on costume design. Costumes are an integral part of making a character stand out or making the world seem more real.

Set Design : Set design refers to the backgrounds of scenes. Some sets might be more elaborate whereas others can be minimalistic. Each choice has its pros and cons and effective set design creates proper ambiance, setting the tone and mood for a scene or the movie.

Music and Sound : Sometimes the movie has a great soundtrack or just incredible sound effects that help make it stand out.

Stunts : More important for action movies, but in general stunts and action sequences can be a major selling point for a film.

Special Effects : Most movies rely on some amount of special effects, and whether it be CGI, or practical, or a combination of the two, the quality is important.

Once you have analyzed multiple different elements of the story from its plot, characterization, and other technical and creative elements, you can state your opinions and provide evidence for them. Make sure you refer to specific scenes or specific situations when looking for substantiating evidence. Remember that the goal of a movie review is not to just state whether you liked or disliked a movie, it is to analyze it in an objective way, and give information so that somebody else can decide whether they want to watch the movie or not.

In the conclusion you express your main opinion of the movie along with the most important pieces of evidence. You can talk about the purpose of the movie and whether the director was successful in showing that purpose. End with a recommendation of whether the movie should be watched or not, along with suggestions of movies that are similar to it.

Did you like our Film Review Guide?

For more help, tap into our pool of professional writers and get expert essay editing services!

Mistakes to avoid

You now know how to write a review on a movie but let's take a look at some mistakes that you should be careful to avoid.

Not focusing on the film

It's easy to start writing about things like the historical events the movie you loved is based on or the importance of the Marvel Cinematic Universe overall rather than focus on the movie itself.  While those elements can be interesting to include as background information, the point of a film review is to go over a particular movie so that is what you should spend the most time on.

Not providing evidence 

A common mistake people make when they write movie reviews is to state their opinions without any objective analysis. An easy way to overcome this mistake is to make sure that you provide evidence for any claims that you make.

Spoilers are an easy way to make sure that people will be upset with your movie review. It is common to accidentally give away too much, especially when writing the plot summary. Find the line between giving enough information so that people understand the general story and revealing important plot twists and turning points. Read some sample movie reviews for examples of how to avoid spoilers.

Using personal pronouns

Statements like “I did not like the special effects” or “I did not like the pacing of the movie” are clearly expressions of opinion. It is better to make statements like “the special effects in certain action scenes were cartoonish and took away from the realism of the film”. 

A movie review essay can be incredibly fun to write, especially if you have a strong opinion about the movie. But keep in mind that a movie review isn't just about your opinion, it has to include an objective analysis with claims backed up by evidence from specific scenes. It's difficult to have a movie review definition, but a great movie review is a blend between personal opinion and objective analysis. It informs the reader about the strengths and weaknesses of the movie while letting them make the decision whether they want to watch it or not. 

If you found your way to this article because you were looking for help on how to write a movie review for college, then you're in the perfect place. If you need any help, don't hesitate to reach out to the experts at Studyfy. At Studyfy, we offer a wide range of custom writing services, coursework writing services, and essay writer service . Our team of experienced writers is well-equipped to handle any writing task you may have, no matter the complexity or urgency. Just say, " write a paper for me ," and we will ensure that you receive a high-quality custom essay that meets all your requirements. Trust us to provide you with the best coursework writing services and custom essay writing that will help you achieve your academic goals.

Featured Posts

How to write a scholarship essay.

How‌ ‌to‌ ‌Write‌ ‌an‌ ‌Argumentative‌ ‌Essay

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay

How to Write an Expository Essay

How to Write an Analytical Essay

How to Write a Reflective Essay

Press ESC to close

Writing a Movie Review Essay: A Comprehensive Guide

• backlinkworks
• Writing Articles & Reviews
• September 27, 2023

writing a Movie Review Essay: A Comprehensive Guide

Movie reviews provide an opportunity for audiences to engage with films on a deeper level. Through the art of critical analysis, you can develop an understanding of a movie’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall impact. Whether you are a film enthusiast, a student, or a critic, writing a movie review essay can be a rewarding and insightful experience. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the key elements of a movie review essay, provide useful tips on critical analysis, and offer practical advice to help you craft a compelling review.

Understanding the Purpose

Before delving into the process of writing a movie review essay, IT is crucial to understand its purpose. A movie review essay aims to provide an evaluation and opinion on a particular film. IT serves as a guide for potential viewers, offering insights into the movie’s quality, thematic elements, and overall impact. Additionally, IT allows writers to engage with the film, express their thoughts, and support their analysis with evidence.

The Essential Elements

For a comprehensive movie review essay, IT is important to consider a few essential elements. These elements not only add structure to your review but also ensure that you cover all the necessary aspects:

1. Introduction

In the introduction, provide a concise overview of the movie you are reviewing . Briefly mention the title, director, and main actors. Additionally, offer a hook or attention-grabbing statement to engage your readers from the start.

2. Plot Summary

After introducing the movie, provide a brief summary of the plot without revealing any major spoilers. Focus on the key events and main narrative arcs, highlighting the film’s central theme or message.

3. Analysis of Elements

Now IT ‘s time to delve deeper into the film’s components. Address various aspects such as acting, cinematography, visual effects, sound design, and screenplay. Evaluate how each element contributes to the overall storytelling and impact of the movie.

4. Critical Evaluation

This is the heart of your movie review essay. Express your opinion of the film, supported by evidence and examples. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses, discussing elements like character development, pacing, dialogue, and thematic coherence. Remember to support your opinions with specific scenes or moments from the film.

5. Comparisons (Optional)

If applicable, you can compare the movie you are reviewing to similar films in the same genre or by the same director. This allows readers to understand the film’s uniqueness and your perspective in a broader context.

6. Conclusion

In the conclusion section of your movie review essay, summarize your main points and provide a final evaluation. Restate your opinion, highlighting the film’s merits and potential limitations. Additionally, you can elaborate on the film’s impact, whether you recommend IT , and who the target audience might be.

Tips for Critical Analysis

writing a comprehensive movie review essay requires a critical analysis of the film’s various elements. Here are some tips to enhance your analytical skills:

1. Watch the Film Multiple Times

To notice intricate details and gain a deeper understanding of the movie, watch IT multiple times. Each viewing can reveal new aspects and nuances that can contribute to your analysis.

2. Take Notes

While watching the film, take detailed notes on different elements you wish to discuss. Jot down significant scenes, memorable quotes, and any observations that come to mind. These notes will be valuable when structuring your review.

3. Engage with Different Perspectives

Expand your critical thinking by seeking other reviews of the same film. Engage with different perspectives to challenge your own thoughts and broaden your understanding of the movie.

4. Analyze the Director’s Style

Acknowledging the director’s signature style is important for a comprehensive review. Research the filmmaker’s previous works and identify recurring themes, visual techniques, or storytelling approaches. This understanding will enhance your analysis of the film’s distinctiveness.

writing a movie review essay requires a combination of critical thinking, analysis, and a passion for cinema. By following the essential elements discussed in this comprehensive guide, you can craft a well-structured and insightful review that captivates readers and provides valuable insights into the film.

Q: How long should a movie review essay be?

A: There is no strict word count for a movie review essay. However, IT is recommended to aim for a length of around 500 to 1000 words to provide a comprehensive analysis while keeping the reader engaged.

Q: Should I include spoilers in my movie review essay?

A: IT is advised to avoid major spoilers in your movie review essay as they can ruin the viewing experience for potential audiences. Instead, focus on providing a general overview of the plot without revealing crucial details.

Q: Is IT important to include the movie’s background information?

A: Yes, providing background information such as the director, actors, and genre helps readers understand the context of the film. IT also provides a foundation for your analysis and evaluation.

Q: Can I express my personal preferences in a movie review essay?

A: Absolutely! Personal preferences play a significant role in shaping one’s opinion of a film. However, IT is essential to support your preferences with valid reasons and evidence to provide a balanced and thoughtful review.

Q: How can I make my movie review essay stand out?

A: To make your review stand out, utilize engaging language, vivid descriptions, and provide unique insights that other reviews may not cover. Incorporate your own voice and style to make your review memorable and captivating for readers.

A Comprehensive Review of EaseUS Todo Backup Free: Is it Worth the Hype?

10 creative portfolio templates on themeforest for every industry.

Recent Posts

• Driving Organic Growth: How a Digital SEO Agency Can Drive Traffic to Your Website
• Mastering Local SEO for Web Agencies: Reaching Your Target Market
• The Ultimate Guide to Unlocking Powerful Backlinks for Your Website
• SEO vs. Paid Advertising: Finding the Right Balance for Your Web Marketing Strategy
• Discover the Secret Weapon for Local SEO Success: Local Link Building Services

Popular Posts

Shocking Secret Revealed: How Article PHP ID Can Transform Your Website!

Uncovering the Top Secret Tricks for Mastering SPIP PHP – You Won’t Believe What You’re Missing Out On!

Unlocking the Secrets to Boosting Your Alexa Rank, Google Pagerank, and Domain Age – See How You Can Dominate the Web!

The Ultimate Collection of Free Themes for Google Sites

Discover the Shocking Truth About Your Website’s Ranking – You Won’t Believe What This Checker Reveals!

Explore topics.

• Backlinks (2,425)
• Blog (2,744)
• Computers (5,318)
• Digital Marketing (7,741)
• Internet (6,340)
• Website (4,705)
• Wordpress (4,705)
• Writing Articles & Reviews (4,208)

• Customer Reviews
• Extended Essays
• IB Internal Assessment
• Theory of Knowledge
• Literature Review
• Dissertations
• Essay Writing
• Research Writing
• Assignment Help
• Capstone Projects
• College Application
• Online Class

How to Write a Movie Review for College Step-by-Step and Fast

by  Antony W

October 28, 2021

A movie with hundreds of thousands of views is worth analyzing, or isn’t it? Whether it’s an epic show on Netflix or a single on Amazon Prime, if people are watching, there is something worth saying about it.

Look at Rotten Tomatoes and Meta Critic . They’re platforms for the movie fanatics who don’t hold back their breath and thoughts after a 2-hour long flick.

How they tear down movies and TV show in extremely incredible, with their thoughts quite so authentic enough to appear on such respected platforms.

It’s not just on Meta Critic and Rotten Tomatoes that movie reviews appear. Even your instructor in college may ask you to do is as part of your assignment. Which is why it’s important to learn how to write a movie review for college.

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to review a movie without trying so hard. You’ll learn the exact steps to follow. Plus, some tips to help you write a movie review that simply stands out.

What is a Movie Review?

A movie review is a holistic assignment where you have to watch a movie and share your opinion about it.

Quite too often, you’ll have to concentrate on the creative aspect of the story in the movie, although it’s not uncommon for your instructor to ask you to analyze the technical aspect of the assignment as well.

Even more significantly is that you have to provide objective evidence to defend your view.

What’s the Purpose of a Movie Review?

The purpose of a movie review is to help an audience or readers to determine whether a certain movie is worth watching in the first place. Since there are just too many movies to watch these days, reviews let people know whether a particular show is interesting or otherwise. 

As far as writing a movie review is concerned, it’s important to know that there’s no such thing as a wrong point of view.

At the end of the day, people have varied opinion about what they see and perceive, which is totally acceptable when it comes to reviewing a movie.

In other words, your point of view will highly depend on how you choose to demonstrate your opinion and partly on your attention to details.

A Guide to write a Movie Review for College

Writing a movie review may not be as fun as your 2-hour long or so flick. But if you follow our step-by-step guide to writing movie reviews, you stand the chance to earn the best grades for the assignment.

You need to have a holistic approach to the assignment. In other words, the way you handle the work should demonstrate your critical thinking, analytical skills, and ability to think outside the box.

Therefore, below is how to approach your movie review assignment:

Step 1 Watch the Movie

It’s tempting to read reviews about the movie in question online and write your own version from the material. But that’s not exactly the right approach for the assignment. Why? It’s because you have to come up with your very own unique critique, so exercising vigilance is quite significant in this case.

So instead of compiling tons of reviews on the movie from different sources, set aside some time to watch the film from start to finish.

We advise that you watch the movie more than once. Your first round should be to get a clear idea of what the movie is all about. This way, you can be able to briefly explain the primary theme of the film, if not in its entirety.

Watch the movie for a second time, and, this time, take notes. Write down your thoughts on what you see and hear. Focus on critical dialogues, important scenes, technical aspects, and significant character in the film. If you noticed some common patterns in the movie, write them down. If the movie made you feel a certain way, be sure to note that down.

It’s hard to conclude that you can collect all that information by simply watching the movie once or twice. If you can, fine. If you can’t, don’t beat yourself up. Watch as many times as you like so that you can collect the most critical information to use to write your review.

Step 2 Add Some Background Research

While the film is your go-to source for the assignment, it may not be enough to write a solid review. Dive into some background research to learn more about the movie beyond what you’ve seen on the screen.

When did the movie come out? Who was the director? Where was the film shot? What do you think is the writer and director’s objective with the movie?

As you can see, you’re collective valuable information that you can use to add more insights to your movie review.

Step 3 Analyze the Movie

Next, analyze the movie keenly. It’s important to do so in parts to get this right. Consider evaluating the most critical elements of the film.

For example:

• Was the costume design and shooting locations appropriate for the theme of the film?
• Did the actors perform their roles well?
• Did the directors do a good job in translating the script into a film?
• What’s your opinion on the scripts, music, and the editing?

By the end of your analysis, you should have sufficient information to use to write a good review for the movie.

Step 4 Create an Outline for Your Movie Review

Now that you’ve watched the movie, done some background research, and analyzed the movie, it’s time to take that information and put it into an outline.

Outlining shouldn’t take much of your time. Create your subheadings and include the most important points under each.

Your movie review will be a   5-paragraph essay .  It should have an introduction, three body paragraphs (with a summary, analysis, and your opinion), and a conclusion paragraph.

Step 5 Write Your Movie Review 

Now it’s time to take the points in your outline and put them into words.

When writing the review, try to stick to the word count suggested in the prompt. And even if there isn’t a suggested word limit for the essay,   don’t make the assignment unnecessarily too long.

If it helps, take breaks in between writing so that you can do a better job.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

• Other Guides
• How to Write Movie Review: Guideline & Tips
• Speech Topics
• Basics of Essay Writing
• Essay Topics
• Other Essays
• Main Academic Essays
• Research Paper Topics
• Basics of Research Paper Writing
• Miscellaneous
• Chicago/ Turabian
• Data & Statistics
• Methodology
• Admission Writing Tips
• Admission Advice
• Student Life
• Studying Tips
• Understanding Plagiarism
• Academic Writing Tips
• Basics of Dissertation & Thesis Writing

• Essay Guides
• Research Paper Guides
• Formatting Guides
• Basics of Research Process
• Admission Guides
• Dissertation & Thesis Guides

How to Write Movie Review: Guideline & Tips

Table of contents

Use our free Readability checker

A movie review is a piece of writing where a film is analyzed and evaluated. It often includes a brief synopsis of the plot, but primarily focuses on the reviewer's opinion. Movie reviews are often assigned in high school or college to test student's assessment skills. You should evaluate the aspects like acting, direction, screenplay, cinematography, and music.

It often happens that after a movie you want to express your emotions. But you don't know what to start your writing from. Film can be delightful or frustrating, addictive or hopelessly dull. You can express your overwhelming emotions with the help of written reviews. StudyCrumb prepared this guideline, so you know how to write a film review!

What Is Movie Review: Definition

A movie review is your personal assessment of what you have seen in a movie. Students can be asked to write a film review at school. Or they can just basically do it for themselves, their friends, or some audience in their blog about movies. Anyway, a movie review should be short and express your opinion about recently watched movies. Sometimes it is not for further publication but simply for your personal analysis . Also, you can post it for other viewers. For example, one time you watched a good movie and sincerely want to recommend this film for viewing or just criticizing it.

How to Write Movie Review: Step-By-Step

Let’s learn how to write a movie review essay step-by-step! We are here to tell you about all aspects of a good critique, including  how to cite a movie MLA . First, you must create a clear name, idea, and structure for your text. Adhere to specific writing plans. Use unique vocabulary on topic. That’s how your overview will be more colorful, emotional, and impressive. Follow some simple steps below and find out how to write this type of paper properly.

Step 1. Watch Movie or Film Twice

For a good film review essay, we recommend you watch it twice. For the first time, you will get a general impression of the film. You will already know the plot as a whole part. And secondly, you can pay attention to all small elements and details.

Step 2. Carry Out Research for Your Film Review

For your movie review essay, find out as many details as possible about the film itself. Focus not only on visuals itself and your opinion but on some other important aspects of a film . Add information from main sources. Who created this film and when? What impact has he had on industry? How popular was it? What did other film critics say? We recommend you write it down so as not to forget. All these aspects will help you in your further writing process.

Step 3. Analyze Movie for Your Review

Good movie review essays will have much factual information about given films. But you should not turn it into a dry list of facts with actors’ names. First of all, provide your personal opinion about movies you describe. When you review a film, think about the story in this way: Is the plot logical? Is there any sense in the actions of heroes? You can also think about acting. Could actors reliably reincarnate in their characters? You can also touch on special effects and musical accompaniment. Did filmmakers support the plot with all this wealth? Does abundance of effects, lighting, and soundtracks only distract from the main story? You may also include a brief overview of personal traits, just like in a character analysis essay .

Step 4. Draft an Outline Movie Review

Now that we have all needed information, it's time to write a movie review outline. Include aspects given down below in your outline.

• Title of film you watched.
• Facts about authors (screenwriter, director, cameraman).
• Main roles.
• Brief theme, idea, your opinion.
• Specific traits, achievements, discoveries that you liked.
• Negative features, shortcomings, historical inaccuracies that you did not like.
• Conclusion. Describe if it is worth watching or not.

The value of review is your opinion. So each fact should be supported with your point of view.

Step 5. Provide Examples in Your Film Review

No film review can be credible without examples. Don't use phrases like "high performance" or "bad sound." This is not evidence. Describe more specifically! For example, when you talk about a specific character, mention what makes the actor right for the role. For example, you can evaluate appearance, manner of speech, facial expressions, etc. Remember to back up any of your statements with facts, descriptions of specific scenes, how a particular actor plays . This is how we back up our words with accurate points. You can even quote short dialogue if you think it helps convey your point of view better.

Step 6. Write Strong Movie Review Conclusion

You need to finish the review with a firm essay conclusion . Describe what this film is for and about. Briefly outline strong and weak points. But the main thing you need to do is call to action! Make a great final of your essay so that the reader wants to go and see this film. Try to awaken desire and interest in the reader. Then your paper will be considered successful!

Step 7. Edit and Proofread Your Movie Review

Reread your movie review and make any necessary corrections. Correct all grammar, spelling mistakes, and wrong word choices. Delete insignificant phrases and strengthen weak points. Make sure that your work doesn't just describe the film itself but also adds your personal opinion. This is a significant point. Don't let the reader decide for himself whether or not he should watch a movie. Well, the pinnacle of skill will be called to action for watching the film itself. You may need to write a book review  for your future work. Just keep in mind, we have a special blog that will help you with this task.

How to Organize Your Movie Review

What movie review essay should look like:

• Essay introduction . In the first part of the review, provide basic information about the film. What is it called? Who is the director? What actors play leading roles? Where and when picture was filmed? First, present facts, and then continue with your opinion about the film.
• Central elements. In the main part of your review, briefly convey the film's story, its plot. Tell us about the main events in it, but do not go into too much detail. What film is about must be described in the present, not the past. Then express your impressions after viewing. If you liked the movie, tell what was most interesting from the plot.
• Conclusion. At the end of work, briefly and clearly summarize your findings. Final part contains the main concluding thought. It shows the reader of your review precisely what you wanted to say. If you recommend a movie for viewing, write about it.

Movie Review Examples

We prepared a movie review example for you! You can write your own essay based on our template. But do not directly copy examples. Use your creativity and mention interesting details!

How to Write Movie Review: Final Thoughts

In this article, we explained how to write movie reviews. Begin with a strong introduction with brief information about film. Express your mind and perspective on plot. Then, describe which experience you liked most and least. Wrap up with the primary impression of film. And in the end, summarize if it's worth watching or not.

Even if a movie review is easy to write, you can still save some time by contacting our essay writing service. Our professional writer will be happy to help you with any academic paper. You can enjoy your life, while we are preparing excellent work for you!

How to Write Film Review: Frequently Asked Questions

1. am i required to write film review in specific formatting style.

Film review format can be the same as any other essay type. Your teacher can ask you to write it in a specific style like APA, MLA, or Chicago. But anyway, a format should be provided in the task. So we recommend you to follow our format guides on how to format your review.

2. How do you write movie criticism?

In a movie criticism paper you express your opinion of what was good or bad. Evaluate what would make a movie more intriguing to watch. Describe what you like and what not. For example, point out that the plot was good, but the effects were terrible. Think about all important steps and try to look at them critically.

3. If a movie has a lot of main characters, should i write about all of them?

There is no movie character limit for you to describe. Mention ones that you think are most important to plot. However, if you don't know who to include, consider protagonists and antagonists. Describe conflict between main characters. Also, pay attention to the relationship line.

4. How many words are necessary when writing a movie review?

There is no unambiguous uniform volume for writing movie reviews. If writing an academic paper, ask your teacher for requirements. However, keep your work clear and concise. Your readers don’t want to read tedious overthinking.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

You may also like

• How It Works
• Prices & Discounts

How to Write a Movie Review for College

Table of contents

You’ve been asked to watch the recently released movie, Joker.

You squeal with joy. “Best assignment ever,” you say, and the next thing you know, you’re asked to write a movie review on it.

If only reviewing a movie was as enjoyable as watching it. Am I right, or am I right?

You might know by now that writing a movie review for college isn’t all fun and games. It’s serious business - just like any other academic writing assignment.

A movie review is meant to be a holistic evaluation and analysis of the movie. You’re expected to share your opinion on the technical and creative aspects while providing thorough evidence to back up your statements.

The purpose of a film review is to help the reader decide whether they need to watch it. There is no right or wrong point of view - everything depends on your approach, attention to detail, and how you choose to demonstrate your personal opinions.

If you’re stressing about how to write a movie review for college - read on to learn how you can ace this assignment and submit a winning review.

How to Write a Movie Review for College in 6 Steps

Writing a movie review helps instructors review your critical thinking, analytical, and evaluation skills. It takes careful planning and exemplary writing skills.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on writing a movie review for college (and doing a great job at it!).

Watch the Movie (More Than Once) and Take Notes

Remember - you’re watching the film as a critic and not as just another audience which means you need to be extremely vigilant while watching it.

When you sit down to watch the movie, sit with a notebook and make it a point to take notes. You cannot expect to remember every little point after watching a three-hour-long film.

Note-taking enables you to jot down your thoughts and makes it easier to organize them during the writing stage. Take notes about critical dialogues, characters, and scenes that stood out. Look out for patterns and assess how the movie made you feel.

Apart from that, it also looks into the underlying themes and technical aspects such as the film-making technique used or cinematography.

While writing a movie for college, one watch is certainly not enough. Watch it at least two to three times. Let the first time be purely about watching the movie for what it is. After that, you can go on to re-watch it with the objective of reviewing or critiquing it.

Do Background Research

In the case of a movie review writing assignment, the movie is undoubtedly your go-to source and the holy grail, but it’s not enough.

Consider researching the director, the year it came out, what was the socio-political environment like, what were the director’s motivations, whether there was any inspiration behind the movie, where it was shot, etc.

Doing this additional reading will give you valuable insights that will help you write a qualitative and well-rounded movie review.

Analyze the Movie in Parts

How will you write a movie review if you don’t know what you’re watching it for?

It’s a good idea to analyze it in parts.

Crucial elements you must consider during your movie analysis

• direction - how did the director translate the script into a film, can this movie be compared to his/her previous films, etc.;
• cinematography - what are the camera angles and shots, what is the filming technique, what is the lighting technique, and how does it impact the scenes, etc.;
• writing - how developed are the characters, was the plot predictable, how does it start and end, how are the dialogues, etc.;
• acting - how would you judge the actors’ performances, etc.;
• music - how does the music and background score accentuate the story;
• editing - how to do the scenes transition, did the cuts seem realistic and smooth, how was the length, etc.;
• costume and set design - were they appropriate to the era and the theme, etc.

Let this serve as a checklist while you’re watching the movie and making your notes.

Here’s a useful video by The Misfit Pond on how to analyze movies

Create an Outline

Now that you have your notes and analysis-ready, you can go on to the next stage - writing.

The first step of this stage is to create an outline that forms the skeleton of your paper and gives it direction. The idea is to jot down the sub-headings and include the points you plan on including under each of them.

This is the ideal structure of a movie review for the college

• Introduction - start with a hook and include basic details of the movie such as name, year of release, director, actors, and central theme. This paragraph should end with the thesis statement;
• Summary - provide a concise summary of the plot;
• Analysis - discuss the film’s creative and technical aspects while enlisting its strengths and/or weaknesses;
• Opinion - put forth your opinion objectively while backing it up with evidence;
• Conclusion - reinstate your thesis and highlight whether the reader sees the film or not.

Start Writing

This is where your efforts will culminate - it’s time to put down your thoughts into words and get writing.

Even though movie reviews are generally not that long, they can make for an overwhelming writing experience because there’s so much you’re juggling with.

It’s a good idea to break down the writing process and give yourself breaks in between. There’s no way you can do justice to the paper if you’re tired or burnt out.

Edit and Proofread

Once you’re done writing, make sure you read it multiple times to submit a well-written and polished paper.

Let the first round of reading be about checking the logical flow and structure of the paper while ensuring there is no plagiarism . Make sure you’ve added all the points you intended to and that they flow in smoothly.

Next up, proofread the review and check for typos, and grammatical and spelling errors. It’s also worth getting a friend or family member to read the review to check for errors that you may have missed out.

6 Smart Tips to Write an Excellent Movie Review

The best film reviews are those that strike a balance between sharing one’s personal opinion and being objective.

Now, that’s a tough thing to achieve because sometimes we get so swayed by our personal point of view that we don’t realize that we are expected to be unbiased and objective in this assignment.

Well, here are 6 smart tips to help you write an excellent movie review for college.

Read Other Reviews

Writing movie reviews is an art - and not everyone can review a movie the way it needs to be reviewed.

So, before you even start watching the movie in question, you should read reviews by notable film critics just to understand how movie reviews are written.

You can read reviews by Andrew Sarris, Judith Crist, Peter Travers, Peter Bradshaw, and Roger Eber, among many others.

That said, try not to read reviews on the same movie you’re reviewing because that might influence your perspective and writing.

Watch Like a Critic

There’s a huge difference between watching a movie like a general audience and watching it like a critic. For this assignment, you need to do the latter.

What does that mean? Analyze the direction, story, and characters, make comparisons, understand the context, look out for motifs, and pay attention to the camera angles and shots, loopholes in the plot, and every little element that’s part of the movie (on and off-screen).

Watch Ann Hornaday , The Washington Post’s film critic, share insights on what it means to watch movies like a critic

Stay Focussed on the Movie

This is an assignment and you have a word count to abide by. Make sure you don’t go off-topic or get derailed while writing the movie review.

Ultimately, everything you write needs to be correlated to the movie you are reviewing. It helps to have your thesis statement written boldly where you can see it. This ensures you don’t wander off-topic.

While proofreading, do keep this in mind and ensure you haven’t added irrelevant information that’s not in line with the topic because that’s likely to go against you.

Be Objective and Support your Opinions

It’s important to note that just because a movie isn’t suited to your taste, does not make it a bad movie.

You need to be objective while writing a movie review. If there is something you disagree with or are critiquing, do include enough evidence in the form of facts, statistics, quotes, and examples to strengthen your argument.

At the same time, if you happen to review the movie of a director you’ve been a fan of, don’t let that come in between your writing.

Basically, keep your biases out of the equation.

Look into the Details

Be specific while expressing your opinion. Making generic statements such as “the story was poorly written” or “the characters were well-developed” does not cut it. You need to dive deep and back your claims up to convince the reader about what you’re saying.

The trick is to keep asking yourself questions until you cannot further.

One of the things you will be assessed for will be your attention to detail. Merely touching upon the surface will be reflected in your writing and will cost you your grades.

Film&Movie Review Examples and Samples

Reviewing films can seem fun, but it actually takes discipline to explain all the elements of a film and to express your opinion succinctly. Check out our film review samples to gain a better understanding of how to write one yourself.

How to Write a Movie Review: A Comprehensive Guide

Writing a movie review is an engaging process that combines film criticism, analysis, and personal opinion to create an informative and thought-provoking piece. A well-crafted review not only serves as a helpful guide for potential viewers but also deepens our understanding of the cinematic experience. In this article, we will explore the essentials of review writing, focusing on crucial elements such as plot summary, thesis, opinion, characters, cinematography, and more.

Start with a Plot Summary

Begin your movie review with a brief synopsis, offering an overview of the film’s storyline. This recap should be concise and engaging, giving readers a general idea of the movie’s premise without revealing too much. For a more structured approach, consider using an AI literature review generator to help you summarize key points efficiently. Remember that your summary sets the stage for the critique and analysis that follow.

Develop a Thesis

Your thesis is the central idea or argument that you will explore in your movie review. This main point should be clear and focused, serving as the backbone of your critique. Consider what themes or aspects of the film stood out to you, and build your thesis around these observations.

Express Your Opinion

A significant aspect of writing a movie review is sharing your personal viewpoint or perspective. Offer your judgment on the film’s strengths and weaknesses, providing specific examples from the movie to support your appraisal. Be honest and thoughtful in your assessment, considering both your own preferences and the film’s intended audience.

Analyze the Characters

Discuss the film’s characters, examining their roles, personas, and the actors’ performances. Consider how the cast contributes to the overall narrative and whether their portrayals are convincing and memorable. Analyze the characters’ development throughout the movie, as well as the relationships between them.

Examine the Cinematography

Cinematography plays a crucial role in a film’s visual style and storytelling. Delve into the camera work, lighting, photography, and framing, evaluating how these elements enhance or detract from the movie’s overall impact. Consider how the cinematography supports the film’s themes and emotions.

Conduct a Thorough Analysis

A comprehensive movie review requires a detailed examination of various aspects of the film. Study the director’s choices, the music and sound design, and the technical elements such as craftsmanship and artistry. This thorough scrutiny will help you provide a well-rounded critique that captures the essence of the movie.

Discuss the Director’s Role

The director is the creative force behind a film, responsible for shaping its vision and execution. Analyze the director’s choices, considering their impact on the film’s storytelling, pacing, and overall atmosphere. Reflect on the director’s previous work, if applicable, and how this film fits into their oeuvre.

Evaluate Music and Sound

Music and sound play an essential role in creating a film’s mood and atmosphere. Examine the soundtrack, score, and audio design, considering how these elements contribute to the movie’s overall experience. Discuss the effectiveness of the composition, melody, and soundscapes in enhancing the narrative.

Assess Technical Aspects 

Review the technical aspects of the film, such as the expertise and proficiency of the crew, the quality of the special effects, and the overall production value. Analyze how these elements contribute to the film’s success or shortcomings, and whether they support the movie’s themes and narrative.

Evaluate the Acting 

Analyze the actors’ performances, considering their delivery, expression, and interpretation of their roles. Discuss whether the acting feels authentic and engaging, and how it contributes to the film’s overall impact. Pay attention to standout performances or any instances where the acting may have detracted from the movie’s overall quality.

In summary, writing a movie review involves a careful balance of plot summary, thesis development, opinion sharing, and thorough analysis of various aspects of the film, including characters, cinematography, directorial choices, music and sound, and technical elements. By considering all these factors and incorporating the appropriate keyword density and LSI keywords organically throughout your review, you can create an engaging, informative, and well-rounded critique that will appeal to readers and enhance their appreciation for the film. Remember to be honest and thoughtful in your assessment, and most importantly, enjoy the process of delving into the world of cinema.

Dance Me Outside (1994) Movie Review Essay Sample, Example

Dance Me Outside Dance Me Outside, a 1994 Canadian film directed by Bruce McDonald, is a thought-provoking and engaging movie that explores themes of racism,…

The Meg Essay Sample, Example

The first horror movie I ever saw was “Jaws”–an all-time classic filmed in 1975 by Steven Spielberg. My parents did not let me watch “Alien,”…

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Essay Sample, Example

It is a well-known fact in the video game industry that movies made after video games are often impossible to watch. A lot of legendary…

For Honor – Video Game Review Essay Sample, Example

When something becomes ubiquitous, it tends to lose its uniqueness and complexity. I believe this is some sort of universal law opposite to the famous…

Good Time: Film Review Essay Sample, Example

There is a saying that lightning never strikes the same place twice. Many of us, however, probably experienced a series of misfortunes at least once…

Neon Demon Essay Sample, Example

I love beautiful movies. If a film is eye-candy with carefully designed decorations, masterful camerawork, lighting, and architectural frames, I can forgive anything else in…

Isle of Dogs Essay Sample, Example

I do not like cartoons. When I was a child, I preferred reading and drawing to watching television, cartoons included–which makes the fact that I…

X-Files Essay Sample, Example

Before starting to review one of the greatest–in my opinion–TV shows of all time, let me put some suspense and psychological pressure on you first.…

Interstellar Essay Sample, Example

I do not know about you, but to me, about 90% of the movies you can see in cinemas nowadays are dull. I know that…

Twin Peaks Essay Sample, Example

Skeptics like to debate whether humanity’s way of entertainment has changed throughout recent centuries or not. Some claim that it never did, and just as…

Whiplash Film Review Essay Sample, Example

Whiplash (2014), directed and written by Damien Chazelle, is a film mainly about the relationship between a music teacher and his student, and what it…

The Hunger Games Essay Sample, Example

Dystopia is not a new genre in literature and cinematography. Dystopian worlds have been described in the novels of such writers as Herbert Wells (the…

Fifty Shades Darker Essay Sample, Example

Creating an erotic melodrama movie is an extremely delicate matter. There is a thin line between erotics and vulgarity, and an even thinner divide between…

Mean Streets, Directed by Martin Scorsese Essay Sample, Example

By Dan Schneider There is a scene in Martin Scorsese’s seminal 1973 film, Mean Streets, that is key to understanding not only the characters that…

Broken Embraces Essay Sample, Example

By Valentine Rossetti Once more, the maestro of Spanish cinema, Pedro Almodóvar, gives us a heady mixture of suspense, stormy melodrama, and theatrically dramatic characters.…

Alien: Covenant Essay Sample, Example

The scariest movie I watched in my childhood was definitely “Alien.” As I grew up, I watched it several more times, and although I still…

Being Cross with Trump Essay Sample, Example

By Luke Douglas-Home You may have seen it at one of the many documentary festivals it has wowed, in Sheffield, Edinburgh, Birmingham or Toronto. You…

Wuthering Heights Essay Sample, Example

By David Birch The tagline of Andrea Arnold’s Wuthering Heights—‘Love is a force of nature’—is almost too good. As a selling-point, it is best not…

Certified Copy Essay Sample, Example

By Valentine Rossetti Persian director and pioneer of Iranian new wave cinema Abbas Kiarostami graces the silver screen with his oeuvre once more. Not since…

Letter from an Unknown Woman Essay Sample, Example

By Timandra Harkness It is a glorious film, but you could not make it now. And that is not just my opinion. My preview screening…

Remember Me

What is your profession ? Student Teacher Writer Other

Forgotten Password?

Username or Email

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Arts and Entertainment
• Film Studies

How to Write a Movie Review

Last Updated: May 2, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Marissa Levis . Marissa Levis is an English Teacher in the Morris County Vocational School District. She previously worked as an English director at a tutoring center that caters to students in elementary and middle school. She is an expert in creating a curriculum that helps students advance their skills in secondary-level English, focusing on MLA formatting, reading comprehension, writing skills, editing and proofreading, literary analysis, standardized test preparation, and journalism topics. Marissa received her Master of Arts in Teaching from Fairleigh Dickinson University. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 5,604,485 times.

Whether a movie is a rotten tomato or a brilliant work of art, if people are watching it, it's worth critiquing. A decent movie review should entertain, persuade and inform, providing an original opinion without giving away too much of the plot. A great movie review can be a work of art in its own right. Read on to learn how to analyze a movie like a professional film critic, come up with an interesting thesis, and write a review as entertaining as your source material.

Sample Movie Reviews

Writing an Intro for a Movie Review

• Comparison to Relevant Event or Movie: "Every day, our leaders, politicians, and pundits call for "revenge"– against terrorist groups, against international rivals, against other political parties. But few of them understand the cold, destructive, and ultimately hollow thrill of revenge as well as the characters of Blue Ruin. "
• Review in a nutshell: "Despite a compelling lead performance by Tom Hanks and a great soundtrack, Forrest Gump never gets out of the shadow of its weak plot and questionable premise."
• Context or Background Information: " Boyhood might be the first movie made where knowing how it was produced–slowly, over 12 years, with the same actors–is just as crucial as the movie itself."

• Using stars, a score out of 10 or 100, or the simple thumbs-up and thumbs-down is a quick way to give your thoughts. You then write about why you chose that rating.
• Great Movie: ABC is the rare movie that succeeds on almost every level, where each character, scene, costume, and joke firing on all cylinders to make a film worth repeated viewings."
• Bad Movie: "It doesn't matter how much you enjoy kung-fu and karate films: with 47 Ronin, you're better off saving your money, your popcorn, and time."
• Okay Movie: "I loved the wildly uneven Interstellar far more than I should have, but that doesn't mean it is perfect. Ultimately, the utter awe and spectacle of space swept me through the admittedly heavy-handed plotting and dialogue."

• Great: "Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer's chemistry would carry Fruitvale Station even if the script wasn't as good. The mid-movie prison scene in particular, where the camera never leaves their faces, shows how much they can convey with nothing but their eyelids, the flashing tension of neck muscles, and a barely cracking voice."
• Bad: " Jurassic World's biggest flaw, a complete lack of relatable female characters, is only further underscored by a laughably unrealistic shot of our heroine running away from a dinosaur – in heels."
• Okay: "At the end of the day, Snowpiercer can't decide what kind of movie it wants to be. The attention to detail in fight scenes, where every weapon, lightbulb, and slick patch of ground is accounted for, doesn't translate to an ending that seems powerful but ultimately says little of substance."

• Does the film reflect on a current event or contemporary issue? It could be the director's way of engaging in a bigger conversation. Look for ways to relate the content of the film to the "real" world.
• Does the film seem to have a message, or does it attempt to elicit a specific response or emotion from the audience? You could discuss whether or not it achieves its own goals.
• Does the film connect with you on a personal level? You could write a review stemming from your own feelings and weave in some personal stories to make it interesting for your readers.

Composing Your Review

• When you name characters in your plot summary, list the actors' names directly afterward in parenthesis.
• Find a place to mention the director's name and the full movie title.
• If you feel you must discuss information that might "spoil" things for readers, warn them first.

• Cinematography: " Her is a world drenched in color, using bright, soft reds and oranges alongside calming whites and grays that both build, and slowly strip away, the feelings of love between the protagonists. Every frame feels like a painting worth sitting in."
• Tone: "Despite the insane loneliness and high stakes of being stuck alone on Mars, The Martian's witty script keeps humor and excitement alive in every scene. Space may be dangerous and scary, but the joy of scientific discovery is intoxicating."
• Music and Sound: " No Country For Old Men's bold decision to skip music entirely pays off in spades. The eerie silence of the desert, punctuated by the brief spells of violent, up-close-and-personal sound effects of hunter and hunted, keeps you constantly on the edge of your seat."
• Acting: "While he's fantastic whenever he's on the move, using his cool stoicism to counteract the rampaging bus, Keanu Reeves can't quite match his costar in the quiet moments of Speed, which falter under his expressionless gaze."

• Keep your writing clear and easy to understand. Don't use too much technical filmmaking jargon, and make your language crisp and accessible.
• Present both the facts and your opinion. For example, you might state something such as, "The Baroque background music was a jarring contrast to the 20th century setting." This is a lot more informative then simply saying, "The music was a strange choice for the movie."

• Great: "In the end, even the characters of Blue Ruin know how pointless their feud is. But revenge, much like every taut minute of this thriller, is far too addictive to give up until the bitter end.""
• Bad: "Much like the oft-mentioned "box of chocolates", Forest Gump has a couple of good little morsels. But most of the scenes, too sweet by half, should have been in the trash long before this movie was put out."
• Okay: "Without the novel, even revolutionary concept, Boyhood may not be a great movie. It might not even be "good.” But the power the film finds in the beauty of passing time and little, inconsequential moments – moments that could only be captured over 12 years of shooting – make Linklater's latest an essential film for anyone interested in the art of film."

Polishing Your Piece

• Ask yourself whether your review stayed true to your thesis. Did your conclusion tie back in with the initial ideas you proposed?
• Decide whether your review contains enough details about the movie. You may need to go back and add more description here and there to give readers a better sense of what the movie's about.
• Decide whether your review is interesting enough as a stand-alone piece of writing. Did you contribute something original to this discussion? What will readers gain from reading your review that they couldn't from simply watching the movie?

Studying Your Source Material

• The title of the film, and the year it came out.
• The director's name.
• The names of the lead actors.

• Make a note every time something sticks out to you, whether it's good or bad. This could be costuming, makeup, set design, music, etc. Think about how this detail relates to the rest of the movie and what it means in the context of your review.
• Take note of patterns you begin to notice as the movie unfolds.
• Use the pause button frequently so you make sure not to miss anything, and rewind as necessary.

• Direction: Consider the director and how he or she choose to portray/explain the events in the story. If the movie was slow, or didn't include things you thought were necessary, you can attribute this to the director. If you've seen other movies directed by the same person, compare them and determine which you like the most.
• Cinematography: What techniques were used to film the movie? What setting and background elements helped to create a certain tone?
• Writing: Evaluate the script, including dialogue and characterization. Did you feel like the plot was inventive and unpredictable or boring and weak? Did the characters' words seem credible to you?
• Editing: Was the movie choppy or did it flow smoothly from scene to scene? Did they incorporate a montage to help build the story? And was this obstructive to the narrative or did it help it? Did they use long cuts to help accentuate an actor's acting ability or many reaction shots to show a group's reaction to an event or dialogue? If visual effects were used were the plates well-chosen and were the composited effects part of a seamless experience? (Whether the effects looked realistic or not is not the jurisdiction of an editor, however, they do choose the footage to be sent off to the compositors, so this could still affect the film.)
• Costume design: Did the clothing choices fit the style of the movie? Did they contribute to the overall tone, rather than digressing from it?
• Set design: Consider how the setting of the film influenced its other elements. Did it add or subtract from the experience for you? If the movie was filmed in a real place, was this location well-chosen?
• Score or soundtrack: Did it work with the scenes? Was it over/under-used? Was it suspenseful? Amusing? Irritating? A soundtrack can make or break a movie, especially if the songs have a particular message or meaning to them.

Expert Q&A

• If you don't like the movie, don't be abusive and mean. If possible, avoid watching the movies that you would surely hate. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Understand that just because the movie isn't to your taste, that doesn't mean you should give it a bad review. A good reviewer helps people find movie's they will like. Since you don't have the same taste in movies as everyone else, you need to be able to tell people if they will enjoy the movie, even if you didn't. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Structure is very important; try categorizing the different parts of the film and commenting on each of those individually. Deciding how good each thing is will help you come to a more accurate conclusion. For example, things like acting, special effects, cinematography, think about how good each of those are. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_film/terminology_and_starting_prompts.html
• ↑ https://www.spiritofbaraka.com/how-write-a-movie-review
• ↑ https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/9-tips-for-writing-a-film-review/
• ↑ https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/writing-help/top-tips-for-writing-a-review
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/summary-using-it-wisely/
• ↑ https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/film-review-1.original.pdf
• ↑ https://www.dailywritingtips.com/7-tips-for-writing-a-film-review/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_film/film_writing_sample_analysis.html
• ↑ https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/onnyx.bei/dual-credit/movie-review-writing-guide
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-a-movie-review/
• ↑ https://gustavus.edu/writingcenter/handoutdocs/editing_proofreading.php
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
• ↑ https://edusson.com/blog/how-to-write-movie-review

About This Article

To write a movie review, start with a compelling fact or opinion to hook your readers, like "Despite a great performance by Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump never overcomes its weak plot." Then, elaborate on your opinion of the movie right off the bat so readers know where you stand. Once your opinion is clear, provide examples from the movie that prove your point, like specific scenes, dialogue, songs, or camera shots. To learn how to study a film closely before you write a review, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Breanna Lukes

Oct 17, 2018

Did this article help you?

Mar 31, 2021

Jun 29, 2023

Kothyn Evans-Alexander

Nov 28, 2018

Debasmita Saha

Nov 17, 2018

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Movies — Movie Review

Essays on Movie Review

Once in a while, you’ll be asked to do a movie review essay. This task is a great training tool for enhancing critical thinking skills. Essays on movie review aim at presenting a film from the most important scenes, special effects, to exciting moments and may be accompanied by criticism. From an advertising perspective, such a paper is aimed at convincing readers to watch the movie in question. Your writing should let a reader draw a conclusion, i.e, whether the film is worth their time or if they should try something else. Most importantly, your opinion must be independent and accurate. But how can you create a perfect introduction if you don’t have the experience in this type of writing? Relax. A good online writer can do it for you. If you have an idea but need some guidance, simply ask for a professional outline or use evaluation essay examples for students for more insights.

Hook Examples for Movie Review Essays

"a cinematic masterpiece" hook.

"Prepare to be captivated by the sheer brilliance of this cinematic masterpiece. Explore how every frame, performance, and detail contributes to a visual and emotional spectacle."

"Beyond the Screen: Themes and Messages" Hook

"This film transcends entertainment, offering profound themes and powerful messages. Dive into the underlying ideas and social commentary that make it a thought-provoking experience."

"The Journey of Character Development" Hook

"Follow the compelling journey of characters who evolve throughout the film. Analyze their growth, conflicts, and relationships, making this movie a character-driven narrative."

"Visual Delights: Cinematography and Special Effects" Hook

"Be prepared to be visually stunned by the breathtaking cinematography and cutting-edge special effects. Explore how these elements enhance the storytelling and immerse the audience."

"Unforgettable Performances" Hook

"The cast delivers unforgettable performances that breathe life into the characters. Discuss standout acting moments, character dynamics, and the emotional impact of their roles."

"The Soundtrack: Music That Moves" Hook

"The film's soundtrack is more than just music; it's an integral part of the storytelling. Explore how the score enhances emotions, sets the tone, and complements the visuals."

"Cinematic Analysis: Directing and Editing" Hook

"Delve into the meticulous craftsmanship of the director and editor. Analyze their choices in pacing, sequencing, and storytelling techniques that make this film a cinematic triumph."

The Pursuit of Happiness: Review

Through deaf eyes reflection, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

The Persuaders Analysis

Titanic movie review: acting and emotions, a critical look at aladdin the movie, the wizard of oz movie review, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Shrek 2: an Animated Movie Review

Sociological analysis of zootopia, a movie review of back to the future, a science fiction film by robert zemeckis, review of the movie clueless, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

The Description of The Movie "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone"

"avengers: endgame": movie review, disney's beauty and the beast movie analysis, maleficent movie review: a fresh take on the sleeping beauty, analysis of the film "bad boys ii" by michael bay, greatest series of all time: "stranger things", the "inception" movie: review, a critical review of the movie finding nemo, a review of the film 'coraline', a report on the film avengers: infinity war, "tom and jerry" - one of the most famous cartoons, the personality of spongebob squarepants, film review: traffic by steven soderbergh, movie review: forrest gump, the blind side movie review and analysis, shutter island analysis: the role of symbolism, a study of the impact of caillou and spongebob on children, review of the series, gossip girl, film review: 12 monkeys, breakfast at tiffany’s: a revolutionary romantic comedy, relevant topics.

• Indian Horse
• Hidden Figures
• 12 Angry Men
• Ready Player One
• Documentary
• The Hunger Games
• Freedom Writers
• Do The Right Thing
• Film Analysis
• Miss Representation

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Bibliography

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Close-Up Culture

Independent journalism on the things we love

How To Write A College Movie Review

In high school and college, students handle assignments that cover various aspects of their coursework. One such assignment is writing a movie review.

Though it might sound simple, movie reviews go beyond watching a movie and writing a few words. It’s more about analyzing the various elements of the film and identify details not visible to the ordinary viewer.

Students must use their research skills, critical thinking, and creative writing to create compelling content. However, if you don’t have confidence in your skills to produce high-quality content, you can always take help from an  essay writer helper.

If you’re having a hard time creating a powerful movie review, don’t worry. We got you covered. Here, we’ve provided you with a few tips on how to write a movie review for college.

What Is a Good Movie Review?

What makes a good sample review for students?

When you read most movie, review examples for college students, you will notice they have a well-balanced overview of the key points that form the movie. Students should express their opinion about the film in an unbiased and objective approach in a good movie review.

Students should make their reviews detailed enough to help the readers make an informed decision about watching or not watching the movie.

That said, at its core, a movie review is just like an argumentive essay, only about the movie instead of the book. So, students should not have a problem crafting it. If you still have a hard time writing a movie essay, it’s wise to  hire essay helper with relevant background  knowledge about writing a killer film review. Most essay help services in Canada have movie review examples and templates for college students, which can help them understand the basis of film review writing.

As a result, students can learn how to craft something unique, original, and attractive to the readers. But what if you don’t have enough time on your hand to work on the review? Then, professional writers from Canadian essay writing services can create high quality, plagiarism-free movie reviews for you at the best prices.

Tips on How to Write A Movie Review for College Students

Watch the movie several times.

Watch the film more than once so you can analyze it from every angle. Note every major and minor character and events. Try to identify what emotions the camera operator is trying to convey. And attempt to identify the elements involved in the movie creation. If you rely only on your memory, there are some things you might miss or overlook.

Always have a pen and a paper to write everything you notice about the movie or documentary. Also, note your ideas while watching the film or after it. Write the idea as soon as it comes to your mind.

Adopt a good structure for your text

While writing a movie review, it’s wise to use a structure that allows your content to flow with ease. Just like in  business writing , your content requires an introduction that can hook the reader and make a clear statement of your option on the movie. Make the body brief but logical and informative. Always give evidence of the ideas you list down. Did you love the film or hate it? Whether your answer is “yes” or “no”, provide specific facts and details to support your opinions.

Every review requires a conclusion. End your film or documentary review with a conclusion that supports the thesis from the introduction part. Remember to give the reader an answer to the question–should I watch the film or not.

Analyze the film

Take your time to analyze significant scenes in the film like camera work, location, and story development. Think through everything the movie covered from the beginning to the end. And if some sections are confusing, re-watch the film.

Pay attention to the film’s original idea and figure out if the directors and producers fulfilled it. Also, determine the techniques used to film the movie.

Once you’ve understood what the film is all about, you can write your review.

Create an outline

Draft an outline  before crafting the actual movie review. Outlining your work is always a great idea and could lead to half of your success. While writing your outline, include your concepts and arguments. Always use examples to back up your thoughts, especially if you want the reader to agree with you.

As we said earlier, writing a film review is no straightforward task. But with the help of these few tips, you will submit a winning paper.

Remember to structure your text appropriately to make it flow with ease and capture the reader’s attention. Don’t forget to analyze the movie and carry out additional research to identify every detail.

With that said, we hope our brief piece will help you craft an interesting review.

Share this:

Leave a reply cancel reply, discover more from close-up culture.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Learn how you can write a college movie review

May 1, 2019 | review writing , movie review

College life is laden with so many academic responsibilities that the student has to complete. Most of them impart not only knowledge but also skills that are essential even in life after college. Assignment writing is not as revered by the student as it’s supposed to be. However, that does not mean they want do it. Among the academic tasks, these students have to deal with is writing a college movie review. A movie can be too boring or a brilliant work of art, and if people are watching, then it can be critiqued. If you want to write an excellent movie review essay for college, ensure it I entertaining, persuasive and informative. More so, it should provide an original opinion without giving spoilers about the plot.

A great college movie review can be a work of art on its own. As such, you need to know how you can come up with the best college movie review essay of all time. The question you need task here is, how do you come up, with a perfect college movie review?

This is how you start the process of coming up with the best movie review essay for college.

The idea here is to get the audience hooked to your piece immediately they start reading it. The first sentence of your college movie review needs to give them a feel of your paper and the movie in general. In other words, you are telling them if the movie is good, great, terrible, or just okay. Some of the ideas you can use include the following:

• Comparison to a relevant event or movie
• Giving a review in a nutshell
• Context or background information

The worst mistake here is to leave the audience wondering if you like the movie or not. You need to let them know early enough so that you can use the remaining time proving whatever that you stated. You can use stars, a score out of 10 or a simple thumbs up and thumbs-down as a quick way to show your thoughts. Then explain why you gave such a rating. You can also say it is a great movie, bad movie or okay movie.

(Also read : Getting acquainted with top tips of writing a custom book review )

This is when you see the importance of taking notes during the movie. The audience will not care about your opinion in the college movie review if you do not give facts and support them with relevant evidence.

The movie is made up of many things, and the plot is one of them. As such, your college movie review should not dwell on the plot alone. Some of the movies lack a great or compelling plot, but that does not imply that the movie is bad. Some of the things you need to include in your movie review essay for college are cinematography, music and sound, tone, acting.

If you want to write the best college movie review essay, you need to give it some closure by going back to your opening fact. Remember that the audience reads the review to decide if the movie is worth watching or not. You can end with a sentence that tells them if the movie is great, bad, or okay.

To do this, you need to:

This can happen before or after you have watched the movie, but you need to do it before writing your college movie review . You need to weave facts into your review as you write and this is what you need to know:

• Title of the film and the year of release
• Director’s name
• The name of the lead actors

Before you can embark on watching the film, ensure you have a notepad or a laptop for you to take notes. Movies are long, and it is easy to forget some details or major plot points. If you take notes, you will identify little things that you can revisit later. Take note every time something sticks out to you, whether good or bad. It could be about costumes, makeup, music, set design, etc. think of how this detail relates to the rest of your movie and what it means in the context of your college movie review.

More so, take note of the patterns you notice as the movie unfolds. You can pause the movie as frequent as you can to ensure you do not miss anything and rewind as much as you can.

In your college movie review, you need to analyze various components that came together in the move as you watch. During or after viewing it, ask yourself about the impression that the movie made on you in these areas:

Consider how the director chose to portray or explain the events in the story. If the movie was slow or omitted things you thought were crucial, attribute this to the director. If you have watched other movies directed by the same person, compare them and determine the one you like the most.

In your college movie review, consider the cinematography. In other words, you have to talk about the techniques used to film the movie, the setting, and background elements that helped in creating a certain tone.

Evaluate the script, including the characterization and dialogue. Let the reader know if you felt the plot was inventive and unpredictable or weak and boring. Tell them in the words of the characters seemed credible to you or not.

In your college movie review essay, let the reader know if the movie was choppy or it had a smooth flow from one scene to the next. Was there a montage to assist in building the story and was it obstructive to the narrative or did it add any help? Tell if there were long cuts to accentuate the actor’s ability to act or many reaction shots to sow a group reaction to an event or dialogue.

If there are visual effects, were they well chosen and were the composite effects p[art of the seamless experience?

Talk about how the clothing choice fit the style of the movie or not. Let the reader know if it contributed to the overall time instead of digressing it.

In your movie review essay for college, consider how the setting of the film affected its other elements. Did it add or subtract from the experience for you? If the filming was done in a real place, was the location choice the best?

Let the reader know if the soundtrack worked with the scenes, and if it was over or underused. Did it create suspense? Was it irritating or amusing? Soundtracks can make or break a movie especially if the song has a specific message or meaning to it.

You cannot understand the movie that you have only watched once, especially if you are pausing too much to take notes. You need to watch it at least once or twice before you can write your college movie review. Be attentive to details that you might have overlooked during the first watch. You can pick new points of focus this time, and if you took many notes on the acting the first time you watched the film, you could dwell on cinematography this time around.

When you are composing your college movie review essay, this is what you need to do:

After having studied the movie thoroughly, you have to identify the unique insights that you need the reader to know. Formulate a thesis or a central idea to discuss and back up using observations on various elements of the film. Your thesis ought to be discussed in the first paragraph of your review. When you formulate a thesis statement , you transcend the plot summary stage and into the realm of film criticism, which is an art form of its own.

You need to consider the following aspects;

• Is the film reflecting the current event or contemporary matter? This could be the director’s way of engaging in a bigger question. You have to look for ways that you can relate the film with the real world.
• Does the film convey a message or does it elicit a specific response from the audience? you can discuss whether or not it achieves its targets
• Do you have a personal connection with the film after watching it? Your college movie review can anchor on your feelings and have in some personal stories to make it more fascinating to the readers.

You can give your reader a gist of what they are going to get if they decide to watch the movie that you are reviewing. Provide a brief plot summary where you identify the major characters as you describe the setting, a sense of central conflict or point of the movie. The rule of thumb for any movies or even college movie review essay is not to give too much away because that will ruin the movie for your audience.

When naming the characters in your college movie review, list their names directly afterward in parenthesis. More so, find where you can mention the name of the director and if you are likely to discuss spoilers, warn the audience first.

You can write several paragraphs of your college movie review discussing elements of the movie that support your thesis . Talk about the acting, direction, cinematography, the setting and so on. Ensure that you use clear, entertaining prose that keeps your readers engaged. Your writing ought to be easy to understand. It is recommended you refrain from using too much film jargon. Give your facts and opinion on the movie.

If you make a statement in your college movie review about the movie, ensure it is followed by a descriptive example. Describe the way the scene looks, how a character acted, camera angles and so on. Feel free to quote dialogue to help you to make your points well. As such, you are providing the reader with a feel of the movie as you continue to express your critique on it at the same time.

Treat your college movie review like any other formal college essay , but ensure it remains fascinating. You should maintain your writing style, in that if you a witty or funny, it ought to come out in your movie review essay for college. This should be a way that you use to depict a unique perspective and personality because it is more entertaining to the audience.

The conclusion of your college movie review ought to tie back to your thesis and provide some guidance as to where the audience can watch the movie or not. Make it as compelling or entertaining as you can because it is the end of your college movie review.

After you are done with the writing process:

Read the draft of your college movie review essay and check its flow and structure. Shift paragraphs, delete sentences, add more material and so on.

The idea here is to ensure the paper is free from grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, typos, and other punctuation problems. In other words, you are looking at the outlook of your college movie review. You can have someone go through it because he can help you identify mistakes you might have overlooked. Once satisfied that the paper is intact, you can write the final copy and submit it where necessary.

Recent Posts

• Writing an essay on a book
• Case studies: everything you need to know
• Tips to help you make your essay longer
• Writing sociology essays: Sociology essay tips and topics to consider
• The best way to formulate an interesting research paper introduction

Recent Comments

• December 2019
• November 2019
• October 2019
• September 2019
• August 2019
• February 2019
• January 2019
• December 2018
• November 2018
• October 2018
• September 2018
• August 2018
• Abstract Writing
• Annotated Bibliography
• application essay
• Argumentative Essays
• Article Writing
• assignment writing
• book review
• business plan
• business proposal
• chicago style format
• Citing A Research Paper
• Classification Essay
• communication skills
• coursework writing
• critical thinking paper
• Descriptive Essay
• Descriptive Essay Topics
• Dissertation Proposal Writing
• Dissertation writing
• Essay Editing
• Essay on leadership
• Essay Writing
• essay writing skills
• exam preparation
• Homework writing
• Journal Writing
• literature review
• movie review
• Online Writing
• Online Writing Services
• paper writing
• persuasive writing
• philosophy paper
• poem writing
• Presentation writing
• psychology paper
• Report Writing
• research design
• research methods
• research paper
• review writing
• Scholarship essay
• sociology essay
• speech writing
• thematic essays
• thesis paper
• Thesis paper writing
• thesis writing
• thesis writing services
• Uncategorized
• Writing guide

• How It Works
• Essay Examples

Writing A Perfect Movie Review

Essays that you usually write in college are not limited to only descriptive and argumentative ones. Other types of writings that are quite widespread in the world of academic studies. Some of them have to do with writing about various works of literature. Others are closer to historical studies. Writings about films are also very popular. They mainly include writing a film review, so if you are a diehard movie fan and fond of writing, this is an excellent opportunity to blend these talents into one activity. In spite of the fact that there are many movie enthusiasts around, most of the people feel struggled when it comes to creating a good film review as it involves considering a given film from different angles. In case you have such an assignment, don't be scared of it and read our tips below. They will surely help you with this task.

What is the main point of writing film reviews?

To those of you who question the importance of writing film reviews, there are several known facts. First of all, writing such types of essays stretches your imagination and helps you to use various skills that you got during your studies. Secondly, they have long become a very common task in the world of academic writings.

Writing a film review is not unlike writing the same paper about a book. In both cases, you have to consider the work from different angles, dwell upon stylistic devices, plot and characters described. Such types of works require general knowledge about cinema as well as knowing peculiar facts about a film itself and the genre to which it belongs. You have to be very attentive to each detail of the film even the ones that seem to have no meaning whatsoever.

As you analyze the film, you start to watch it more attentively. This helps you widen your perception of the film industry itself. You may notice that it is a hard task to shoot a good movie so that you can feel more respect to people involved in the creation of films. Moreover, you will have an excellent opportunity to discover a new genre or a great director whose works are quite worthy. This can turn you into a newbie fan of an entirely different genre that you weren't familiar with before.

Such types of essays are remarkably popular with many professors as they serve quite well to illustrate the abilities of a student to carry out a respectable piece of analytic work. A paper like this mainly stems from describing your own opinions and feelings about a movie watched. Also, one can appreciate your vocabulary and writing skills. Each review is unique, that is why it is hard to find two similar papers that concern the same film, as every person gets impressed differently. Finally, it is more interesting to write about a movie than about a boring book or a historical event, so some professors use these tasks as a means of motivation for those students who are not fond of writing.

Necessary parts of a film review

In most cases, professors give their students a task to analyze a film chosen beforehand. There are cases when tutors give their students an opportunity to pick a movie themselves, but such cases are not too often. In any way, the movie that you end up reviewing should be significant and have a value in the world of cinematography.

In your paper, you should note what value has the movie for your studies, how it may influence your progress in learning, and also present your own opinion about the film under your consideration. Don’t forget that you are to be very careful with expressing your personal views about the film. Try to avoid such phrases as "I think that" or "I expected this film to be," etc. Your review has to be objective and biased.

The form and shape of your review may be defined by the program of your course and professors demands. Despite this, several essentials are necessary within your paper. Among them are:

What is the title of the film? -Even if you mentioned the name of the movie in the title of your analysis, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t repeat it once again within your text. The best place to do it is the introduction part of your paper. Many students do not pay attention to such moments, thinking that it is not too important. Though, some professors may perceive it as a mistake.

The plot - no doubt, that one of the primary things to be done is to give a summary of the movie for those people who are not familiar with it. To do it the best way, keep in mind that the professor who will read your essay is one of those people too. Be very careful with all the details, try to present them with all the possible attention. Your primary goal is to present the events that happened in the movie and to write if the director managed to deliver a film worthy of the viewer's attention or not. However, be careful with expressing your personal opinion about the film if you feel tempted to write things like "I like it" or "I hated it" as they may sound completely unviable. Support every statement with evidence.

The director – an essential part of your analysis is the one connected to the creator of the film. Dwell upon the style of a filmmaker, His/her political agenda and any controversy about the director's persona. What are his/her most important influences? Is the film connected to any earlier works done by the same director? Don’t forget that each film bears a significant mark of a filmmaker who created it.

The importance of the film within your course – Think over what significance the film has for your studying. Is it based on some historical events that you may study during your history classes? Or maybe it is connected with some works of literature that you've read while doing some other essay ? If yes, how does the script of the film correspond with the story written in the book? The more connections you will find, the more significant your work will be.

Creativity – good directors are always very attentive to the smallest details that can trigger viewer's imagination and create the feeling of a total submerging into the atmosphere of the film. Did the director succeed? What can you say about the locations where the film was shot? Were the costumes well crafted? Did the whole interior correspond with the historical setting of the plot? Write about the score of the film. Was the choice of a composer good? What style of music did he/she prefer to make for the film? How do you estimate the work of the cameracrew? Does the movie have any hidden meaning? Don't miss writing about these moments.

The cast - it is imperative to write about the actors. Was the choice of actors successful? Do they succeed in playing this or that part? Is there something outstanding about their acting? Were any of them perfect to perform their parts?

What is essential : There is no absolute way you should put these items in your work. Everything you will write will be dependent on the demands of your professor, the type of the film you will write about, the course, and your own personal views on what your paper should be like. The perfect way to create an excellent and relevant paper is to do it carefully and naturally. Try to provide it with all the necessary information, include all the significant facts in your work, and try to write it with a sense of joy.

Form of your review

In case your review is destined to become a part of your work in literary studies, there are specific MLA rules that you are to keep to. Here are some of them:

• Introductory part (the title of the film, the date of its release, the essential information about the film)
• The part that summarizes the plot
• The plot elements analysis (action, climax, etc.)
• Describing the creative part of the film (script, actors, special effects, work of the camera crew, locations, hidden meanings, the mood, the atmosphere)
• Expressing an opinion about the film (you should substantiate it with vivid examples from the film)
• Summing all up (dwelling upon the success or failure of a director, the importance of the film within the world of cinematography, the reception of the movie by the viewers, the value of the
• film for the educational course)

In case you have a documentary under your consideration, try to keep the scheme below:

• Historical accuracy
• Reliability of the sources used
• The usage of creative elements
• Your own opinion of the film
• Summarizing the whole analysis

Don't forget to create a distinct outline for your film review. This will help you with organizing your work and keeping it logical and relevant. This is very important if you want to create a good and well-written film review.

The process of writing a film review

It is very entertaining to watch a film and to discuss it, so even such a task can turn into a great experience. To make it as much fun as possible, follow these tips:

• Give the film more than one watch. This should help you to memorize as many details of it as possible. The more information you will put in your work – the better.
• Surf through the Internet to gather as much information about the film as possible. Pay attention to the personality of the director, the cast, the locations and the background of the film.
• Think about the film as a whole. It is instrumental, as such technique will help you to get the full understanding of the film under your consideration. If it is based on the book, try to analyze it too.
• Write a distinct outline
• Write your own opinions about the film, its cast, locations, script, dialogues, etc. Don’t forget to support your statements with evidence from the film. This is the best way to show the professor that you are capable of thinking critically.

The most widespread mistakes

• Lack of concentration on the film itself – avoid writing about cinematography in general, the traditions of the genre, the personal life of director or actors, etc. Concentrate on the given piece
• Try not to make your text too personal. Don't write things like "I think"? "It seems to me," "I hated things like…" as they can interfere the objectiveness of your paper with biased and too personal information.
• Do not use unreliable sources of information about the film
• Don’t express your personal opinion without saying why you think like that
• Write only about relevancies
• Do not produce an unstructured review

Summing all up

Writing a film review is a great chance to demonstrate your ability to think critically and to analyze a work of cinematography which is by far not the easiest thing to do properly unless you do it carefully. Pay attention to the smallest details, do not overload your paper with the unnecessary information, try to provide your work with vivid examples and don’t be too personal when you analyze the film. Check all the background information, the history of creating the film and the original source of its idea if there is any. In case the film is based on a book, try to analyze it too. It may take some time, but if you do this, your film review has all the chances to be relevant and successful.

Dwell upon the importance of the film for the educational process and how useful it may be to your studies. Such papers are remarkably illustrative and show your ability to think critically. That is why try to write with as attentive as possible, and you will surely succeed with your essay.

• How to Write a Good Application Letter
• Descriptive Essay Topics
• How to Write a Military Essay
• Synthesis Essay Topics
• How to Write a College Admission Essay

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

• Essay Database >
• Essays Samples >
• Essay Types >
• College Essay Example

Movie Review College Essays Samples For Students

12 samples of this type

Do you feel the need to check out some previously written College Essays on Movie Review before you begin writing an own piece? In this open-access catalog of Movie Review College Essay examples, you are provided with a thrilling opportunity to discover meaningful topics, content structuring techniques, text flow, formatting styles, and other academically acclaimed writing practices. Adopting them while crafting your own Movie Review College Essay will definitely allow you to finalize the piece faster.

Presenting high-quality samples isn't the only way our free essays service can help students in their writing ventures – our authors can also compose from scratch a fully customized College Essay on Movie Review that would make a genuine basis for your own academic work.

Learn To Craft Essays On Why Is Society Fascinated By Serial Killers? With This Example

Writer choice essay examples, introduction, essay on english 102 course, english 102.

English 102 Reflections

Looking back the past semester in the course of English 102, I have made some tremendous improvements in my writing skills and feel that I have really benefitted from the course. Of course, nothing good comes easy, and true to this, I faced some challenges which I braced and came out really successful and improved.

Don't waste your time searching for a sample.

Get your essay done by professional writers!

Just from $10/page

Expertly Written Essay On Racial Prejudice In The Film “Zootopia” To Follow

Good example of essay on racial prejudice in the film “zootopia”, ana sosa essays example, movie review, example of psycho is a classic movie essay, psycho movie analysis, the world created in the text essays examples, the bride of frankenstein essay, review of the movie the fast and the furious five essays example, cat on a hot tin roof film essay examples, example of space odyssey 2001 essay, space odyssey 2001: a review.

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline

A Comprehensive Movie Review Writing Guide

What is a movie review, what is the purpose of a movie review, preparing to write a college movie review.

• What subjects are covered under our Essay Help Online Services?

How to Write an Outstanding Movie Review for College

The structure of movie reviews| the format of a movie review, the introduction, summary of the story in the movie, creative elements in the film- elements of a movie review homework, personal opinion, examples of movie reviews for college students, how to handle movie review assignments, get help with editing and writing your movie critiques, commonly asked questions on movie reviews: faq.

For students majoring in English, writing a movie review is never optional. High school and college students often find it hard to review a film. “Who can write my movie review, I’ll pay?” is common for students.

Well, writing a movie review is not just about what happens in the movie. Instead, it should be an entire critical process loaded with different steps. As students like watching movies, they often confuse writing film reviews with writing regular essays. However, this is always never the case.

Sometimes, even seeking help from academic writing companies do not help. Especially, if you don’t end up with a custom movie review. In this case, your movie review assignment is nothing less than that written using a movie review generator. Simply, it is useless and deemed for poor grades.

As a top, reliable, and cheap custom essay writing service, we help students write movie reviews online. Besides, our movie review examples for college students can be referenced as they are professionally written essays. However, students must be smart.

With an example of a film review, think of the film you just watched and follow the format of the sample movie review format for students provided.

We watch movies, discuss, and critique them daily. In college, watching movies on Netflix or Amazon is fun. Creating a high-quality review is a very tasking endeavor, especially for fresh college students. Well, before understanding how to write a movie review, let’s delve into its definition.

Simply, a movie review is a detailed, critical, and balanced synthesis or analysis of the thematic content and technical aspects as well as giving personal opinions on a film.

As a rule of thumb, movie reviews must have a minimum word limit of 1000-words. The maximum length of a movie review depends on the instructions and if the film is long, say a series.

Film reviews fall under creative, critical review. In this, they are seen as art and should be approached with creativity and critical thinking. In the end, it is like ending with a loaded persuasive or argumentative paper. But let’s begin by understanding what the purpose of a film review is. It will set a pace on how to write a good movie review.

Fundamentally, students taking English classes have to write film reviews. As a movie review writing service, we believe a professional movie review should:

The primary purpose of a movie review is to emancipate the reader on the ideas on the film. Often, students focus so much on events rather than the real issues of concern. It is good to express your personal opinion when writing a documentary or film review, but you should be objective and unbiased. A good movie review features the two.

Film reviews should detail and help a reader in making decisions on whether or not to watch a movie.  For lecturers, it is a chance to assess and test the creativity and critical thinking skills of the students.

Movie reviews should inform the reader about the content and quality of the documentary or movie. For example, if a reader is looking for a horror movie review of a specific nature, convince them why they should watch Vampire Dairies, Final Destination , or Wrong Turn .

A detailed analysis helps inexperienced viewers to get insights into the critical elements of the film based on the scenes. Now, let us prepare our college movie review assignment.

Before writing a film review, there are steps one should follow.

• Choose a movie if your instructor does not assign one. Confirm from the review prompt if there is a specific genre to choose. Content and themes should guide your choice.
• Watch the film. You should watch the film at least twice or thrice to get insights on the elements of the movie to include in the review. At first, get into the movie atmosphere to get a good impression. Second viewing gives you the chance to look at the cinematography elements, sound effects, lighting, background music, and acting.
• Formulate a central theme o idea of the movie. If you are not sure, a third viewing is inevitable. This time, be very keen and take notes.
• Your notes should record the breathtaking scenes, details, events, and moments. If there are phrases you need in verbatim, note them down, especially if they are from main characters. It is the best epigraph you can have for the film review.

The Do’s when reviewing a Film

• Engage in some research on the movie to decorate your review and make it more convincing. Record any challenges when shooting the movie.
• Focus on the director of the movie and the cast as well as prestigious awards. Any cinephile would want a deeply written movie review, and it is your chance to make it informative.

Our write my movie review experts always do the entire process. They understand how to write a movie review. Sometimes, when writing a movie review, it is great to read some of the reviews on the same film written by professional film critics. The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Times, Rolling Stone and The New Yorker, etc. can be helpful.

This is a step by step guide on how to write a good movie review. Arguably, beginning a movie review is the hardest.  However, follow these steps from our “write my movie review for me” experts:

• Watch the documentary or movie twice
• Conduct thorough research on the movie. Check for the characters, events, plot, location, motivation, storyline, and directors as well as the cast.
• Only analyze a movie after watching it.
• Always have a movie review outline with you.
• Proofread and edit your movie review to remove mistakes. A good review should be flawless. Check for syntax, grammar, vocabulary, typos, errors, and word choice.
• Write a firm conclusion for the movie. You are allowed to give recommendations and convince the reader to watch the movie. It is like selling the movie to someone with no interest in a film.

One area of technicality write my movie review experts face is advising on the movie review format for students. Even with a pdf on how to write a movie, you need to format your review in the best way possible.

Your introduction should have a grabber. It should have the name of the director, the title of the movie, the genre, the release date, and awards if any. Sometimes, professors want you to include the budget and the box office. Besides, the intro should have the cast members.

When writing a movie review, do not forget the thesis statement as part of the introduction. Notably, a compelling thesis statement should convince your reader to stay tuned.

The thesis statement should cover the plot summary and describe the technical aspects.  Here are some ideas for a good thesis statement for a movie/film review:

• Establishing the themes of the film to current affairs.
• Tying the plot to personal experiences or family events.
• Connecting the elements of the film review to the thematic contents.

This stage is where the rubber meets the road. The first and second paragraphs of the body should expose your evaluation. Maybe it is a chance to offer your personal opinion. Our write my movie review for cheap experts know this, that some readers have no time to go through an entire review.

The body should have a brief plot summary where you focus on major events. Furthermore, you can describe the setting but give so much less that you dodge “, spoiler alerts.” Maintain the suspense; it makes a review sweet and entertaining.

The body should also reflect the purpose of the movie.

Why could it have been created? For this, great interviews with the director or the team that shot the movie can be a great starting point. However, most plots expose the purpose of films. Sometimes, the simplicity of movies makes them great. So, do not bother going too deep into the implications of a movie.

It is best to include the overall impression of the movie in the body too. What emotions, reactions, or thoughts does the movie/film/documentary evoke? The plot summary should very well capture this. You are allowed to take a personal stance on this part.

Here is where you focus on the details of filmmaking. An exhaustive movie review should always feature at least two elements in a film, however, avoid jargon in your review; they can anger the professor/instructor.

Check for the cinematography skills including angles, camera movement, and distance of cameras.

Also, analyze and critique the soundtrack used and whether or not it fits the themes of the film. Sometimes diegetic sounds like the chirping of birds, water in a river, or barking can form a good part of the review. Also, explain the non-diegetic sounds like sounds from aliens or outer space.

Another element is the visual effects, smiles or the actors and the landscape in the film.

The deeper meaning or symbols used in the movie is also an important element. Always check the repetitive phrases, scenes, or symbols for the same.

When giving personal opinions in a movie review, always use examples from the movie. Please focus on the character of a given character, their appearance, language, and body language.

Connect the movie review to your class or course topic. Sometimes draw the similarities and differences between the elements of the movie and the class reader content.

It would help if you always had an accurate depiction of the movie. Thus, it would be best if you never guessed anything. Instead, be as simple as possible.

Your review should have a strong conclusion . In this section, it is best to remind your readers of the movie elements, characters, setting, and themes.

Spicing up the conclusion with a set of recommendations is recommended. Keep the conclusion interesting by reformulating your thesis.

Reflect on the entire movie review process. Always give your honest opinion and give impartial details. The opinions are good as they swerve the readers to adopt and agree with your opinion. Remember, when writing a movie review for a movie club and children, the approach is never the same.

It might be a good idea to give details on how well the movie was directed and shot.  How about the lighting, was it good for the moods?

Here are some of how to write a movie review for college examples. We believe that with an example of a movie review assignment, you can be able to write a good movie review.

• Review of Hunger Games: Demystifying Dystopia
• Doctor Who Film Review
• “Everybody Hates Chris” A Critical Review
• The Notebook-Review of the Romantic Movie
• Modern understanding of Marriage in Modern Family
• Blackish Film Review
• Hidden figures review on the Role of Women in Science
• Representation of women in Science Movies
• Ghostbusters Review
• Review of Contact
• Orphan Black Critical Review
• Review of Gender Balance in Jurassic Park
• Comprehensive Review of Black Panther.
• Review of the Dawn of Planet Apes

Our “write my essay,” professional movie review helpers can always assist with your assignments.

There are some mistakes to avoid when writing movie reviews:

• Generalizing the review using terms like it was a nasty movie, a fine movie, a good movie, cool effects on the movie, great expertise in acting, and so on.
• Focusing on irrelevant stuff.
• Not having a structure of the review before writing.
• Lack of editing and proofreading.
• Failing to support personal opinions with facts and examples from research or the movie.
• Not watching the film or documentary before beginning to write.
• Writing too much with personal pronouns. Arguably, it makes it informal and dilutes the content
• Beating around the bush with ideas in the film.
• Not getting movie review help in time. You can always ask for the “write my movie review, for cheap,” service from Gradecrest.com.

Ask for help today from a top custom essay writing service . Our assignment writing service has qualified professional essay writers .

We have helped many save their grades; it is now your chance. When you order, we let you have control of the paper by setting the deadlines and asking for movie review drafts.

Sometimes, you have written a movie review but are unsure if it meets the marking threshold in the rubric. In this case, you can use our Essay Editing Service . It makes no sense to ask your classmates to edit and proofread your essay.

The same level of experience does not count here. Instead, our keen editors can always help.

As an instant essay maker, we ensure that even the most urgent essays are submitted within the deadline.

Who will write my Movie Review?

We have experts in essay writing. They have exclusive experience in writing film reviews. If your review needs to choose a movie, they will also help you.

Will someone else have access to my Review?

No! Once you pay for the essay or paper, it becomes 100% your property. As a custom paper writing company, we never re-sell or distribute essays we write.

How can I contact you if I need help with a movie review service?

We have 24/7 customer support. You can reach us through WhatsApp or Chat.

Can I copy a movie review online?

No! That amounts to plagiarism, which has grave consequences. Universities use Turnitin to check plagiarism, and you might get caught and red-carded. Copying an existing movie review is a suicide mission. Instead, look for movie review examples for college students.

Do movie reviews get assigned to non-English Majors?

Yes, even students from psychology, sociology, history, or business are given movie review assignments. The aim is to assess your critical thinking and creativity skills.

How is a movie review formatted?

Most prompts will have instructions on what format and citation styles to use. However, most movie reviews we have written were on MLA and APA citation styles.

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

Step by step guide on How to Write a Movie Review + Interesting Examples

Writers Active

Av. Quality Score

Writers Online

Why choose eddusaver.

We not only promise a 24/7 support availability and timely delivery of all your papers. You also get a ton of other asuarances that our service comes with.

Satisfaction

Satisfaction guarantee.

Authenticity

100% original papers.

The grade or money back.

Confidentiality

We protect your privacy.

How to write a movie review essay example

Watching movies is a lot of fun. However, we sometimes want to share our thoughts about the film with others, which is when movie review writing comes in handy. In this post, you will learn how to write a movie review quickly. Movie review writing is an exciting and creative endeavor for any aspiring critic. You will understand writing the perfect paper by following these guidelines n purposes, structure, preparatory work and stages of the writing process. Regardless of what you are looking at, theme development or plot points, we have all the necessary information in this comprehensive guide.

For students pursuing English courses, movie review writing is never optional. College and high school students usually struggle to write a movie review. That is why many students ask, ‘who can write my movie review? I will pay?’ Writing a movie review is not just about what happens in the movie. It should be an entire critical process loaded with various steps. Although students like watching movies, they usually confuse writing movie reviews with writing regular essays.

Even seeking help from academic writing companies sometimes doesn’t help, especially if you don’t end up with a custom movie review. This will be useless and deemed for poor grades. We help students write movie reviews online as a top, cheap, reliable custom essay writing service. Also, our movie review examples for college students can be referenced since they are professionally written essays. With an example of a film review, think of the movie you just watched and follow the format provided.

What is a movie review?

We watch movies and discuss and critique them daily. Watching movies on Netflix or amazon is fun in college. Creating a high-quality review is daunting, especially for fresh college students. A movie review is a detailed, critical and balanced analysis or synthesis of thematic content and technical aspects and gives personal opinions on a film. The length of a movie review depends on the instructions and if the film is long, for instance, a series.

Movie reviews fall under critical, creative reviews. They are seen as art and should be approached with critical thinking and creativity. In the end, it is like ending with a loaded argumentative or persuasive paper. It is a creative exploration of the flaws and merits of the film. It can be an engaging examination of all aspects, including cinematography, dialogue or post-modernism in cinema. You will spend a lot of time researching before writing. It is, therefore, reasonable to start working on your task in advance to avoid last-minute mishaps with turning something in an assignment for school. It is a type of creative journalism.

Any movie seen at the cinema must be approached as artwork, and you need to use both innovative and analytical approaches when writing the movie review. Combining these two will allow you to make a good piece about any text or topic. Don’t be afraid since we have all sorts of information on this site that can help any student in need help getting their thoughts down on paper.

What is the purpose of a movie review?

Its purpose is to inform, analyze, convince and entertain readers, which is significant for reviews to have an impactful message. An essential duty of a professional movie reviewer is to inform and entertain their audience with thoughtful analysis that will make them want more. A reviewer should notify the reader of the content and the quality of the films. Without this basic understanding, it won’t be possible for them to decide whether or not they want to watch movies like these.

If you only write about technical elements without mentioning anything about the cast or genre, your review will not provide enough information. Students taking English classes have to write film reviews. As a professional movie review writing service, we believe a professional movie review should analyze, criticize, entertain and convince. The primary purpose of a movie review is to emancipate the reader from the ideas of the film.

Students often focus so much on events rather than the real issues of concern. It is essential to express your personal opinion when writing a film review. However, you should be unbiased and objective. Movie reviews should help a reader decide whether to watch a movie. For academics, it is a chance to test the students’ creativity and critical thinking skills. A movie review should inform the reader about the movie’s or documentary’s quality and content. Detailed analysis helps inexperienced viewers to have insights into the critical elements of the film based on the scenes. 

How to write an outstanding movie review for the college

This is a stepwise guide on how to write a good movie review. Beginning a movie review is the hardest task, arguably. You can, however, follow these steps from our ‘write my movie review for me’ experts:

• Watch the movie or documentary twice.
• Research thoroughly on the movie. Check for events, characters, plot, location, motivation, directors, storyline and cast.
• Only analyze the movie after watching it.
• Always have a movie review outline with you.
• Proofread and edit your film review to remove mistakes. A good film review should be flawless. Check for grammar, syntax, vocabulary, errors, typos and word choice.
• Write a firm conclusion of the movie. You can give recommendations and convince the reader to watch the film. It is like selling a movie to someone with no interest in a film.

How to write a movie review?

Write an interesting introduction .

Provide some basic information about the film in the opening paragraph. Include the name of the film, year, director and major actors who starred in it. Your introduction should also begin to evaluate films while alluding to their central theme or concept. You will explore later on and offer a thesis-like claim for what this particular piece is trying to convey through dialogue and visuals.

A brief plot summary

Do not ruin the suspense for your readers by giving away spoilers. You don’t need to reveal the ending. If you must mention a vital turn, warn them first so that they can enjoy it too.

Describe an overall impression. 

The aim of the plot summary about what happened and why people felt certain ways or had certain reactions, like laughing aloud when something funny happens on-screen or sometimes a tense feeling during an intense scene. 

The purpose of the movie

Discuss why the film was created. Some films are good for their simplicity, and some people may find it difficult to delve deeper into them to figure out what they are trying to imply.

Add some details about filmmaking

Some of the features you can focus on are 

Cinematograph

It is the art of capturing all that goes into a film. Cameras are used in three ways to capture footage and can be described as camera movement.

Just like in visuals, the sound in a movie is also important. Sound can affect how the viewers feel and change their understanding of what is happening on the screen. Film score composers are usually overlooked but have a powerful effect on movies. Every noise we hear has been designed carefully to transform our experience into something new.

It is an essential element of filmmaking that creates the flow between all parts. The editor compiles footage and organizes it into a storyline that is easy to follow while creating space for the viewer through various techniques.

Provide examples

A movie review is only trustworthy if backed up with specific examples. You should be more forthcoming by talking about what makes an actor fit a role, like speaking mannerisms, facial expressions, appearance etc.

Write a firm conclusion.

The conclusion is an essential part of your movie review since it will leave an impression on readers. Remind them about the movie elements that impressed you and share some personal recommendations for those who might like this movie. If there are any details or any other general information.

Edit and proofread your movie review.

When proofreading your essay, don’t miss any mistakes that can ruin an excellent review. It is good to read it severally to get rid of all errors and typos for it to be perfect.

The structure of movie reviews

Advising on the movie review format for students is a technicality area the write my movie review experts face. You need to format your review in the best way possible, even with a pdf on how to write a movie review. 

The introduction

It should have a grabber. It should include the director’s name, movie title, genre, date of release and awards if any. Professors sometimes want you to include the box office and the budget. The introduction should also have cast members. Don’t forget the thesis statement when writing a movie review as part of the introduction. A compelling thesis statement should convince the reader to stay tuned. It should cover a plot summary and describe the technical aspects. The following are some ideas for a good thesis statement for a movie/ film review.

• Tying the plot to family events or personal experiences
• Connecting the elements of the film review to the thematic contents
• Establishing the themes of the film to current affairs.

Summary of the story in the movie

This is where the rubber meets the road. The first and second paragraphs of the body should expose your evaluation. It is an opportunity to offer your personal opinion. Our movie review writing experts know that some readers have no time to go through an entire review. The body should have a brief plot summary where you focus on the main events.

You can also describe the setting but give so much less that you dodge ‘spoiler alerts.’ You should maintain the suspense as this makes a review sweet and entertaining. The purpose of the movie should also be reflected in the movie. Why was the film created? Here, great interviews with the director or the team that shot the movie can be a great starting point.

Most plots, however, expose the purpose of the film. Don’t bother going too deep into the implications of a movie. Including the film’s overall impression of the body is good too. What reactions, emotions or thoughts does the movie/ film evoke? The summary should capture this very well. You can take a personal stance on this part.

Creative elements in the film-elements of a movie review homework

This is the part where you focus on the details of filmmaking. A film review should always feature at least two elements in a film, although you should avoid jargon as it can anger the instructor/professor. Check the cinematography skills, including camera movement, camera distance, and angles. Analyze and critique the soundtrack used and whether it fits the movie’s themes. Sometimes diegetic sounds like water in a river, the chirping of birds or barking can form a good part of the review. Explain also the non-diegetic sounds from outer space or aliens. Another element is the film’s smiles, visual effects or landscape and actors. Always check the repetitive phrases, scenes or symbols since they are essential elements.

Personal opinion

When giving personal opinions in a movie review, always use examples from the movie. Focus on the character of a given character, body language, language and appearance. Connect the film review to your course topic or class. Draw the similarities and differences between the elements of the movie and class reader content. It would be helpful if you had an accurate depiction of the movie. Be as simple as possible, and do not guess anything.

The conclusion should be firm and remind readers of the movie’s elements, setting, characters and themes. You can spice up the conclusion with a set of recommendations. Reformulate your thesis to keep the conclusion interesting. Reflect on the entire review process and always give your honest opinion and impartial details. If the opinions swerve the readers to adopt and agree with your opinion, they are good. Remember, the approach is not the same when writing a movie review for a movie club and children. It will be a good idea to detail how well the movie was directed and shot.

In case you can’t find a sample example, our professional writers are ready to help you with writing your own paper. All you need to do is fill out a short form and submit an order

• Undergraduate
• High School
• Architecture
• American History
• Asian History
• Antique Literature
• American Literature
• Asian Literature
• Classic English Literature
• World Literature
• Creative Writing
• Linguistics
• Criminal Justice
• Legal Issues
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Political Science
• World Affairs
• African-American Studies
• East European Studies
• Latin-American Studies
• Native-American Studies
• West European Studies
• Family and Consumer Science
• Social Issues
• Women and Gender Studies
• Social Work
• Natural Sciences
• Pharmacology
• Earth science
• Agriculture
• Agricultural Studies
• Computer Science
• IT Management
• Mathematics
• Investments
• Engineering and Technology
• Engineering
• Aeronautics
• Medicine and Health
• Alternative Medicine
• Communications and Media
• Advertising
• Communication Strategies
• Public Relations
• Educational Theories
• Teacher's Career
• Chicago/Turabian
• Company Analysis
• Education Theories
• Shakespeare
• Canadian Studies
• Food Safety
• Relation of Global Warming and Extreme Weather Condition

Movie Review

• Admission Essay
• Annotated Bibliography
• Application Essay
• Article Critique
• Article Review
• Article Writing
• Book Review
• Business Plan
• Business Proposal
• Capstone Project
• Cover Letter
• Creative Essay
• Dissertation
• Dissertation - Abstract
• Dissertation - Conclusion
• Dissertation - Discussion
• Dissertation - Hypothesis
• Dissertation - Introduction
• Dissertation - Literature
• Dissertation - Methodology
• Dissertation - Results
• GCSE Coursework
• Grant Proposal
• Marketing Plan
• Multiple Choice Quiz
• Personal Statement
• Power Point Presentation
• Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes
• Questionnaire
• Reaction Paper
• Research Paper
• Research Proposal
• SWOT analysis
• Thesis Paper
• Online Quiz
• Literature Review
• Movie Analysis
• Statistics problem
• Math Problem
• All papers examples
• How It Works
• Money Back Policy
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• We Are Hiring

Movie Review Examples

Search by keywords

Paper Categories

228 Movie Review examples are found

The globalized world, Quiz Example

Multiple choice, true/False, and fill in the blanks: (10×3= 30) Mark the correct answers or simply type the right answer Global politics includes issues affecting: Financial Health, Physical Environment, and [...]

Pages: 11

Words: 2954

Economic Sanctions, Research Paper Example

Description of the Foreign policy issues The foreign policy issue explored in this research paper is the economic Sanctions by the United States on China over the Uyghur abuses. Economic [...]

Pages: 10

Words: 2872

The Descendants, Movie Review Example

The element of the Hawaiian culture was a strong factor in the development of Matt King, played by George Clooney. Although the movie portrays his character as mostly a lawyer [...]

Pages: 2

Words: 416

Catheter- Associated Urinary Tract Infection Prevention, Term Paper Example

Introduction In this research catheter associated urinary tract infection prevention will be explored. There are recent studies revealing that catheter induced urinary tract infections are increasing. As such, healthcare professionals [...]

Pages: 7

Words: 1819

Children of Men, Movie Review Example

Introduction: Children of Men science fiction  movie made popular in 2006. Alfonso Cuarón is the co-writer director of the film. The screenplay was adopted from Mr. P.D James novel carrying [...]

Words: 558

Deviance and Social Control in Stand and Deliver, Movie Review Example

In Stand and Deliver, high school math teacher Jaime Escalante begins a new job at a high school, where he is hopeful that he will be able to create meaningful [...]

Pages: 5

Words: 1351

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Plagiarism-free guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Secure checkout

Money back guarantee