Everybody's a critic! In today's movie world, that old show-biz lament seems almost literally true. Film reviewers have swarmed onto the scene like so many cicadas in the past half-dozen years - thanks mainly to the Internet, where anyone with a website, a blog, or just an e-mail address can set up shop as a cinematic pundit.

And some are highly influential. Reviews posted at darkhorizons.com, aintitcoolnews.com, and filmthreat.com - three of the most visited movie sites on the Web - court more attention from Hollywood's coveted 18-to 24-year-old age demographic than, say, a review by Time magazine's Richard Corliss.

Simply, broadband is beating out the newstand when it comes to finding a quick recommendation on a new release - especially because some websites post critiques earlier than print reviewers, often sidestepping embargoes set by the studios. (For instance, Harry Knowles of aintitcoolnews posted his review of the coming Harry Potter movie last week.)

But the freedom of the Web to print anything - no formal credentials or editor required - has set off a debate over whether the proliferation of online reviewers has strengthened the overall state of film criticism or weakened it.

"Online reviewing isn't the wave of the future," says Harvey Karten, director of New York Film Critics Online, a trade association. "It's the 'in' thing at this very moment."

There are many reviewers on the Net whose writing is superior to no small number of print critics, but there are also many sophomoric writers, he observes.

Mr. Karten and others who run online-critic associations see their job as weeding out the good from the bad. They do this by setting high standards for membership, regularly vetting their members' reviews, and spreading news about special accomplishments like print articles and book publications.

Nobody knows how many online critics currently exist. "I have no idea how to count," says Phil Hall, a member of the Online Film Critics Society governing council, noting that the OFCS has members from Iceland and Croatia to South Africa and Thailand.

One reason for the explosive growth of Internet criticism is its sheer availability. "Computers are universal in American homes," Karten points out, "and 67 percent have Internet access. Theoretically, anyone with [such access] can set up anything from a personal blog to a sophisticated site."

Sites such as efilmcritic.com even invite readers to submit reviews - if they like it, they'll post it. The site boasts: "We got folks who take a wage from the studios we slam, we've got people who know people, and a hefty slice of average folks who don't dribble when they talk and just like a good flick. This allows us to get a good cross-section of opinions on each film released."

For some readers, website reviews by an amateur critic may be more in line with their tastes than that of a highbrow cinèaste in a broadsheet. Moreover, some online critics write in a "webby style" that suits a generation accustomed to instant messaging and text messaging.

Another factor is the Internet's interactivity.

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