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For more than two decades, gamers have been spending long hours in front of their computer screen, taking part in the battle between orcs and humans. Now director Duncan Jones brings the world of Warcraft to the big screen in one big, epic, complicated, monotonous mess of an adventure.
Warcraft takes place in the kingdom of Azeroth, where King Llane (Dominic Cooper) has enjoyed a peaceful reign. But when an army of orcs travels through a portal from their dying world to Azeroth with plans to conquer the new land and make it their home, Llane and his commander, Lothar (Travis Fimmel), are forced to fight back. But as the rival warriors wage battle, orc chieftain Durotan (Toby Kebbell) begins to realize that their leader’s deadly magic will only destroy this new world, too—so he decides to work with the humans to try to stop him.
If you’re a longtime fan of the Warcraft games, there’s a good chance that you’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of this big screen adaptation. And you’ll probably be able to overlook a whole lot of flaws and simply enjoy watching the action play out in eye-popping epic fashion.
I, however, have never played any of the Warcraft games—so I have no attachment to the characters and their story. And for those like me—those who are just looking for some entertaining action and fantasy—it’s often nice to look at, but it’s long and drawn out and needlessly complicated.
The story here is pretty simple. It’s the story of a human army trying to protect their kingdom from an army of monsters from another world. But it’s a simple story told in the most complex way possible. There are so many characters and plotlines—alliances, betrayals, politics, family drama, and even budding romance—and it’s hard to keep track of it all. The characters, too, are often bumbling and immature, prone to jealousy and self-centeredness and testosterone-fueled posturing.
Fortunately, Warcraft is a good-looking film. Though the orcs definitely take some getting used to, the settings are striking. The battles, too, are grand, epic sequences. Still, there are so many of them that they soon feel monotonous—just more orcs fighting more humans in a slightly different setting. And, after a while, not only will you give up on trying to follow the story, but you’ll be bored by the same old action sequences, too.
Due to the complex story and excessive action sequences, newcomers to the world of Warcraft will find the film adaptation long and even dull. It’s the kind of move that only a diehard fan will love.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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