Answering a few questions about a movie is one of the best ways to get ideas flowing for your movie review.
Starting a movie review can sometimes be a daunting process. Especially when you have a blank page staring at you while you’re still not sure where to start.
Knowing how intimidating the writing process can be, I compiled a growing list of questions that will help you brainstorm which direction you’d like to take your review.
And while I was able to find some great questions about a movie online from an academic point of view, I did want to create some more opportunities for more personal and opinionated responses that speak to the subjective, emotional, non-technical aspect of a film’s impact.
If you find yourself particularly impassioned while answering one of the questions for movie review, maybe that’s all you need to expound on for your critique.
This list of questions is not an assignment you have to finish to completion but rather a guide to help you decide what topics are worth highlighting for your review.
I hope you find these questions for movie review helpful!
23 Questions About a Movie to Answer
- The credits of the film are rolling. How do you feel? (feeling indifferent is a valid answer)
- How did the characters in the film change from how they were in the beginning of the movie to the end?
- Did the protagonists face any form of opposition in the movie? If so, did it put up a good fight? If not, how did the lack of opposition affect the movie’s overall impact on you?
- Did you like the protagonist? Why or why not?
- How about supporting characters? Did anyone stand out to you? Did any of them outshine the protagonist? Did they play a necessary role or could you have gone without them?
- The visuals, did any visual moment stand out to you? Any portrait-like camera shots? Eye-catching uses of color? Interesting ways to frame items within the camera lens?
- How was the world-building? Was it a believable world? Did any elements of the world seem unnecessary, strange, or out of place? Did the world blend its elements seamlessly?
- The script, how did the dialogue feel? Did it flow seamlessly or feel awkward, strange, or unrealistic in any way?
- Would you recommend this movie to someone else? Why or why not?
- Do you think you’ll remember this movie 5 years from now? Does it have a lasting impact or message? If so, what are those messages, what is the impact?
- Would you want to watch this movie again? Why or why not?
- Does this movie remind you of something you’ve seen before? If so, what does it remind you of and why? If not, do the movie’s unique elements serve it well or otherwise?
- How did the film affect you physically? Did you laugh, cry, gasp, scream, sleep? Were any strong emotions elicited for you?
- How often did you zone out while watching this film?
- Imagine the movie you’re watching has not been released yet, and the director asks you for your input on the film. Honestly speaking, what would you tell them? What would you like them to change? What do you think they’ve already done well?
- How was the soundtrack? Did you notice it all? If so, in a good way or in a bad way? If not, how did the lack of a notable soundtrack affect the outcome of the film for you?
- How would you feel about being an additional character in this movie? Is this something you’d like? Why or why not?
- If you were to get rid of any character in this film, who would it be and why?
- What part of the film caught your interest the most? What part were you the least invested in?
- What were the character’s motivations? Did their actions match the intensity of their motivations?
- Summarize the entire movie in one sentence. If you struggle to do so, why?
- If the film were to be a color or a palette of colors, what would it be? How do these colors speak to the mood or atmosphere that the film creates?
- What does the film say about the society that it’s set in? What parallels does it draw to real everyday life?
