Tony Stark is/was played by Robert Downey Jr. Which tense is correct when it is used in a film review?

[Miranda123]

Dear everyone, I am not sure whether simple present or simple past tense should be used in these sentences when I write a film review.

1. Tony Stark is/was played by Robert Downey.
2. Spider - Man No Way Home is/ was directed by Jon Watts.
3.The Six Sense is/was written by M. Night Shyamalan.
Could anyone please help me with this?

Thank you so much!
Miranda

 

[emsr2d2]

Dear everyone,

I am not sure whether the simple present or simple past tense should be used in these sentences when I write a film review.

1. Tony Stark is/was played by Robert Downey Jr.
2. "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is/ was directed by Jon Watts.
3. "The Sixth Sense" is/ was written by M. Night Shyamalan.

Could anyone please help me with this?

Thank you so much! Unnecessary. Thank us after we help you, by adding the "Thanks" icon to any response you find useful.
Miranda Unnecessary. We go by our usernames here.

1. Both are possible.
2. Use "was".
3. Use "was".

When you write film/TV/book titles, either enclose them in quotation marks or italicise them.

 

[Tarheel]

Robert Downey's part is finished. I would only use past tense.

 

[jutfrank]

I would teach you to use the present tense in all three sentences.

 

[Miranda123]

Thank you very much for all your prompt replies. However, I am confused now because there are different opinions. May I know when a particular tense should be used in a film review?

Your replies would be very much appreciated.

 

[jutfrank]

Use the present tense. In a film review, it's customary to treat the film as it exists now.

 

[jutfrank]

Robert Downey's part is finished. I would only use past tense.

That would be highly inappropriate.

 

[Tarheel]

@jutfrank His acting job is finished. It's in the past tense.

 

[jutfrank]

The past tense is inappropriate there, Tarheel.

You don't write a film review saying that it starred Robert Downey Jr.

Iron Man stars Robert Downey Jr.

You're not talking about his acting job in this sentence. You're saying that he's in it. The only reason you might have to use a past tense is if you were talking about it as a piece of history, but you wouldn't do that in a review.

 

[Tarheel]

OK.

 

[Tarheel]

I agree with @emsr2d2

 

[Piscean]

And I agree with jutfrank.