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Reviews are a staple of journalism. Almost anything can be reviewed: music concerts, films, video games, products, books or restaurants.

The aim is to offer an honest critique of the object under review, and to make a recommendation to your audience.

Writing a review demands a different skill from writing a news story. Whereas in a news story, you must be objectiveobjective and balanced, in a review you can be subjective, giving your opinion.

You can also be more personal and informal in tone: you want to create a rapport with the audience.

Your role as a reviewer is to

• inform
• describe
• analyse
• advise

^{Reviews can be positive or negative but it is important to back up your opinions with evidence. In this video Mark Kermode reviews the film Ratchett and Clank.}

Tips on reviewing a film

When reviewing a film, you are advising the audience on whether it is worth going to see this film, or spend two hours of their life watching it. Make sure you:

• Include all the relevant detail such as film title, director, lead actors, date of release.
• Summarise the plot concisely, avoiding spoilers and plot twists. Don’t give away the ending!
• Select and use short extracts/ examples to illustrate what struck you most about the film. Was a particular scene particularly funny, or poignant? Give an example of good (or bad) acting.
• Other aspects may be worth commenting on, for example music or special effects.
• Give your opinion, but always back it up with evidence. Be fair – don’t write off an entire film because you disliked one actor.
• Make a final judgement, for example you could rate it out of five stars.