This page explains how Filmoria reviews films, television, streaming series and games: how the ratings work, what a review is actually based on, what we accept from studios and publishers, and what we do when we get something wrong. It applies to every review published on the site.
How our ratings work
Reviews carry a star rating out of five, in half-star increments. The rating is the reviewer’s judgement of the thing in front of them, not an average, not a calculation, and not something an editor overrides after the fact.
- 5 stars — Exceptional. The best of its year, and worth going out of your way for.
- 4 stars — Very good. Clear strengths, minor flaws, an easy recommendation.
- 3 stars — Solid. Does what it sets out to do; worth your time if the subject appeals.
- 2 stars — Weak. Real problems that get in the way of enjoying it.
- 1 star — Poor. Little to recommend beyond curiosity.
Ratings are not comparable across categories in any mathematical sense: four stars for a £200m blockbuster and four stars for a low-budget British drama are two different judgements about two different things. The written review always carries more information than the number.
What a review is based on
We review the finished thing, in full, wherever that is possible.
- Films are reviewed after a full viewing, usually at a press screening or a public showing.
- Series are reviewed on the episodes we have actually watched. Where a platform only supplies the opening episodes to press, the review says so rather than passing itself off as a verdict on a whole season.
- Games are reviewed after enough hours to say something useful, which for a long RPG means a good deal more than an afternoon. The review states the platform played, because performance can differ enough between versions to matter.
Spoilers
Reviews are written to be read before you have seen or played something. Where a plot point genuinely has to be discussed to make the argument, it is flagged clearly first. We do not put spoilers in headlines, standfirsts or social posts.
Review copies, screenings and press access
We accept screeners, review codes, press screening invitations and review copies from distributors, studios and publishers. That is how reviewing works, and it is standard practice across the industry.
What it does not buy is coverage or a score. Accepting a copy carries no agreement about what we will write, when we will write it, or whether we will write anything at all. No distributor, publisher or advertiser sees a review before publication, and no one outside the editorial team gets approval over a rating.
Where a trip, accommodation or an event has been paid for by a company we are covering, that is disclosed in the article itself.
Embargoes
We honour reasonable embargoes agreed in advance. We will not agree to an embargo conditional on the content of a review, and we reserve the right to decline an embargo we consider unreasonable — for example one that lifts after a title is already on sale.
Sponsored and partner content
Filmoria occasionally publishes sponsored or partner content, mostly around gaming, betting and lifestyle. It is identifiable from the subject matter, it is kept separate from editorial coverage, and it never touches a review score. Reviews are never sponsored, and a commercial relationship with a company has no bearing on how its work is rated.
Conflicts of interest
Writers do not review work they have been involved in, work made by close friends or family, or work by a company they have a financial interest in. Where a connection exists but is not disqualifying, it is disclosed in the piece.
Who writes our reviews
Every review carries a named byline, and every writer has an archive page you can reach by clicking their name on any article. Reviews are written by people who have watched or played the thing in question. We do not publish AI-generated reviews.
Corrections and right of reply
We correct factual errors as soon as we know about them, and we say what changed rather than quietly editing the page. Opinions and ratings are not corrections: we will not change a verdict because a company disagrees with it.
If you have spotted a factual error, or you represent a title we have covered and want to raise something, get in touch through Contact Us.
Questions about this policy
This policy is reviewed periodically and may be updated. Anything unclear, or anything you think it should cover but does not, can go to the same contact address. More about who we are is on the About Us page, and our Content Syndication Policy covers how our articles may be reused elsewhere.