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A review gives an opinion about anything from a restaurant to a concert.

The most common types of review are film and book reviews, but people also review music, television programmes, theatre performances and computer games.

Critics often write reviews for a living. They are knowledgeable on certain topics, eg films or music. We trust their judgement and may decide to read a book or watch a film because they persuade us to do so.

All reviews share a number of different purposes. For example, a film review needs:

• to inform - the review needs to tell people who is in the film, who it is by and where or when readers can see it
• to describe - the review should describe the story, characters and some of the action - without spoiling the plot or giving too much away
• to entertain - to provide the reader with their opinion in a way that readers will enjoy, eg with a lively or witty tone
• to analyse - a good review weighs up whether the film is good or not, giving opinions backed up with reasons and evidence
• to advise - the review should recommend to the reader whether or not they should go to see the film

Audience

The audience of a review varies - this depends on where it is published.

The audience might be specific or general. For example, a specialist computer games magazine will assume their readers have a major interest in gaming and an understanding of specialist terminology, such as spawning and simulator. However, a review of a game in a national newspaper, with a much wider audience, would need to simplify the language or explain the terms.

Reviews of popular new books and films aim to reach nationwide audiences - but a local newspaper will review a performance at their own theatre, aimed at local readers.

Example

This is a review of the film The Golden Compass.

A review of a children’s film is probably aimed at parents, who will want to know whether to take their children to see it.

The Golden Compass

Reviewed by Stella Papamichael

Free will is the object of the game in The Golden Compass, a big budget exercise in orienteering where witches and polar bears point the way to enlightenment. You'll have to look between the CG seams to find the original intent of Philip Pullman's atheistic novel, but this isn't the overriding problem. It's that writer/director Chris Weitz doesn't convey a strong enough sense of purpose.

Thank goodness for the star presence of Dakota Blue Richards. She is thoroughly engaging as Lyra, a young girl singled out in prophecy as 'the one' to save all others from some awful yet indeterminate fate. It all sounds a bit messianic really, except that organised religion, represented by The Magisterium, is a force for evil. Nicole Kidman does the ominous eyebrow lifting as a guardian of the establishment who kidnaps children to wrest them from their 'daemons' (the animal sidekicks who embody their better judgment). Among the abductees is Lyra's best friend, and so begins the voyage north to find him.

Many questions raised

Daniel Craig has little to do as Lyra's scientifically minded uncle except hint at potential sequels. The draw is in a simple story of friendship and Lyra's journey of self-discovery. The line-up of curious characters she meets along the way helps to lighten Pullman's otherwise dark material. Sam Elliot is wryly amusing as a cowboy aeronaut and the spectacle of Lyra being carried across the arctic wastelands on the back of a polar bear (voiced by Ian McKellen) will appeal to the child in everyone. Towards the end, some impressively realised battle scenes up the excitement. Disappointingly though, all this magic and mystery fails to lead to any grand unveiling. There are just too many questions raised and not enough answered. Approach this not as a lesson in the facts of life, just a bit of childish escapism.

The Golden Compass is out in the UK on 5 December.

Analysis

How has the writer structured the text to interest the reader?

• The review opens with a focus on the fantasy characters and genre of the film, engaging readers with the idea of the film pointing you “to enlightenment” – a journey of discovery.
• The opening paragraph ends with a short statement summing up the critic’s conclusion that it “doesn’t convey a strong enough sense of purpose”. This raises the question - why not?
• The focus shifts to the actors and Richards’ “star presence” – this balances the good and bad points. Finishing the paragraph with “the voyage north” continues the sense of a journey.
• The subheading “Many Questions Raised” is repeated in the final paragraph and highlights the critic’s conclusion that there are “not enough answered”.
• She balances this with positives – “will appeal to the child in everyone” and “childish escapism” – leaving the reader to decide for themselves whether they want to see it.
• The review concludes with the key dates. This informs the reader when they can see it.

How does the writer use language to influence the reader?

• The critic begins with a pun on the film’s ‘compass’ title, describing it as “a big budget exercise in orienteering” – implying that a lot of money has been spent producing a simple “find your way” story.
• A disappointed tone states that you “have to look between the CG seams” to find the “intent” of Pullman’s novel – as if the focus on special effects means the message of the story has been lost.
• Positive language choices, eg “star presence” and “engaging” are more upbeat as the review appreciates the acting.
• Humour is used to entertain the reader – “Kidman does the ominous eyebrow lifting” – the caricature of the villain is amusing rather than frightening. This is more appealing to children.
• The contrasting adverbs – “impressively realised battle scenes” and “disappointingly…fails to lead to any grand unveiling” - captures the feeling of anticlimax the writer experienced when watching the film. A direct statement reinforces this – “too many questions” and “not enough answered”.
• Describing the film as “childish escapism” suggests that it can still be enjoyed if we don’t expect too much from it. “Escapism” implies a light relief from reality - for both adults and children.