How to Write a Movie Review
Name ____________________________________________________________
Class __________
Writing a movie review is a great way of expressing your opinion of a movie. The purpose of most movie
reviews is to help the reader in determining whether they want to watch, rent or buy the movie. The review
should give enough details about the movie that the reader can make an informed decision, without giving
anyway any essentials such as the plot or any surprises. Below are our guidelines and tips for writing a good
movie review.
1. Watch the movie and take notes
2. Determine your opinion of the movie after you watch it
3. Consider your audience. Who are your writing for-adults, children, teenagers, or all age groups?
4. Give a summary of the movie without telling the entire plot or revealing any surprises.
5. Give the names of the main actors and rate their performance in the movie.
6. Give the name of the director of the movie and list other movies he/she has done. Rate the director
7. Rate the scenery and lighting for the movie. Was it good in some parts & not in others? Why or why not?
8. Rate the music in the movie and any artists who wrote the music or sang the music.
9. Give the movie an overall STAR rating - out of 5 stars, how did it rate. Explain why you rated it this way.
10. Check the spelling and grammar in your final written review.
Your finished written review will contain 4 paragraphs in this order:
(at least 4 sentences in each paragraph - may have more, but MUST have 4)
First paragraph: Catch the reader's attention. Without giving a full summary or plot outline of
the movie, take two to three sentences to tell the reader what the movie is about. Also, tell
what you liked the most about the film.
Second paragraph: Take care of business. Tell your reader the title of the movie, the director,
the studio, the major actors, the year the movie was made, and the movie's rating (PG, PG-13, R).
Tell about the director and rate the director, explaining why you have this opinion. Rate the
movie's props, scenery, and/or lighting effects, explaining why you have this opinion.
Third paragraph: Character and plot summary. Does the movie follow the same sequence of events
as the novel? Choose two of the major actors in the film and give your opinion of their
performance. Was their performance realistic? What, exactly, made the acting good or bad?
Fourth paragraph: Final Evaluation. Now you will say whether you would recommend seeing this
movie, giving your reasons (at least two) for why you recommend it or not. What audience should
see this movie (children, adults, all ages)? Give the film a STAR rating (out of 5 stars) and
explain why.
Sample Movie Review
In the last sequel of the Dark Knight series of films, Batman returns again to defend Gotham from evil. I
thought the movie was exciting and thought-provoking as I kept waiting for the end of the series to somehow
be the end of Batman. The movie contained twists and turns, as well as flashbacks from previous Batman
films. Overall, the movie was an excellent ending to the series and I believe viewers will be satisfied with the
way Batman ends his days as the "Caped Crusader."
The Dark Knight Rises was released in 2012 by Warner Brothers Pictures. The film is directed by
Christopher Nolan who also directed the two previous Batman films, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. The
movie is rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of violence and action, and for some bad language. The
main actors in this film are: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Christian
Bale returns to play the role of Batman. I believe Nolan did a great job of directing this movie, showing how
Batman's past (flashbacks) has shaped him and helped him make decisions as a reluctant hero. Nolan uses
scenes of darkness (prison scenes and underground scenes) to show the audience that Batman lives in a
world of darkness which no one can understand. But there are also scenes where the lighting is daylight and
natural light (hospital with Commissioner Gordon and outside cafe with Alfred) that show the lighter and
happier side of things when evil isn't present.
Christian Bale stars as both the classic "caped crusader" and his billionaire alter-ego, Bruce Wayne. In
this third installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman films, Bruce Wayne no longer feels that the City of Gotham
needs a hero and goes on a secluded hiatus. However, when a new villain, Bane (Tom Hardy), threatens
Gotham City, Wayne dons his cape and mask once more. Now Batman must battle his past demons and also
fight against this new evil trying to take over Gotham. When crisis threatens Gotham City, Bruce Wayne jumps
back into the Batmobile to fight crime. Batman is joined on his quest by an eager orphaned cop (Joseph
Gordon-Levitt), a seductive cat burglar (Anne Hathaway), and a violent masked villain (Tom Hardy). The one
actor that gave this reviewer pause was Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle. She has historically been typecast as
the girl next door, so it was a shock to watch her steal and fight her way through the City of Gotham. After a
few scenes, however, we were convinced that the casting decisions were a good one, as Hathaway portrayed
the darker Catwoman role brilliantly.
The music soundtrack for the movie was something that added to the suspense and drama of the story.
The music was performed by the Minnesota Orchestra and it was very beautiful. Overall I was impressed by
the great acting, a wonderful ending story, and the mystery and suspense throughout the film. This film served
as great entertainment with its colorful cast and numerous plot twists. Nolan used actors that had either
appeared in previous Batman films or in his blockbuster hit Inception, and all of them shone in their respective
roles: Tom Hardy was almost unrecognizable in his Bane costume, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion
Cotillard were both excellent—and obviously comfortable with Nolan’s directing style and the film’s dramatic
tone.
I recommend that everyone from age 10 - 100 see this film. It might be a little too loud or a little too
violent for children under 10 years old, but if your parents are with you for the movie they might help to explain
some parts of the movie. Also the movie is 164 minutes long, so it might be hard for children under 10 years
old to concentrate and sit still for that long. There were a few times when the movie felt a bit drawn out, but the
gorgeous action scenes and impressive dialogue really held the audience’s attention and kept them on the
edge of their seats. However, the timeline was a bit unclear at times. For a number of scenes, it was hard to
tell whether it had been days or months or years that had passed since the last time a given character had
been on screen. I would give this movie an overall 4 1/2 start rating. I took off 1/2 star for the length of the
movie and for some confusing scenes. However, I think The Dark Knight Rises is exciting, creative, and dark—
and well worth a few hours of your time.