Critics have shaped film culture for over a century, from newspaper reviewers to online video essayists. But how much do reviews actually change what people buy tickets for? The answer depends a lot on the type of film.
From critics to aggregators
Influential critics such as Pauline Kael at The New Yorker and Roger Ebert, whose television show with Gene Siskel made “two thumbs up” famous, could make or break smaller films. Today, aggregators summarize many reviews at once:
- Rotten Tomatoes shows the percentage of positive reviews (the Tomatometer), not an average rating.
- Metacritic converts reviews into a weighted average score out of 100.
- CinemaScore surveys audiences as they leave theaters on opening night and gives a letter grade.
Blockbusters vs. smaller films
For heavily marketed franchise films, opening weekend often depends more on brand recognition and advertising than on reviews; some poorly reviewed blockbusters still open strongly. Reviews matter more later, through word of mouth and how well the film holds up in following weeks.
For independent films, documentaries and foreign-language films, good reviews and festival buzz are often essential, because there is little marketing budget to attract attention.
Friend or foe?
Studios sometimes complain that aggregator scores oversimplify complex opinions and can hurt a film before audiences see it. Critics respond that they serve readers, not studios. Many filmmakers credit critics for championing overlooked work, from foreign films to cult classics that failed on release.
Word of mouth
Audience reaction, amplified by social media, has become as important as professional criticism. A strong CinemaScore or enthusiastic posts can extend a film’s run; a weak reaction can make its second weekend drop sharply.
Reading reviews well
Find a few critics whose taste you understand, read the full review rather than a score, and remember that a mixed review may still describe a film you would love.
Festival premieres are where many reviews first appear; see the role of film festivals. The relationship between money and quality is examined in do bigger budgets make better films?.
