Our Ratings System
At TheJackSmit.com we've been fairly consistent with how films, whether independent or Hollywood, are reviewed over the years - and we asked the man himself about how he rates the films that appear here on the blog.
JACK'S RATING CRITERIA, EXPLAINED
0/5: I Smell Nuclear Grade Bullsmit
The worst of the worst. Expect scathing rants either on the blog or on a Journal episode… because films which absolutely stink belong here.
1/5: Bargain bin worthy
Films like Nine Lives and other mediocre performances get this rating for a reason- there isn’t a cohesive narrative, the performances look like they’re being phoned in… this is the category for the films that suck.
2/5: Not angry, just very disappointed
This category generally consists of films that get a ‘thank god that’s over’ reaction. Hence the name. There’s room for improvement, a lot of space for potential, and the film generally needs a lot of work to make it actually feel watchable. In many cases at this rating, the film can be so bad, it’s actually good.
3/5: It’s a Ronseal job: it does what it says on the tin
This category is for the films that excel in some fields, but struggle in other aspects- while they’re worth the watch, be prepared to be underwhelmed with some minor schoolboy errors, pacing issues, or just a lack of enjoyment in some cases.
4/5: Worth a watch on the big screen
This one is self explanatory- films that are about to hit the higher levels of enjoyment belong here, they may not be practically perfect in every way, but they are worth the price of your cinema ticket- because piracy is illegal and frowned upon here at TheJackSmit.com.
5/5: Perfection
Sometimes a film comes along and absolutely nails it with every aspect. This is the category they go into- we’re talking Film of the Year potential in this hallowed ground. The plot has to be bang on, the performances on point, and the pacing done so well that it doesn’t feel like a long film. The standards on this level are incredibly high.
ON-THE-CREDITS THOUGHTS
For Jack’s hot-out-of-the-film thoughts on anything which gets a First Take - stay tuned to YouTube Shorts, Instagram and TikTok for his ROUGH CUT thoughts, your first indicator as to where the review is heading.
