[Movie] Warcraft

It was a really bad trailer.

I have no doubt it is going to turn a profit, when looking into the international market numbers. Just based on projections in China, profit will be turned there, and anything else will be extra. Obviously, all is nearly projections here.

Here's what I am getting so far:

1. General Audience overseas has a positive reviews.
2. Overseas critics have had positive reviews. (example: http://aucafedesloisirs.com/2016/05/25/warcraft-review/)
3. 5 domestic critics: 2 "fresh", 3 "rotten". This is where all the "oh look, it sucks!" reactions are coming from. Let's not overreact (see point 1 and 2).

With which number 3 is not surprising. Imo, I feel that many still have a some stereotypes of gamers & videogames, in addition with the self-fulfilling prophecies that domestic critics are bringing in.

I mean, really, one domestic critic has already played the race card, with another spending his time criticizing Blizzard mostly, and hardly the actual movie. Heck, Rotten Tomatoes has yet to even update the run time.

If anything, I think this movie is illustrating a wide cultural difference domestically and overseas.

Edit: Doing a little digging, one of the negative RT critics loved DBZ and Jupiter Ascending (the irony on the latter). Heh.

 

Fairly negative review coming from Kotaku.com, a gaming focused website as well though.

http://kotaku.com/the-warcraft-movie-is-not-good-1778550679

 

Interesting. Good find; the first negative gaming review I've found. Wonder what his/Kotaku other reviews have been like personally.

However, lol at thinking that the movie should be light-hearted and goofy; how could he supposedly have played the game and say that?

I also see a trend of LOTR or bust; personally, LOTR was my favorite trilogy of all time, and is an unfair standard for any movie coming out.

 

to be fair, Warcraft is alot more light hearted/goofy than LOTR. The general plot for the Warcraft RTS games are fairly dark but the games themselves can get very goofy at times, eg the sorceress turning enemies into sheep & flying sheep, the Jaimaican trolls, the pandaren brewmasters etc.

 

Absolutely true, but the movie would lean towards the plot, not gameplay, of the RTS.

Nevertheless, a different viewpoint, on the negative end, than the general domestic industry critics, is good to be aware about. (Personally, I just look at general audience reviews, but obviously this approach is not shared).

 

http://imgur.com/Y95qpkl

Absolutely. And I think that is why the released it internationally before the U.S. They know where the large audiences are. And it is being reflected by positive overseas reviews, both from the general audience and critics.

 

well there's an angry birds movie too

 

http://www.justjared.com/2016/05/25/henry-cavill-supports-warcraft-cast-at-london-screening/

http://9gag.com/gag/aYe2b07

 

Blizard always had cinematics that are amazing for a video game - but...movies are an entirely different level.

DD

 

Absolutely loved their cinematics. Still my favorite to this day.

Objectively, I see myself rating the movie a 7, but enjoying it like a 10, if that makes sense.

 

Translation (not perfect, I know) of some French Reviews:

Spoiler

Synopsis:

Warning: scenes, words or images may offend the sensibilities of viewers.

The peaceful kingdom of Azeroth is on the brink of war when civilization is facing a fearsome race of invaders: Orc warriors fleeing their dying world to colonize another. While a portal opens to connect the two worlds, an army is facing destruction and the other to extinction. From opposite sides, two heroes will battle and decide the fate of their families, their people and their homeland.
Critical Warcraft: rating 9/10

For his new film, director Duncan Jones took the risk to adapt one of the most famous video game: Warcraft. For this film he offers 5 star cast and varied. It includes Dominic Cooper (Captain America, Preacher), Paula Patton (Deja Vu, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol), Ben Foster (The Program, From Blood and Tears), Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Maggie has a Plan), Clancy Brown (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Daredevil), Ben Schnetzer (Pride, The Riot Club) or Toby Kebbell (Cartel, Planet Of The Apes: The Last Stand).

The world of Orcs is destroyed, their only means of survival is to invade Azeroth. With their leader Gul'dan, a handful of the best will land on Azeroth through the opening of a portal and will see and face the King Llane and men. Dominic Cooper is perfect in King Llane and managed to give him the charisma needed. In the role of Medivh we find Ben Foster who delivers an excellent performance thanks to this mysterious character, which holds many surprises. The revelation of this film will be Ben Schnetzer Khadgar who plays a young talented and determined magician. We also retain Travis Fimmel Lothar embodies this brave and formidable warrior. dubbing level, we will not forget the performances of Toby Kebbell (Durotan and Antonidas), Robert Kazinsky (Origami) or Daniel Wu (Gul'dan). The rest of the cast is just as good allowing us to immerse ourselves well in this universe.

Side staging, Duncan Jones and his team do not skimp on the means and we eyeful. The film manages to transport us into a new universe that proves to be rich and promises a bright future. Between Humans and Orcs, the bestiary is rich because we will also see the Dwarves, Elves and different animals. Although all are not exploited at 100%, we are confident that we will see in future suites. The fight scenes are very intense and at times quite violent. Some shots we strongly remember the video game, which does not displease us. Technically the film is a success and the special effects are quite impressive especially at the Orcs. 3D is correct as a whole but is not essential and the film darkens. In addition, we will notice the attention to different costumes and sets that adorn the film thanks to the teams of Weta. This adaptation gives a real breath gender that had been rarely seen since The Lord of the Rings. Finally, the music composed by Ramin Djawadi is a pure success which immerses us completely in this great adventure.

With this new film, director Duncan Jones succeeds the challenge of translating big Warcraft with intelligence and we eyeful. In addition, the cast is very good and comes to us attach to different characters. During almost 2 hours we are transported into this new universe as Peter Jackson was able to make with his double trilogy. Warcraft The Beginning proves to be a success and gives an epic in the Heroic Fantasy. We look forward to following this adventure promises to be spectacular once again.

Link

Spoiler

During the month of July the first images of the new highly anticipated film by Duncan Jones (Moon (2009) and Code Source (2011) were presented in the presence of the director and cast in one of the panels at the San Diego Comic-Con. It came out of it a passion of the director for this universe created by the company Blizzard. a true movie fan, his approach to science fiction as an original way qu'attachante have thus demonstrated a true narrator of talent and especially a direction of convincing actors and use special effects sparingly. Refusing constantly Moon ease his first film had demonstrated the talent of the director also write an original and sophisticated enough scenario to full attention. his new film was well Warcraft not only awaited by players of video games namesake universe but also by those of the director wishing to find his style intact in one of the most anticipated blockbusters of this year.

Adapt a video game universe is never easy. Many films have thus completely missed their approach as was the case for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010), Max Payne (2008) and other Resident Evil, Silent Hill .. Most of the time the laborious Scenario ' could neither make the atmosphere of the game and was sorely lacking original and interesting ideas to fully engage our interest. Yet Warcraft particularly miraculous as the task has been difficult to observe not only the world of video games but also know to give life to the characters of the popular public. Originally the film the first video game Warcraft was released in 1994. It was a strategy game in real time developed by the studio Blizzard Entertainment. Many suites in this video game were proposed as Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness (1995) and Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (2002). The video game World of Warcraft imposed it as one of the most adored public role playing and in 2010 were more than twelve million subscribers. Faced with such success many derivatives regularly saw the day of fiction ((2001-2014), comics (2007-2013), manga, (2005-2011), game companies (2003 and 2005 ), a role playing game (2003). It was inevitable that the film industry is interested in such a license. the Warcraft movie fits easily in the desire to offer the public a flamboyant entertainment in the continuity of the first trilogy Lord of the rings but also the first Avatar. in this context, the scenario was the undeniable main element to provide a memorable transposition and not the use of spectacular special effects to fill his faillles of it. this mixture of heroic-fantasy between humans of Azeroth in Orcs several tribes had to be based on a sufficiently ingenious scenario to avoid the film a rhythm too linear and devoid of bounce.

From the first scene of the film the contrast between the cast of humans and orcs is clearly given and set epic that will leave no time to two hours of film. It therefore finds Orc warriors fleeing their world to colonize the human kingdom of Azeroth. The omnipresent magic in the film helps bring many spectacular scenes. The clear will of the director is felt in every shot of the film. Far from wanting to propose a simple heroic-fantasy film big budget, it is particularly keen to give its main characters true thickness. The script co-written by the director and Charles Leavitt (At the heart of the Ocean (2015), Blood Diamond (2006)) demonstrates fully their commitment to use the best elements and ideas from the world of Warcraft video games to bring as many original elements.

A major challenge of the film was also keen to offer a sufficiently attractive and interesting cast to create a real connection between these characters and the audience. The film thus enables particularly find actors Dominic Cooper and Ruth Negga in supporting roles (both present at the casting of the new Preacher series) but also the actors Travis Fimmel (Viking series), Toby Kebbell, Paula Patton and Ben Foster in major film roles.

The other big challenge of the film was to give life to the many Orcs realistically. The director has especially been using the technique of motion capture to create these characters. Great care was also provided to numerous decorations and accessories to reflect the gaming universe but is not to fade the inevitable competition with the trilogy of Lord of the Rings. The film refers to the first war between humans and orcs dealt with in the first video game. The film benefits from the presence of Bill Westenhofer, supervising visual effects (crowned with two Oscar). The pleasure taken director also passionate about video games to life in this universe is felt throughout the story.

Warcraft is therefore required as one of the major films of this year 2016, a royal adaptation of a cult game and adored by many players. The wait was long to discover this film but the end result has caught our attention. So we advise you to see in IMAX. Warcraft is another undeniable success of a talented director we continue to follow the career with great interest.

Link

 

More time elapsing, nothing changing:

Europeans (Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, French, German) and Youtube channels are giving it positive reactions, while mainstream US media is not feeling it. GA appreciative as well overseas.

 

Warcraft has the best opening day for a movie in Germany in 2016.