Critical Movie Review Template

Name : ______________ Date: ____________

Science, Technology and Society Course: __________

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
      
BEFORE DO NOT
COMPLETING THIS REVIEW PLAGIARIZE!
ASSESSMENT, RESPOND TO THE ANSWER IN YOUR WORK
FOLLOW THE TYPE YOUR
PLEASE READ ALL OF REQUIREMENTS ESSAY BEFORE PLAGIARISM IS A
INSTRUCTIONS. ANSWERS WELL.
THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE TASK. FORM. SUBMITTING MAJOR OFFENSE
THOROUGHLY AND IT. THAT LEADS TO
CAREFULLY. EXPULSION.
Critical Movie Review Template

In a critical movie review, you systematically evaluate a film’s effectiveness including what it does well
and what it does poorly. It can be used to discuss a science and technology documentary film. You must
review the film carefully and may need to look up terms or concepts you are unfamiliar with or research
related reading prior to writing your review.

Instructions:

1. Watch the film Gattaca found on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzG3I7nMEks

2. Prepare a short movie review using the guide below:

Writing the Film Review

Although there is not a set formula to follow when writing a film review, the genre does have certain common
elements that most film reviews include.

1) Introduction
- In the opening of your review, provide some basic information about the film. You may include film’s name, year,
director, screenwriter, and major actors.
- Your introduction, which may be longer than one paragraph, should also begin to evaluate the film, and it should
allude to the central concept of the review. A film review does not have to contain a thesis or main claim, but it
should focus on a central analysis and assessment.

2) Plot Summary
- Remember that many readers of film reviews have not yet seen the film. While you want to provide some plot
summary, keep this brief and avoid specific details that would spoil the viewing for others.

3) Description
- While the plot summary will give the reader a general sense of what the film is about, also include a more
detailed description of your particular cinematic experience watching the film. This may include your personal
impression of what the film looks, feels, and sounds like. In other words, what stands out in your mind when you
think about this particular film?
4) Analysis
- In order to explain your impression of the film, consider how well the film utilizes formal techniques and thematic
content. How do the film’s formal techniques (such as cinematography, editing, mise-en-scène, lighting, diegetic
and non-diegetic sound, genre, or narrative) affect the way the film looks, feels, and sounds to you? How does the
thematic content (such as history, race, gender, sexuality, class, or the environment) affect your experience and
interpretation? Also, do the formal techniques work to forward the thematic content?

5) Conclusion/Evaluation
- The closing of your film review should remind the reader of your general thoughts and impressions of the film.
You may also implicitly or explicitly state whether or not you recommend the film. Make sure to remind the reader
of why the film is or is not worth seeing.

Part 2. Answer the following guide questions as short as possible.

Guide Questions:

1. If we were able to exclude the eccentric, the different, the misfits, and the weak, what would
happen to society?

2. Compare Jerome and Vincent. What were their strengths and their weaknesses? In what
ways were they the mirror image of each other?

3. Why is there such resistance to the new order imposed by this society? E.g., Vincent's
girlfriend; the test technician?

4. What do you think is wrong with the society portrayed in "Gattaca"?

5. Wouldn't every parent want to ensure that their child was perfect and had the attributes of
physical attractiveness, intelligence and athletic prowess to be able to do whatever he or she
wanted in life? If so, why is the society portrayed in this film so devoid of happiness, vitality and
fun?

6. Some people have countered the vision of this film by saying that our strengths are
inextricably combined with our weaknesses. Do you agree with this?

7. What limits should be placed on genetic engineering? Should it be allowed at all? Should it
be limited to the elimination of disease and physical imperfections? Why or why not?
8. Should we permit people to make human clones of themselves? What about someone who
cannot have a child? Should we permit people to make human clones of other people?

9. If you would permit human cloning, would the clones have all the rights of "natural" people?

10. Did this society, with its rigid requirements of genetic perfection, foster the ethical value of
respect for the differences among people?

Rubric

4 3 2 1
Knowledge/Understanding Incorporates all Incorporates most Incorporates some Does not
elements and elements and of the elements and incorporates the
demonstrates demonstrates a demonstrates some elements and or
complete good understanding of fails to
understanding of understanding the purpose of a adequately
the purpose of a of the purpose of a review demonstrate a
review with review thorough
considerable understanding of
effectiveness the purpose of a
review
Thinking/ Inquiry Writer gives a brief Summary is either Summary is either Little or no
summary of film a little too long or much too significant
without disclosing not long enough short or much too summary; no
ending; includes but does not give long; may details from the
enough info to away ending; not be vague or tell too movie and little
satisfy; details quite as much; evidence from
from the movie compelling; fewer few details from the summary to
and evidence from details from the movie support
summary strongly movie and and little evidence reviewer’s opinion
support reviewer’s evidence from from Contains no
opinion Contains summary to summary to significant
sufficient and support reviewer’s support evaluation of
knowledgeable opinion Contains reviewer’s opinion many aspects of
evaluation of many some evaluation of Contains film to support
aspects of film to many aspects of insufficient reviewer’s opinion
support reviewer’s film to support evaluation of many
opinion, including reviewer’s opinion, aspects of
directing, acting including directing, film to support
cinematography, acting reviewer’s
editing, scenery, cinematography, opinion, including
special effects and editing, scenery, directing,
 soundtrack special effects and acting
soundtrack cinematography,
editing, scenery,
special
effects and
soundtrack;
Communication Review is strongly Review is Review’s transitions Review is choppy
organized with organized and and connections or not cohesive;
clear transitions most transitions are somewhat organization is
and logical and connections clear, but either unclear; few
connections that are clear, but organization is effective
create a sense of either organization somewhat lacking transitions; may
being tightly is somewhat or the sense of flow be unclear on
woven together; lacking or the is somewhat evaluation Writing
review offers a sense of flow is abrupt; review lacks a clear voice
clear evaluation somewhat abrupt; gives clear and original style
Writing is strong review gives clear evaluation Writing Applies grammar,
and effective with evaluation Writing is/can be rather usage, spelling
a clear voice and a is adequate but bland; has no clear and punctuation
variety of sentence not extremely voice and or sense with limited
structures; strong compelling or of originality; is accuracy
and effective word original; may be wordy or
choice Applies wordy or voice redundant; or
grammar, usage, may be unclear; diction &/or
spelling and diction may not be sentence structure
punctuation with a as vivid; s/s may may be repetitive
high degree of not be as varied Applies grammar,
accuracy and Applies grammar, usage, spelling and
effectiveness usage, spelling and punctuation with
punctuation with some accuracy a
considerable
accuracy and
effectiveness

Application Uses the writing Uses the writing Uses the writing Uses the writing
process with a high process with process with process with
degree of considerable moderate passable
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness Few
References are References are Limited number of to no references
made, with a high made, with references made to made to other
degree of considerable other works (films, works (films,
effectiveness, to effectiveness, to novels, etc.), novels, etc.),
other works (films, other works (films, genres, plots genres, plots
novels, etc.), novels, etc.),
genres, plots genres, plots

Submission COMPLETE + COMPLETE/ON INC/LATE DNS/INC/LATE

EXTRA /EARLY TIME

References:
https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/film-review-1.original.pdf?
fbclid=IwAR19Iq1OdnqsFEXBV7l1HnY4VhOHhdM1yKv0s731BzU_GhYKwKsAbWRg_oQ
https://craigyoung2013.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/f-movie-review-rubric-2016.pdf