Neil Smith

Social Links Navigation

Freelance Writer

Neil Smith is a freelance film critic who has written for several publications, including Total Film. His bylines can be found at the BBC, Film 4 Independent, Uncut Magazine, SFX Magazine, Heat Magazine, Popcorn, and more.

Latest articles by Neil Smith

The End We Start From review: "Jodie Comer is a force of nature in this apocalyptic drama"

By Neil Smith published 16 January 24

review

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom review: "The DCEU's last outing should have tried to make more of a splash"

By Neil Smith published 21 December 23

review

Rebel Moon Part One review: "Risks being subsumed by its own self-importance, but delivers bombastic mayhem"

By Neil Smith published 15 December 23

review

Godzilla Minus One review: "A gargantuan and resonant epic"

By Neil Smith published 28 November 23

review

Iman Vellani, Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris in The Marvels

The Marvels review: "A disjointed mini-Avengers that doesn't make a great deal of sense"

By Neil Smith published 8 November 23

review

Five Nights at Freddy's review: "Five nights too many"

By Neil Smith published 25 October 23

review

The Kitchen review: "A startling vision of the future troublingly close to our present"

By Neil Smith published 16 October 23

review

The Book of Clarence review: "An amusing but muddled Biblical satire"

By Neil Smith published 12 October 23

review

The Bikeriders review: "This absorbing study of a Chicago motorcycle crew thrums with Scorsese-isms"

By Neil Smith published 6 October 23

review

BlackBerry review: "A lively epitaph for a device that went extinct"

By Neil Smith published 4 October 23

review

Fair Play review: "A gripping, sleek, and impressive debut feature"

By Neil Smith published 28 September 23

review

Saw X review: "Tobin Bell's comeback isn't sufficient X-cuse to resuscitate the series"

By Neil Smith published 28 September 23

review

Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot in A Haunting in Venice

A Haunting in Venice review: "Third time's a charm for a franchise that's found its groove"

By Neil Smith published 9 September 23

review

The Nun 2 review: "Best stop now before it becomes a habit"

By Neil Smith published 7 September 23

review

Strays review: "You'll be wishing you were Homeward Bound yourself"

By Neil Smith published 17 August 23

review

Blue Beetle review: "There's life in the old DCEU yet"

By Neil Smith published 16 August 23

review

A Haunting in Venice producer on why the franchise is leaning into the supernatural: "We can't do the same thing over and over"

By Neil Smith published 15 August 23

Exclusive EXCLUSIVE: James Prichard also weighs in on the likelihood of a fourth Agatha Christie-inspired movie

Exclusive

Is it just me, or are too many films being made into musicals?

By Neil Smith published 11 August 23

feature A Total Film writer on why it's time for the final curtain...

feature

Gran Turismo review: "A fun if formulaic thrill-ride"

By Neil Smith published 8 August 23

review

Meg 2 The Trench review: "A listless, mechanical follow-up"

By Neil Smith published 4 August 23

review

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken review: "A playful reversal of mythical expectations"

By Neil Smith published 26 June 23

review

Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman in No Hard Feelings

No Hard Feelings review: "Taste and laughs are in slim supply in Jennifer Lawrence's latest"

By Neil Smith published 21 June 23

Review

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts review: "Leans into an orgy of bombastic Bayhem"

By Neil Smith published 6 June 23

review

Fast X review: "Outrageously entertaining, entertainingly outrageous"

By Neil Smith published 17 May 23

review

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 review: "A rousing, resonant conclusion"

By Neil Smith published 28 April 23

review

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives

Sign up to the 12DOVE Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

1
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl review: "The best but most broken game I've played all year"
2
Towers of Aghasba review: "Exploration is a joy thanks to gorgeous visuals and a varied landscape"
3
Sorry We're Closed review: "Resident Evil 4 and Silent Hill can't match this neon-soaked survival horror for its sheer inventiveness"
4
Lego Horizon Adventures review: "Brilliantly rebuilds this PlayStation icon"
5
Codenames review: "The ultimate pick-up-and-play party game"

1
Wicked review: "Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo will have you defying gravity"
2
Gladiator 2 review: "A rousing spectacle with Ridley Scott and Denzel Washington on top form"
3
Paddington in Peru review: "Endlessly easy to love with a pitch-perfect Olivia Colman"
4
Venom: The Last Dance review: "A puddle of pixels that isn’t much fun to splash around in"
5
Smile 2 Review: "Naomi Scott demonstrates her talents with a raw, no-holds-barred performance in this largely successful horror sequel"

1
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: "Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place"
2
Dune: Prophecy review: "HBO's prequel occasionally stands up to Denis Villeneuve's movies – but largely falls short"
3
Arcane season 2 review: "Stunning animation and a bigger scope reaches thrilling new heights"
4
Silo season 2 review: "A commanding performance from Rebecca Ferguson makes it a dystopian future worth staying in"
5
Agatha All Along finale review and recap: "Fun, but think about it too hard and it falls apart like a house of tarot cards"