Step-by-step guide on how to write a movie review

As an academic task, a movie review should be created following the requirements of the teacher or the educational institution. While for personal purposes, it can be more creative with a free structure. However, the second case requires a lot of experience and confident writing skills. So, for starters, it is better to follow the typical approaches and then add the creative and personal aspects in the text. Our article will help you to start and learn the basics of working with texts like this. You will learn the main elements of the review text, how to prepare for the writing, and how to make your review unique in any case. Check our guidelines and tips and start writing about the movies, which had an impact on your mind and soul.

Steps-by-step writing guide

Here’s what you have to do to get the good and noteworthy review that stands out:

1. Watch a movie and take notes during it. This seems obvious, but still, this is the first step. It is not enough to just watch the movie. You have to do it at least twice. And taking notes during it is important in order not to forget anything. If you watch it in the movie theater, it may be a complicated task. So, choose the movie that is available on disks or streaming services to watch with the ability to pause and rewind.
2. Collect the main features and interesting facts about the movie. You should sound professional in your review, so you should know the genre, year of release, names of the main actors, and the main members of the production team like director, screenwriter, and others. Also, you should take into account the background of the story: whether it is a remake, reboot, or the adaptation of the book. This info can be used for the introduction or as an argument proof for the main part of your text. Interesting facts can also hook the reader’s attention.
3. Outline your future review. Outlining is important for arranging your materials. You should define what analysis, features, and facts are suitable for the intro to get the reader interested in your text. Other ones can be great for finalizing your arguments and providing the main evidence for your thesis.
4. Define the suitable structure for your text. We recommend the common structure of any academic writing. If this is a task in school or college, this will be the right choice for sure. However, for bloggers and hobby’ reviewers, this approach will be less complicated. So, you can structure your text like this:
   • Intro. Hook the reader with an interesting fact, your thesis, or the controversial statement to encourage further reading and maybe even to discuss it with you.
   • Body. Here you can have as many paragraphs as you need to disclose the significant aspects of your review. Arrange them in a logical sequence to escalate the proving of your main point.
   • Conclusion. This is a final part that can either summarize the previous information or provide the final proof for your claim. It should be strong and meaningful to leave the reader with an impact on his/her mind. If you are a blogger, you can also encourage a discussion in his section.
5. Write the review. As soon as you have a plan and outline of all your materials, you can start writing down your thoughts. Do not focus solely on the plot. The movie has so many aspects of revision, so you can make your text much more interesting for the readers by bringing up other points. Here is the list of some features you can focus your review on:
   • Estimation of the acting skills;
   • The music and the sound effect in the movie;
   • The style, the mood and the tone of the film;
   • The director’s unique features;
   • The cultural and social significance.
     These things can make your review meaningful and stand out compared to the standardized overviews of the plot.
6. Revise and edit the first draft. This stage is a bit more complicated than revising the regular essay. Sure, you have to exclude the mistakes and context inconsistency. But for a movie review, especially if you are going to post it online, there are much more aspects to check before publishing:
   • If you review the premiere of the movie, make sure your text does not have any spoilers;
   • Make sure that the chosen reviewing style is suitable for the movie;
   • Check whether your ideas are unique and do not plagiarize other reviews;
   • Check whether your work complies with the requirements.

Compare your work with good examples of the movie reviews to add something to your work or to fix something.

Tips for writing a good movie review

Writing a movie review is the same as working on a research or literary analysis paper. You should take it seriously and pay enough time to make it good. Here are some recommendations for you:

1. Do not postpone the writing to the last minute.
2. Pay enough time for the research to fill up your text with interesting and unique information.
3. Come up with arguments and review points that are unique and novice.
4. If this is an academic assignment, follow the instruction of your teacher and consult with him/her if possible.
5. Do not be afraid of asking for help from your friends or teachers to proofread and edit your essay as possible.

Takeaways

As you can see, it is not rocket science to learn how to write a movie review. Use our guidelines for preparing your first draft and then master your skill. With every new review, you will find more to review and analyze. Your approach will be deeper and more expert. But it is important to practice because without it you can even lose the skills that you might have now.

However, even with all the heart, some students simply do not have time to provide a quality review. Or, as a blogger, you might need a review for a regular posting, but also do not have an opportunity to meet deadlines. Well, our team can offer a solution for any case. Ask for professional writing assistance, and we will do everything you need in no time!