Film Criticism’s Crisis in the Letterboxd Era

In an essay for RogerEbert.com’s Black Writers Week, Brandon Lewis examines the state of film criticism in the age of social media, influencers, and platforms such as Letterboxd. He argues that the distance between professional critics and parts of the general audience has grown wider, especially when popular franchise films receive negative or cautious reviews and fans respond by accusing critics of elitism, misunderstanding, or being disconnected from public taste. The essay points to examples such as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Michael, and Mortal Kombat II to show that the debate is not only about the artistic value of individual films, but also about public trust in criticism and the critic’s place in contemporary culture. Lewis notes that as traditional criticism loses space in established media, studios and audiences increasingly turn to online reactions, user scores, and social media personalities. Still, he argues that the desire for criticism has not disappeared. Letterboxd shows that people still want to write, read, and talk about films, even when those conversations differ from classical criticism. The essay ultimately defends the need for film criticism, but not as an old one way authority. Lewis suggests that criticism must preserve precision, film knowledge, and strong writing while also finding ways to engage new audiences. For him, the real issue is not a battle between print media and social platforms, but the difference between quick reaction and serious experience, between instant consumption and genuine curiosity about cinema.

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