Are you a natural at writing a movie review?

You may not know that you are. Writing a movie review is something you may just do without realizing it. Every time you watch a movie, see previews in the theatre, or glance at the Internet Movie Database to see which of your favorite actors have roles in your favorite films, you are, in essence, critiquing movies. So, why not take the time to go about writing your very own?

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You analyze the plot, characters, what you like and dislike, and decide if you would recommend the film to a friend. The idea behind learning how to write a review is to know that writing a movie review is basically selling a ticket to a movie. This is much the same as writing a book review, as it is basically like selling a copy of a book.

Writing movie reviews that are hard-hitting and enticing can be difficult. You want to be sure that you discuss all the main points without giving too much information away. Ruining the plot of a movie because you wanted to make sure you didn’t leave anything out in the review is not a good tactic for writing movie reviews that garner respect and keep readers coming back for more.

What About Your Favorite Movie
Grabs Your Interest?

What makes your favorite movie so wonderful? Share what grabs you and makes you long for more in your very own movie review!

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Remember that a review is not a summary. You are giving information about the plot, characters, conflict, and emotional pull that the movie may have on its viewers. You are persuading people to go and see the movie by luring them with ideas and creative gestures that tell whether the movie is well-written, action-packed, romantic, or possibly even a tear-jerker. What makes the movie unique and special? Why is it different than all the other well-written, action-packed, romantic comedies that brought tears to your eyes last week at the theatre? Once you understand that writing a movie review is like writing a preview to the movie, you will have mastered the art.

What do you see in movie reviews, anyway? One of the aspects that most engages me in movie trailers is the soundtrack that makes for a backdrop against the solid construction of a plotline that catches my attention. I look for actors I know and enjoy watching, a conflict that is going to ensue, humor, and respected opinions from critics who have already viewed and dissected the movie. You want to be just like one of those critics. You want to have readers that take your opinion as gospel, and choose to see or to not see movies because of what you had to say about them.

Your audience will change with each movie review you write. Obviously there are people who love all genres of movies. However, some people focus on comedies, others on romance, and still others on action. Write for your audience. Allow them to see that you are taking a vested interest in writing a movie review that represents both positive and negative attributes of the movies they love to watch.

Mention character and actor names when writing movie reviews. The idea behind film creative writing is to deliver a notion of the conflict, dramatic tension, comedic relief, and emotional purpose that the movie serves up for movie-watchers to thoroughly enjoy.

Think about what makes you want to go and see a movie. It probably isn’t the giveaway of the plot or the monotonous characters. It is the overwhelming sense of excitement, mental stimulation, and secretive nature of what will happen next that keeps you on the edge of your seat -- even in a romantic comedy. So, serve up this same helping of movie goodness for your readers when writing movie reviews.

Check out an example of a film review to get you started. The movie Stand By Me is one such feature film that can grab at your heartstrings and develop your sensitivity before you even see it on the screen. Read the review to get a better idea how to incorporate this persuasive, engaging style in your own writing.

Most importantly, remember to have fun! Writing a movie review should not be a task, but rather a pleasure. Figure out how to write a review about a movie you love, and then challenge yourself to write a review of a movie you disliked. By trying out different styles of writing, you will gain an advantage over other writers. You will be honing and perfecting skills that you may not work on often enough. You may just find that the difficult nature of writing about something you didn’t like will bring about new and thought-provoking accounts of those aspects of the movie that you did like.

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