Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films by professional reviewers. It is not the same as a review, which is primarily a consumer guide. Criticism goes deeper. It examines the film's themes, style, structure, and cultural context. It places the film in a tradition, compares it to other works, and interprets its meaning. It is an act of interpretation, not just judgment.

Film criticism has a long history. Early critics like Béla Balázs and Rudolf Arnheim wrote about film as an art form. The French New Wave critics, including André Bazin, François Truffaut, and Jean-Luc Godard, became filmmakers themselves. Pauline Kael, Roger Ebert, and Andrew Sarris brought criticism to a wider audience. Each had a distinctive voice and a distinctive approach. Some focused on aesthetics. Some focused on politics. Some focused on entertainment.

Film criticism is changing. Traditional newspapers and magazines have cut their criticism staff. Online publications, podcasts, and video essays have filled some of the gap. Rotten Tomatoes aggregates reviews into a single score, which some argue reduces criticism to a number. But serious criticism still exists. It is written by people who love film and want to understand it more deeply. It is a conversation about what films mean and why they matter.