WARCRAFT: THE BEGINNING Look Who’s Orc-ing
released 30 May 12a | TBC minutes
Director duncan Jones Cast Travis Fimmel, Ben Foster, Paula Patton, Toby Kebbell
In attempting to make a movie that both pleases gamer purists and invites in newbies, Moon man Duncan Jones faced an unenviable task with Warcraft: The Beginning. And it’s one he’s only partially succeeded with.
This tale of warring races – with humans seeing Orcs as invaders while the green (and grey, and sort of pink-ish) meanies are actually fleeing a dying planet – has some impressively performance-captured CG creatures, explores both cultures, and occasionally takes bold narrative chances. But those positives are often outweighed by an overwrought script and acting that ranges from nuanced to the sort of theatrical proclamations that wouldn’t sound out of place in an ’80s fantasy adventure. Though it’s fun to channel that spirit occasionally, Warcraft stumbles over an uneven tone. And the need to cram in lots of world-building while leaving story threads dangling for the future is regrettable.
There’s talk of portals and dark magic, loyalty, and vengeance but chances are you’ve heard it all before. If this is the beginning, we’re not completely convinced we’ll be in it to the end. Jim Blakey
Uwe Boll was once told by Warcraft makers Blizzard they wouldn’t sell the movie rights – “especially not to you.”