How to Write a Movie Review 2023

What is a Movie Review Essay?

Have you ever watched a movie and felt you wanted to share your thoughts about it with someone? Or wanted to hear how others felt about the same movie? Then you might find it entertaining to learn how to write a movie review. But before we explain the specifics, let's first find out what a movie review is. 

A movie review is critical writing that intends to share the assessment and analysis of the film. Writing a great movie review essay can be a unique challenge sometimes. You must consider the film from all angles, including genre, acting, directing, and editing.

A film review examines students' logical and critical thinking. It also tests the skill of writing concisely and creatively. This article will teach you how to craft the best film analysis with interesting tips and take inspiration from our movie review essay sample.

Movie Review Essay Outline

Before starting any essay, it's always a good idea to outline. That will make your story more well-instructed. If you want your essay movie review to have a sense of direction, then making a strong outline is the key. Doing so will help you not to drift yourself from the topic.

Here are some useful tips on how to create a movie review outline:

• Brainstorm the ideas and start pooling them all together. Think about what you want to include in your review.
• Choose the thesis statement and decide on a central argument. A good movie review essay outline isn't just about crafting the idea that the film is good or bad. A well-written review will prove a wider point about the film. It's not necessary to have a perfectly polished sentence; having a solid idea is enough for an outline. This can make essay planning easier.
• Lastly, filter your brainstormed notes. You already have a thesis and relevant points to make. Now you've to discard those which don't seem important for your topic. Considering these tips while writing a film review can make your work less hard.

Movie Review Structure

Writing every essay requires having a smooth flow. This being said, the movie review structure isn't an exception. It should follow the basic steps of general instructions. Introduction, the body, recommendation/analysis, and the conclusion.

There are qualities and guidelines that a critique of a film should possess. Try to avoid some basic and generalized opinions such as 'It was a great movie' or 'the acting was awful.' Instead, focus on giving specific reasons and the 'whys.'

If you need any help writing your assignment, you can request a paper from a paper writing service, and it can easily be done with no effort of yours.

How to Start a Movie Review Essay

As straightforward as it sounds, the first step before starting your review is to watch the movie. Moreover, seeing the film for the second time can help you absorb more details. It's also a good idea to take notes while watching it.

Take time to research the movie and its history. Checking out other reviews about the same movie can also be helpful for you. Don't parrot the ideas of other critics; just read what they have to say; maybe it can be useful to generate a few of your own ideas.

After that (you should also have an outline by that time), you can go for the introduction movie review. In your intro, you must include the title, the movie's release date, background info, cast, and director. Also, don't forget to mention basic settings such as time, place, and genre.

Body of the Movie Review Essay

In a movie review structure, a body paragraph is an important part for a writer. Here you should evaluate the film and create a summary of the story. Then, give impartial details and allow the readers to decide on an issue.

You should also define who your audience will be. For example, writing a movie review for children needs a different approach. Ensure to focus on the facts and opinions that matter to your audience.

Analyze the plot and creative elements. Write a short plot summary but do not reveal the ending; back up your opinions with examples. Talk about the characters, who is starring, and how well you think they acted. Were there any well-known stars?

Give details about cinematography, dialogues, soundtracks, moods, tones, etc. Explain how well the film was shot. Did it get you thinking? Was lightning good in different scenes? Did it feature songs from popular musicians? Was storytelling good enough, or did it make you feel bored? How fascinating were the visuals? And so on.

Think about these questions, analyze them and answer with examples. Be sure that you're specific and cite examples from the movie. Except for the trailer videos, your body paragraph should help readers decide if the movie is worth seeing.

Conclusion of the Movie Review Essay

In conclusion, you have to summarize everything you said in your essay. Give your overall reaction to the movie, including your opinion on the film's quality. Also, don't forget to include recommendations for potential viewers. Most people are looking for reviews to read so it can help them decide if the movie is worth watching. Always remember not to reveal any spoilers.

To help you understand the concept of writing a good analysis, let’s continue with the movie review essay sample.

Movie Review Essay Sample

Here is how to write a movie review template that you can use while composing yours.

Avatar: The Way of Water movie review

James Cameron already stunned us with the first Avatar movie in 2009, and the second part of the film is no exception. The premiere date for Avatar: The Way of Water was December 16, 2022, and most of us have been in a state of emotional shock since then.

Avatar: The Way of Water is directed by James Cameron, casting Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Stephen Lang, Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Cliff Curtis, and others. In my opinion, the cast was perfectly chosen since each actor delivered a standout performance. Jakes Sully stands out by displaying a range of feelings and emotions. He kept up the same level of effort to make an impression. Clif Curtiss, Kate Winslet, and Zoe Saldana all complemented him by giving strong performances that elevated the moments. The actors who portrayed the parts of their children added positive sentiments to wrap up the storyline.

With the finest special effects to ever adorn the big screen, a touching drama that mixes relevant issues of romance, family, paternity, colonial aggression, and ecosystem collapse is breathtakingly brought to life. It is filled with incredible moments, finding breathing room between its many brilliant scenes and gradually increasing suspense until a thrilling finale. Although James Cameron intended the finale to leave you wanting more, I feel that it makes the whole movie appear like a continuous denial of the hero's summons.

It's important to note that this film has fantastic colors, which also apply to clothing and special effects. The well-known Hallelujah Mountains appear on a banshee during the day and night as the story travels back to Pandora's woodlands. Modern developments in night capture lenses are shown by the nighttime color tones, which employ moonlight to enhance the settings. This time, improvements were made to the bioluminescent plants and animals.

Cameron's blockbuster, Avatar: The Way of Water, dazzled the audience. Although several scenes might have been shot more effectively, the entire three-hour film is pretty intriguing. This serves as a reminder that James Cameron is still a master at making your mouth drop, even after a long gap.

Awesome Guide on How to Write a Movie Review Essay Like a Pro

If you kept reading until this part of the article, you already know how to write a movie review. A decent film review should persuade, inform and entertain the reader. Providing original opinions without giving away too much of the story or spoilers.

In this paragraph, you will find the ultimate guide to analyzing a movie like a professional film critic. But if you want an expert to whom you can tell 'write a paper for me,' you've got one.

Watch the Movie

Before starting to outline your essay, you must watch the movie. Maybe you've already seen it, but it doesn't matter. Watching it the second time is very helpful, as you are oriented on making a review of it and not on the excitement of watching something for the first time. Don't watch it like a regular movie enthusiast, be focused on the details.

The work can get much easier if you start making notes while re-watching the movie. Focus on little details too. Search for the movie's main narrative, and try to figure it out; it will help you analyze the movie overall and give your opinions about the film.

Draw the Outline

You already know that before starting to write any good essay, you have to make a strong outline. Draft the outline, which will help you write your essay movie review.

An outline enhances the quality of your work, that's why it's relevant to have it before starting to write. For example, a movie review essay outline helps you to create logical and concise text. It's more like a skeleton on which the whole essay stands. That's why creating a well-crafted draft is important, as it yields a great essay.

Make the Analysis of the Movie

After watching the film and creating the outline, you have to start analyzing it. You must evaluate the film from beginning to end in your essay movie review, focusing on every detail. While analyzing the movie if there was any confusing part, don't miss it. Re-watch that part to grasp the idea and understand it fully. Maybe other viewers also got confused and can find clarification in your review.

Add Examples

Imagine you want to read a review of some movie. Would it be okay with you if there won't be any examples that make the writer's opinions more vivid? Of course not. That's why you should use examples in your review.

Don't describe the film as ‘it is a great movie’ or ‘the actors are really good.’ If you are stating something, make sure to back it up with examples. For instance, you can mention some scenes where the event occurred. Support your every opinion with different and interesting examples. This way, reading your written review can be more entertaining.

Examples include quotes, places or locations, bloopers, dialogues, etc. Supporting your opinions with examples can make your review better than just making general statements about how terrific or terrible the film is.

Plot

Did you like the plot of the movie that you are writing the review about? Was it unique or just some general boring story? Does it have a regular and predictable storyline, or is it like a Tarantino movie? Answer these questions by describing the plot but not revealing the ending or spoilers.

The plot is one of the reasons why people want to watch this or that movie. So try to elaborate on the plot and mainly focus on it. In your essay, movie reviews always include why the plot is interesting or intriguing and why anyone should watch the film created with this plot in their free time.

Music

For many people, music is an important part of a movie. On the other hand, others can't even name what soundtracks were included.

In reality, music can make a movie unique and worth watching. It helps shape emotional responses, creates a rhythm to scenes, and comments on the action. Music is crucial in experiencing the emotions caused by different scenes; at some point, it can become as iconic as the film itself.

And if you decide to write an old movie review, you can see that music used to have much more significance and uniqueness previously.

Cinematography

While writing an essay movie review, consider describing the film's cinematography. Most people indeed focus on the plot rather than how the film was directed or shot, but it's relevant to include it in your review.

While analyzing the cinematography in a movie, you have to describe how well the movie was shot. For example, give details about lightning; how was it in moody scenes? Was there any scene that could be shot differently that would make the movie more unique? Don't forget to add examples to your opinions as you write a movie review and not some interviews about the film.

Summing Up Movie Review Essay

If you follow the movie review structure, you have to summarize the whole essay, which means writing the conclusion.

The conclusion is another relevant part of your review. In this section, you give your point about the movie with evidence written in your body paragraph. If you connect the conclusion creatively to your intro, it can make your whole essay perfect.

Don't elaborate on any new point or idea in your conclusion; you just have to summarize all the ideas you mentioned in your essay.

Edit Your Review Essay

Editing and proofreading are crucial parts of writing any type of essay. Of course, you can ask your friends to proofread the work; they can also give you ideas to make your writing more unique. But don't be lazy to rewrite the final one after editing.

If your movie review essay outline turns out to be quite different while finishing, don't bother! It can be like that. Sometimes, the important part is to make your review well-structured and creatively analyzed.

Movie Review Essay: Tips

You already know how to create a movie review essay sample if you are reading this. But it requires time, investment, and dedication anyways. However, if you intend to do the review easily, this section will help you with that. So here are the awesome tips that might come in handy and can seamlessly get you through the task.

This is advice you should consider:

• If you've already seen the movie, watch it again
• Focus on details
• Watch the movie with a professional analytical mindset, not just as a random movie enthusiast
• Take notes if needed
• Don't write out of the contest for your assignment
• Take your time but be aware of the deadline too
• Follow the instructions for your task
• Use an outline to create a logically organized work
• Start working on the body first and then the introduction
• Write an engaging intro and powerful conclusion
• Don't forget to proofread and edit your writing

If these tips aren't enough for you to create a review, or you just don't have time, you can always use a thesis writing service, and their experts will do it for you.

Movie Review Essay: Mistakes to Avoid

As you can use some tips to create an awesome movie review, it can also be helpful to consider some mistakes that should be avoided from your essay.

After the hard work of submitting your movie report, you might be surprised that your writing hasn't received the grade you were expecting. Do you wish to know why that happened? Well, it could be because you made any of these mistakes:

• Shifting yourself from the review - The fact that you are writing the review doesn't mean you have to insert yourself in it. Take into account not writing in the first person. For example, ‘I liked this film very much.’ The review exposes your opinions and likes/dislikes, so inserting yourself is unnecessary.
• Focusing on the irrelevant/wrong part - You may find the connection between the movie and some historical events or another film, but remember not to give any irrelevant details or analysis.
• Lack of evidence - We already discussed how important it is to back up all your opinions with examples. You need to state every reason for liking something because the lack of evidence can influence your grade.
• Missing to do the research - Besides re-watching the movie, it's also crucial to search for relevant details about it. It can provide you with important points that aren't even mentioned in the film.
• Unstructured writing - Never write the review without a proper structure, as it might reveal you as an unorganized student.
• Avoid unnecessary discussion - Avoid explaining issues that aren't directly connected to the movie.
• Be precise - Don't generalize the ideas you are discussing and avoid making general statements like 'It is a great movie', or 'The actors are awesome'. Back up any comment you make with the examples from the movie.

If you also need to write other types of essays for the college and are searching for its topics with no hope, for example, definition essay topics, we've got you here too.

Movie Review Essay Topics

Does it still seem hard for you to complete the movie review assignment yourself? If so, don't worry; we've got you on that too. You can hire a dissertation writer to create original work on any subject, including a review.

But if you wish to write your task yourself, then, for now, you already have all the tools to make your review appealing. You only have to choose from the following movie review topics.

New Movies Topics

Welcome to the best-reviewed movies of 2023. Let's move to the movie review topics you can use to write about:

• Avatar: the way of water movie review
• The Batman - A dark crime epic
• Everything Everywhere All at Once - A surpassing hereditary
• Turning Red movie review
• No Bears movie review
• Great Freedom and persistence of a human spirit
• The Innocents - chillingly subverted purity of youth
• Utama movie review
• Fire of Love - A spectacular fiery abyss
• Bones and All - Young love and the tentative connection of sensitive souls
• RRR - rise, roar, and revolt
• Bergman Island - relationships and women's creative emancipation
• Prey movie review
• Elvis movie review
• A Hero - a superb morality that keeps us guessing the final shot
• Belle movie review
• Benediction - Elegant, emotionally ransacking story of repression
• The Women King and its global significance
• Happening and its poignant contemporary relevance
• The Banshees of Inisherin movie review
• Aftersun and the memories that can sink into your bones
• The Northman movie review
• Top Gun: Maverick movie review
• Licorice Pizza and Anderson's sweet coming-of-age
• X - a fresh spin to a classic slasher
• Emily the Criminal movie review
• You Won't Be Alone - a fresh spin on horror tropes
• Fallout and grappling with the experience of grief

These are topics from popular movies of 2023, which you can use to practice in writing the movie review. Or you can use one for writing college or high school assignments.

Best Famous Movies: Topics for Review

We listed the topics for 2023 movies, but there are masterpieces created in the early years that can fill you up with emotions even when writing an old movie review. Let's list them here too:

• 2001: A Space Odyssey movie review
• The Godfather - An all-time masterpiece
• The Shawshank Redemption - An eventual redemption
• Schindler's List and its worldwide significance
• One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest movie review
• Forrest Gump - historical events unfolded
• 12 Angry Men movie review
• The Silence of The Lambs movie review
• The Pianist, struggling to survive
• The Green Mile - is it a mysterious gift?
• Citizen Kane an inexhaustible force
• La Dolce Vita - a cinematic verve
• City Lights - the peak of the reaction shot
• Persona - a double-sided psychodrama
• Pulp Fiction - A spellbinding achronological plotting
• The Truman Show - A meek hero winning back his life
• Spirited Away - a glorious bedtime story
• Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind - a signpost of a modern independent cinema
• The Shining - born to redefine horror
• Blue Velvet and mystery unfolded
• Seven and the fearsome vision that arrived uncut

While many other films can also garner positive reviews, these are some of the most well-known of all time. The only issue would be deciding which movie to start watching first now that you understand how to write a movie review essay like a pro!