Tyler Ettner

Zack De Piero
Writing 2
13 March, 2016
The Genre Awakens
Attack! Modern society is currently under siege by an endless barrage of information and
ideas, which make it near impossible to navigate our daily lives in a meaningful way. In the years
to come, this issue will only increase in magnitude as the world becomes ever more
interconnected, which means that we must adapt by finding ways to extract value from the fray.
A key principle that will contribute to this adaptation comes in the form of genre analysis,
something which even the most common individual can utilize to more effectively identify and
understand both the context and meaning of the rhetoric to which they are constantly exposed.
The value of this type of critical analysis cannot be overstated, as even basic knowledge about
the context and conventions of a given genre make our comprehension of the ideas being
expressed in a writing piece much clearer. A genre that serves as a perfect case study for this
concept comes in the form of movie reviews. Authors of this genre are constrained by
objectivity, and must use rhetorical tools involving purpose, audience, and context to frame their
critique in an unbiased way. Fortunately, the record shattering film Star Wars - The Force
Awakens has received a great deal of media attention as of late, with reviews and critiques that
are prime examples of the concepts at hand.
The modern consumer must first understand the concept of purpose, as it can help them
to make better spending decisions time and time again. Moviegoers can take an objective
approach in their reaction to a review by identifying Time Magazines intentions with their movie

reviews to gain media influence and give quality feedback on social issues. Kerry Dirk
supports this notion, claiming that It is this knowledge that helps us to recognize and to
determine appropriate responses to different situations (Dirk 259) in regards to the purpose
involved with certain genres. This brings forth the exigence of the moviegoer -- highly priced
tickets and the associated costs of going to the theater -- which then become the driving purpose
for a movie critics work to inform and suggest where one should allocate their resources. In
the words of Carrol, If the exigence frames the problem, the purpose frames the response to that
problem (Carrol 52), further illustrating the fact that movie critics aim to provide value to
readers in assisting with their decision-making process. Recognizing this key contextual factor
specific to the genre of critiques demonstrates the type of analysis necessary for an effective
consumer hoping to make the most of their money.
While every movie critic interprets a film in their own unique way, there seems to be a
general purpose to their reviews which is reflected in the conventions of this genre, regardless of
their individual reaction to a film. Unbiased feedback seems to be the name of the game for
reviewers, who aim to give their audience an objective look at a films general quality and weigh
out the perceived strengths and weaknesses associated with it. Additionally, movie reviews
simply cannot be considered valid if they involve any sort of special interest -- someone who
stands to benefit from a higher (or lower) amount of ticket sales. This is especially evident in
Time Magazines critique, which argues that in the end, its perfectly adequate, hitting every
beat. But why settle for adequacy? The article continues to take on a bittersweet tone, in which
it praises the director for some aspects of the film, while scolding him for others While there
are elements that feel special and fresh, mostly The Force Awakens strives to please instead of
surprise. This insight displays the fact that while the author takes his fan-dominated audience

into account with a tempered criticism, he simultaneously achieves his goal of expressing his
lackluster reaction to the film. By understanding the rhetors motive for a piece, readers can
better comprehend the ideas being discussed, granting them greater clarity regarding the
contextual details of the arguments being made.
Standing as the highest grossing film of all time in U.S. theaters, The Force Awakens
clearly appeals to an expansive audience, ranging over numerous age groups and demographics
which are interested in the series. Similar to reviews for any type of film, the authors make an
attempt to connect to their audience, often times on an emotional level. This is quite apparent in
The Guardians online film review, in which the author claims that, The Force Awakens reawoke my love of the first movie giving him a feeling in the cinema [he hasnt] had since [he]
was 16: not knowing whether to burst into tears or into applause. By analyzing his audience and
understanding that they were likely emotionally attached to the film in some way, this rhetor
found a way to employ the idea of pathos in order to connect with them and argue for his opinion
on the film. Laura Carroll claims that, "Pathos can be a very effective appeal if the rhetor has to
persuade the audience in a very short amount of time" (Carroll 53), which the author of this
review achieved by first identifying his target audience and writing to them. By taking into
account the emotional sentiments of Star Wars fans, The Guardians review effectively crafts a
bond of camaraderie in a shared love for the series, allowing the rhetor to go further into his
analysis of the film with the audience already on his side. This enhances the quality of the
argument and helps the author achieve their purpose for the piece.
While the internet platform encourages the application of various new media types to
assist movie critics in fulfilling their purpose, there are still a variety of constraints which alter
the efficacy of online film reviews. Reviews are severely constrained by the fact that they cannot

include much, if any significant content addressing the most integral parts of the film. This is due
to the simple fact that spoilers of any kind are off-limits and would be met with outrage from
even the least dedicated fans of a particular movie. Analysis of this constraint helps to
understand the limitations on both who can participate as rhetor and what can be said (Carrol
51). Critics must exercise diligence and proceed cautiously in order to avoid such a misstep,
likely placing serious limitations on their ability to convey their thoughts on major plot points
which play a substantial role in the quality of the film in question. To disobey this fundamental
convention of the genre would be a grave mistake, which further proves the point that an
understanding of these principles can make or break an author's work and their ability to
communicate with their audience effectively. This can be discerned by the fact that none of the
reviews by seasoned critics appeared to give away any serious information about the film's major
twists, despite giving fairly extensive synopsis overviews. This limitation helps to frame the
context for the movie review genre, which is to be a mere preview of a film's overall quality,
carefully crafted to help guide consumers without ruining their movie-going experience.
The exigence is clear, modern citizens of the global community must learn to carefully
analyze the constant stream of information that they are faced with in a variety of contexts. There
are many ways to go about this form of critical thinking, but perhaps the most valuable of which
involves identification of genre conventions. As displayed by the movie reviews discussed, the
practical application of this skill is an essential part of understanding rhetorical pieces which
influence our decisions as consumers, academics, or even writers. In the words of Kerry Dirk,
Genres matter because they shape our everyday lives. And by studying the genres that we find
familiar, we can start to see how specific choices that writers make result in specific actions on
the part of readers (Dirk 254). Whether it comes in the form of a simple critique on a Sci-Fi

flick or any other distinct category, understanding an authors driving purpose, target audience,
and contextual situation for their work is an essential skill that we must all strive to develop.

Works Cited

Bradshaw, Peter. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review - A Spectacular Homecoming." The
Guardian. N.p., 16 Dec. 2015. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
<http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/16/star-wars-the-force-awakens-review-aspectacular-homecoming>.
Carroll, Laura B. Backpacks vs. Briefcases: Steps toward Rhetorical Analysis Writing Spaces:
Readings on Writing, Volume 1. Parlor Press, 2010. Print. 16 Jan. 2016.
Diaz-Granados, Alex. "'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Movie Review: Is the Force with Episode
VII?" Examiner.com. N.p., 7 Jan. 2016. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
<http://www.examiner.com/review/star-wars-the-force-awakens-movie-review-is-theforce-with-episode-vii>.
Dirk, Kerry. Navigating Genre Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 1. Parlor Press,
2010. Print. 16 Jan. 2016.
Zacharek, Stephanie. "Review: 'The Force Awakens' Is Everything You Could Hope for in a Star
Wars' Movie-And Less." Time. Time, 16 Dec. 2015. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.