Kid’s take on movies
The Great Wall is a fun monster movie and a good visual treat. I really like the special effects, cinematography and costume design in this movie. This is one movie that monster movie fans will appreciate.
This movie is about William (Matt Damon), a traveler who comes to China with his friend Pero (Pedro Pascal) to find black powder. When they try to enter the Great Wall, the Chinese soldiers of the secret military group, Nameless Order, capture them and escort them to Gen. Lin (Jing Tian) who holds them captive. A wave of alien monsters, known as Taoties, attacks the Great Wall. William and Pero heroically fight and save the order and earn the respect of the general, but they plan to betray the Nameless Order with the help of Sir Ballard (Willem Dafoe), another foreigner in search of black powder.
Torn between joining his friends by betraying the Chinese and taking on the responsibility of saving them from this monster attack, William must make a choice.
Damon portrays a believable noble warrior who needs to make a correct choice to redeem himself. Pedro Pascal, as Pero, is my favorite character, as he delivers a show-stealing performance with a mixture of comedy and villainy. Tian excellently presents her patriotism and the trust she has toward her people. Dafoe nicely presents a greedy man who will do anything for the black powder.
The special effects for the creatures by Andrew Baker are well executed, with many impressive details. During the battle scenes, the creatures look real, with excellent slow-motion shots. The cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh and Xiaoding Zhao is colorful, with outstanding shots of the desert and the Great Wall. My favorite scene is the first battle scene because of the organized battle tactics of the Nameless Order.
My only issue with the movie is that some of the line deliveries are a little off.
The Great Wall has a good message about redemption. William is, by no means, a true role model, but he is able to redeem his wrongs by helping the Chinese. I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 11 to 18, as some battle scenes may be too frightening for younger audiences. This film is in theaters, so go and check it out.