What analytical technique can be used to accurately interpret audience sentiment based on IMDb film reviews, beyond a simple average rating?

Sentiment analysis, also known as opinion mining, is an analytical technique used to accurately interpret audience sentiment from IMDb film reviews beyond a simple average rating. Sentiment analysis uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to determine the emotional tone expressed in the text of the reviews. It can identify whether a review expresses positive, negative, or neutral sentiment towards specific aspects of the film, such as the acting, directing, screenplay, or visual effects. By analyzing the frequency and intensity of positive and negative sentiments across a large number of reviews, you can gain a more nuanced understanding of audience reaction than is possible with a simple average rating. For example, sentiment analysis can reveal that while a film has a moderate average rating, the reviews are overwhelmingly positive about the acting but negative about the plot, providing more granular and actionable insights.