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7 min Updated: March 31st 2020 Print

How to Write a Movie Critique Paper: Top

Tips + Example
(votes: 128)

Movie critiques can be easily confused with movie reviews.

However, movie reviews reveal a personal impression of the
Essay Writing
viewer. In a movie critique essay, you are to criticize the means of
film production and give some practical pieces of advice on what Study Tips
could be changed in order to enhance the quality of the film and
attract a wider audience. Writing Advice

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We want to provide you with some tips on how to write a movie

critique (and remind you to proofread it by Grammarly) because it’s
not as easy as it seems, and we’ve seen many students stumble
over this minor challenge during their educational careers.

We have studied the resources available online and enriched them

with our custom writing service professional point of view. And now
we are ready to present you the results of our research, introducing
your steps to write a critique.

CONTENTS (clickable)

1. How to Begin
2. Premise
3. Characterization
4. Plot and Structure
5. Dialogue
6. Originality
7. Scenes
8. Visual Presentation
9. Structure of a Critique
10. Useful Phrases for Movie Critique Writing
11. Helpful Words and Expressions for Film Critique
Writing

View Less

1. Writing a Movie Critique: How to Begin

Definition:

Writing a movie critique means to offer your insight and opinion on

what was wrong with the movie and what made it
special/interesting and intriguing to watch. There’s always
something you like about movies and something you don’t: you
may think that the plot was good, but the special effects were
horrible–think about all of the possible film production stages and
try to look at all of them critically.

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General guidelines on how to critique a movie:

• Choose a movie.

• Specify the issues you are going to discuss and analyze in

your paper.

• Watch the movie several times: first–to get a general idea

of the film; second time–to pay attention to the points that
come into your sphere of interest and/or to note the details
you weren’t able to notice the first time.

• Take notes while watching.

• Be specific.

• Be objective.

Our tips on writing a movie critique:

Criticizing does not mean expressing negative emotions. Too much

pessimism will kill the reader’s desire to get closely acquainted with
your writing. Even though the movie could be a real failure, try to
present a sophisticated evaluation.

2. Writing a Movie Critique: Premise

Definition:

The premise is the background of the story, which includes the

possible events that might have happened before.

General guidelines:

• Analyze the plot contrivances.

• Mind that a badly structured premise ruins the overall

impression of the movie; therefore, if it does, point it out,
and say what could have been improved.

Our tips on writing a movie critique:

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Do not forget to give specific examples from the movie to prove

your words as a critique should include well-grounded facts, not just
your suppositions.

3. Writing a Movie Critique: Characterization

Definition:

Characterization is the description of characters’ personality,

beliefs, motivations, etc.

General guidelines:

• Concentrate on specific movie characters.

• See if the way the characters dress, talk, act, or look

corresponds with the image they should be projecting
towards the viewer.

• Remember that the better the characters are developed,

the more character-driven the story is.

• Consider that the right motivation of the characters makes

the audience believe the story and its development;
moreover, it helps to understand the real motives, which
should be understandable to the viewers.

Our tips on writing a film critique:

Mind that some movie characters do not need a serious analysis as

they are meant to impress the audience more with their fists and
athletic bodies than with the hidden motivation of their actions or a
rich inner world.

4. Writing a Movie Critique: Plot and

Structure

Definition:

The plot is the flow of events and actions that consequently develop
in a story. The structure of the movie is how the parts of it relate to
each other or how the plot is built.

General guidelines:

• Decide whether the plot is predictable.

• Define whether some actions were unpredictable; if they

were, then they provided you with some food for thought to
make assumptions and express your views considering an
unexpected turn of events or simply shocked you.

• Remember that the structure encompasses 3 acts:

introducing the main characters, mounting tension through
the story (lead up to the climax of the story), and bringing
the movie to an end.

• See if the plot corresponds to characters’ motivations.

• Mind that before the ending there should be a culmination

of the story when the tension reaches the highest point.

Our tips on writing a movie critique:

An unpredictable plot sometimes appeals to philosophical issues.

Examine the plot and structure to identify if they benefit the movie
in this regard.

5. Writing a Movie Critique: Dialogue

Definition:

A dialogue is a conversation between two or more people, or

characters, for this matter.

General guidelines:

• Remember that good dialogues should not be protracted

as they are to sound natural.

• See if there is a logical development of the conversation.

Our tips on writing a movie critique:

Watch the body language of the actors and decide whether their
gestures correspond to their words or not.

6. Writing a Movie Critique: Originality

Definition:

Originality refers to a fresh plot or idea implemented in the film that

attracts viewers’ attention to the story.

General guidelines:

Mind that the term “original” might refer to a character, plot, twist,
idea, setting, or something else that the audience has not seen
before in any other movie.

Our tips on writing a movie critique:

Try to explain the reasons behind the adaptation of these new

techniques or ideas. There should be specific reasons for the
original element to appear. Maybe the movie director felt that the
audience would be tired of the predictable plot twists and/or
mediocre CGI, so he/she decided to introduce a fresh idea about a
possible plot twist, which will make the audience go crazy.

7. Writing a Movie Critique: Scenes

Definition:

A scene is a self-contained episode within a larger work.

General guidelines:

• Determine whether the scenes were well-played by the

actors and well-shot by the operator.

• Mind that they are to develop smoothly as a part of a larger

dramatic unit.

• Remember that scenes should build a chain that makes up

the story.

• Examine if they contain some conflict and how the

characters typically react to it.

Our tips on writing a movie critique:

Try to follow through each scene to make sure that it properly

transitioned into the next one, and none of the plot twists and/or
ideas were lost during the transition.

8. Writing a Movie Critique: Visual

Presentation

Definition:

A visual presentation is when characters act and react to each

other and the setting to develop the action and the plot of the
movie. This interaction typically involves a lot of dialogue.

General guidelines:

• Determine whether the set communicates a motif.

• Mind that the particular type of a story determines how

much interaction there should be.

Our tips on writing a movie critique:

Give as many examples as possible.

9. Writing a Movie Critique: Structure of a

Critique

Definition:

The general structure of the critique resembles the structure of an

essay.

General guidelines:

• Start with an introduction where you are to provide basic

information about the film, make a plot summary, state your
thesis, and give readers a clue on what your critique is
going to be about.

• Divide the main body into several paragraphs, explain your

thesis there, and examine each point separately. Do not
forget to provide examples.

• End writing your movie critique with a conclusion that

should summarize everything and give answers to the
questions raised in the paper.

Our tips on writing a movie critique:

Go over your paper to eliminate factual and

spelling/grammar/punctuation mistakes. A good structure is the
basis and a necessary condition of a successful paper.

Check out some good movie critique examples before you start
your writing.

10. Writing a Movie Critique: Useful Phrases

for Movie Critique Writing

Definition:

Now that you know all the essential elements of a movie critique
structure, it’s high time to consider how to present your information
in the most digestible and impressive way. Using common phrases
and set expressions in your movie critique writing will make your
content more engaging, diverse, and easy to read.

General guidelines:

• Give your opinion on the topic and provide an analysis of

the movie rather than just summarizing the content.

• Make use of effective words that would be helpful and

appropriate to your readers.

Our tips on writing a movie critique:

• Express your position clearly when writing a film critique

paper, but try not to be biased or excessive in your views
for or against the filmmaker.

• When getting acquainted with good movie critique

examples, pay special attention to the vocabulary utilized
in the essays. Make note of word combinations that will fit
your own movie critique paper.

11. Here Are Some Helpful Words and

Expressions for Film Critique Writing

Type of movie/genre

• Thriller

• Drama

• Comedy

• Adventure

• Crime and Gangster

• Epics/Historical

• Horror

• Western

• Science

• Musical

Producer/Director

• Produced by…

• Directed by…

• The movie is expertly directed by…

• This movie is based on a book…

Actors/Characters

• Warm-hearted, appealing, fascinating

• The characters were very convincing because…

• Exceptional performance

• Fervently performed

• The performance of … in … is excellent

Story/Plot

• Well-directed, amusing, exciting, boring, clichéd, confusing,

entertaining, exciting, melodramatic, thrilling, unbelievable,
surprising, full of tension

• The plot reaches a climax when…

• Develop a story

• Non-linear/fragmented narrative

• Full of unexpected plot twists

• One of the most unbelievable/entertaining moments in the

film occurs when …

Assessment/Evaluation

• A must-see/worth seeing/not to be missed/a smash hit/an

impressive debut

• An emotional movie/it brought tears to my eyes

• A truly great/skillful piece of filmmaking

• I would definitely recommend this film to anyone who likes

…

• On a scale from zero to five, I’d give this film a four

because…

• I strongly/highly recommend watching this film because…

• If you like …, you shouldn’t miss this movie.

• I certainly wouldn’t recommend the film, and here’s why …

• Unfortunately, this movie is a complete waste of time

because…

• I was impressed/surprised by …

Your movie critique paper will be a success now!

Now you can confidently claim that you know how to write a movie
critique and even have a whole list of helpful vocabulary you can
include.

We hope that these tips were helpful and that your next critical
paper about a movie will be a success. Be sure to check out our
blog for more useful articles!

And always keep in mind:

The professional writers are here and ready to help you with your
assignment if you can’t do it for any reason.

This might be interesting for you:

• How to Write a Good Critique Paper: Killer Tips +

Examples

• How to Write an Art Critique Essay: Guidelines and

Examples

• Music Essay Topic Ideas to Write About + How-to Guide

• Modern Fairy Tale Essay: How to Write, Topics and Ideas

References

1. Merriam-Webster “Critique” Definition

2. Structuring a Premise for Stronger Stories

3. Merriam-Webster “Original” Definition

4. Merriam-Webster “Motif” Definition

5. Duke Writing Studio’s Film Review Guide

6. Tips for Writing a Film Review

7. How to Analyze a Movie: A Step-by-Step Guide

8. Tips for Writing a Review

9. Summary: Using it Wisely

By Julia Reed

Julia had pursued her Masters of Arts in Education and

started her career in 1993. She had been working as a
college teacher for 7 years. Since 2006, she works as a
freelance tutor and copywriter, helping others to hone
their writing skills.

Student Exchange Program (Flex) Why i Want to be a Pharmacist

Essay Topics and Sample Essay: Step-by-step Guide & Tips

COMMENTS (30)

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alyssa 8 March 2020 Reply

Thank you for this! Because now I have an idea of how to create a movie critic.

Julia Reed 13 March 2020

Glad to help, Alyssa!

Tomas 23 February 2020 Reply

Thank you for this! It’s very useful! Keep up the good work!

Julia Reed 28 February 2020

Thank you for your kind words, Tomas

Lilian 28 October 2019 Reply

This was really helpful. Thanks for making the work much easier with your
explanations on this write up.

Julia Reed 30 October 2019

I’m happy the article was useful for you, Lilian!

Junabel Rey 18 May 2019 Reply

Thank you very much for this marvelous tips that surely will be a great help for me in
making my own Movie Critique as an assignment. God Bless everyone.

Julia R. 22 May 2019

Thank you for your kind words, Junabel! Glad you found the article helpful.

Susan 29 March 2019 Reply

This article rocks. Thanks for the tips. Reading this gives me a reason to go on with
my current situation.
Thank you loads.

Julia R. 3 April 2019

Glad to help, Susan!

Luke Luketer Nguhwar 12 October 2018 Reply

This article is great, it has been very useful for me

Julia R. 17 October 2018

Thank you for your kind words, Luke! Glad the article was useful for you.

Nanette Anyomi 8 October 2018 Reply

This was incredibly helpful! This article is a blessing!

Julia R. 10 October 2018

Thank you for your kind words, Nanette! Glad to help

Maurice 16 September 2017 Reply

Thank you for the information.

Julia Reed 17 September 2017

Glad you enjoyed it

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