Every film that is reviewed on The Film Meister is given a star rating out of five.

There are many elements taken into account but the overall score is primarily determined by how engaging a film is, the quality of its direction, script, performances and technical elements, as well as the themes the work explores, its context and what it represents for the genre or wider industry.

Review ratings can mean different things to different people (and, indeed, can vary between publications) so here’s an overview of what the scores mean. Note half scores are awarded where a film’s scores falls between the below definitions.

5 stars – Exceptional

This is a very rare occurrence – it’s not often something is close to being perfect. It’s very unlikely a film will be awarded this rating on a first viewing – a film needs to stand up to multiple rewatches.

4 stars – Excellent

This film exceeds expectations and is very good.

3 stars – Good

This is a positive review, but certain flaws prevent the film from being very good.

2 stars – Poor

This is a negative review and while there are some positive elements, the film is ultimately not engaging.

1 star – Terrible

This film was not enjoyable and there are no positive elements.