Comparison Essay on the Qualities of a Good and a Bad Movie

Good and Bad Movies – Do They Exist?

Discussing whether a movie is good or bad can be problematic; to a certain extent, the matter is one of subjectivity. For example, some people enjoy watching action movies, but cannot sit through a horror, regardless of how much their friends have raved about it. Having said this, official reviews by movie industry professionals can give a more balanced, experienced opinion.

Some popular areas of scrutiny with regard to movies are plot, setting, character and script. Some pictures will score highly in one area, but lower in another. For example, “Girl Interrupted” is largely character-based, and a great deal of work is done by the script, but it doesn’t have an action-filled plot. Conversely, “Mission Impossible” has a fast-paced, gripping plot, but not much emphasis on character. However, a movie’s focus being more on one area than another doesn’t necessarily make it good or bad. Again, these opinions are largely subjective, and there are probably people who like “Girl Interrupted” and don’t like “Mission Impossible”, and vice versa.

Another important issue to consider is whether disliking a movie is the same as regarding it as bad. Take “The Exorcist” as an example. Some people like it, and some people hate it. However, those who claim to hate it may still consider it a good movie. Perhaps one way of deciding whether a movie is good or bad, therefore, is to rate its memorability. “The Exorcist”, although violent and disturbing, is also very hard to forget.

In conclusion, movies can…