Many people question whether or not they should pay attention to movie reviews mainly because these reviews are opinionated pieces and many times people don’t agree what on what is considered ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Past experiences may make you weary if you’ve ever gone to the theatre expecting a hit only to be so disappointed that you didn’t even stay for the whole show or if you’ve ever sit out a movie only to realized that you missed a blockbuster.
It’s always advantageous to remember that opinions differ however do not out rightly dismiss the merits of movie reviews in general since a well written one based on facts can be helpful. The key to using movie reviews is sifting through what is presented to learn about the film before hand, in the end the decision you make should be based on more than just the reviewer’s like or dislike for the film but at least you’ll have some substance to work with.
What You Can Get From Movie Reviews
A good review will give you information like names of cast members, their character names and the roles they play, setting, basic plot, names of director, screen writer, genre, rating (R, PG, G etc) and the movie’s duration to name a few things. Comparisons between earlier films may be drawn to give an idea of what to expect in terms of originality and content.
Cross-reference Reviews
Never just read one review on a movie since it may be written by a die-hard fan or unrivalled enemy (of the genre, director, lead actor/actress or whatever the case may be). Try to find at least three and compare them, if three randomly chosen reviews seem to be saying something then there may be some truth in them. Cross check facts like dates, names etc for accuracy.
Sometimes going to the movie’s official site is best where checking accuracy is concerned but it’s not always the best place to go for an opinion of the movie since the official site’s aim is to convince you that you must watch it. This is often just one in an array of marketing strategies so try not to swallow it hook, line and sinker. They are there to sell and you need to know if it’s a good buy so check for independent reviewers.
What to Look For In a Good Movie Review
Besides facts look at the overall tone of the review; one that is clearly emotive should send up a red flag whether it’s in the movie’s favor or not. A balance review should point out faults and praiseworthy points without harping on any one side of the spectrum unless the movie really is a hit or a flop (something you more than likely wont know until you see it for yourself).
The Final Decision is yours
In the end whether or not you follow a reviewer’s advice to go see or stay away from a movie is up to you. Movie reviews simply point to a recommended direction with the good ones telling you why you should follow.
