This may be surprising since I am a huge film nerd, but I just really don't see a logical reason to read (most) film reviews. I should clarify that by review, I mean the short little spoiler-free write-ups where someone grades a movie. You can find these on sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. Now, I don't mean to put down those sites. They're useful. Even though I might bristle at the thought of someone telling me whether a movie is good, these sites do calculate an overall consensus which can guide me toward a movie I might like.
My problem with movie reviews is that they offer nothing to me as a reader. We get a somewhat spoiler-free article about the movie. But before seeing a movie I really don't want to read anything about it beyond maybe who directed it, who is in it, the genre and maybe the general set-up for the storyline. I want no plot details at all!
Now after I've seen the movie, I love to talk about it. But at this point I no longer want to avoid discussing spoilers. I want message boards and in-depth analysis about the entire movie. What more am I to gain by reading something that avoids discussing the plot and details of the movie?
So no, I'm not saying I don't read what might be considered critiques of the film. My film survey teacher distinguished between such critiques (analysis) and reviews (opinion). But what do I care so much about someone's opinion after I've already seen the movie? Discuss the film, with spoilers!