How Much Should Movie Critics Know About Movies?

Should there be a ‘ground zero’ of knowledge for movie criticism?

And what makes a critic effective at their job?

This article originally appeared onDen of Geek UK.

I hadnt felt like that watching a film for a long time, and my eventual write-up reflected that.

The thought that someone is coming for you.

And he said something particularly interesting, thats stuck heavily in my head: where is ground zero?

My own horror base was more 80s and 90s.

As Ive gotten older, Ive gone further and further back, of course.

The impact couldnt help but be a little different to those that discovered it in a darkened cinema.

In short, how much should a movie critic know, before they get to criticize movies?

And where should that ground zero be?

For my generation, Kermode noted, Halloweenwas the end of something.

Yet for mine, it was the start.

And theres nothing I can really do to change that.

Peter Ramsey directed the animated DreamWorks adventureRise Of The Guardians.

Two hours to watch the film, about the same again to digest and write about.

Is that in itself, for a filmmaker, easy to reconcile?

Well… yes and no, he told me.

He did ask a question of the way the weekly cycle of film releases are screened to critics.

Its a slight aside, but not without value.

We were on a Monday afternoon, a 4pm slot.

I was told at the time that its a slot for films that people didnt really know much about.

Of course I wish theyd all been raves, he laughed.

Others thought it was just eh, and some thought it was a shameless crime against animation.

Yet Ramsey also firmly believes that there are basics a critic should bring to a film.

The same with Steven Bachs bookFinal Cut, that charts the making ofHeavens Gate.

And thats what most criticism is, I guess: one persons opinion, he added.

Its not to be taken personally or even seriously.

Including indifference and not watching it.

These last two are, of course, the worst.

But even on productions they dont like, theyre on the lookout for something to admire.

And sometimes, it takes background knowledge to help with that.

What has everyone done before?

How does it reflect on their career as a whole?

For me, itsThe Exorcist.

But evenThe Exorcistdidnt come from nowhere.

It had predecessors too.

The obligation, then, is on the critic to dig deeper.

And therein lies a quandary.

He was steeped in the medium that nobody born after him will ever be.

Yes, I think you’re free to.

But I think its probably a bad idea.

What are you going to bring to it?

And so you can be astute, you should want to have that firm grounding.

If youre writing aboutGoodfellas, that means writing about Scorseses earlier crime films as well.

Knowing about the stuff that Scorsese is referencing in terms of tracking shots, for instance.

Whats more, film, as a medium, is now around 120 years old.

But that doesnt mean those who want to do the job seriously shouldnt try.

But if you dont want to seeCitizen Kane, why do you want to be a film critic?

I think theres something in that.

For me, above all, preserving honesty is key.

And I think its important to be honest about that.