The biggest complaint I have is that I don't feel like I'm reading a review. It seems like 3 or 4 paragraph on something he saw, and nothing more. The V for Vendetta "review" for exemple:
First paragraph: This is a movie based on a comic book, personal appreciation of graphic novel, Alan Moore is the author, he doesn't like movie adaption.
Second paragraph: Hugo Weaving is great as V (he talks well), John Hurt is great (nice dictator), Nathalie Portman is lackluster with a lackluster character.
Third paragraph: Visuals looks cheap. Totilatarian fiction should have big, impressive visuals (he actually wrote "visulas").
Fourth paragraph (so short I don't have to summarize): "This movie is fine structurally, with two very good performances. But it doesn't leave you with the feeling that films about revolution are supposed to."
A lot of complaint about this review.
First of all, his bias are waaaay too obvious. Every reviewer has bias, it's inevitable, but it must be tempered by a effort to be objective. Why should totalitarian fiction mean big and impressive visuals? What feeling does a movie about revolution is "supposed to " give me? And I reeealllly don't care how much you prefer manga over graphic novel. You are reviewing a movie. Stay on topic, don't disgress. Especially when you conclude by saying you will judge this movie "by movie standards alone".
Secondly, he doesn't cover enough ground about the movie. Was the story believable? Was the music good? This movie in particular, with a "terrorist" as a hero, ask a lot of interesting question in a post 9/11 world: What is a terrorist? Does the mean justified the end? Can a revolution with violent means be successful? There is even (spoiler alert) some torture being done by the main character, was it acceptable then? Did the movie feel too long, or too short? Are the action scene good, bad, acceptable? Does it sometimes deviate too far from it's main storyline? Does this movie appeal to teen or adults? Can my kid see it? etc....
And third....sorry, my post is becoming longer than your review, which is a big indicator that it'd not long enough! I expected to read a review, not a quick survey of only four or five thing about a particular movie. The problem is, after reading is review, if I didn't knew the movie beforehand, I wouldn't know what kind of movie it is. Action? Romance? Adventure? Comedy? Drama? I only know it's about a revolution and a totalitarian regime, made by the same person who did The Matrix (and I can tell you that, based on only thoses informations, my idea of the movie is verrrry far from the reality).
Well, I will stop there, but I think you get the idea.
P.S: Sorry for any grammar mistakes, you would have guess that english is not my first language.
