The Netflix Fantasy Adventure Epic Blockbuster is a One-Of-A-Kind adaptation
Written by Jeffrey Rapaport | Published
Gamers and fantasy enthusiasts need look no further than Netflix for their next fix: the sports streaming platform of 2016 Warcraft in its lineup, a fantasy action film based on the acclaimed video game series by Blizzard Entertainment. Directed by Duncan Jones, the film delivers an epic war story steeped in myth, magic, and heroism, focusing on the beauty and mystical feel of the beloved video game.
Beyond the Dark Portal
The film, which charges the dual narrative of the humans of Stormwind and the orcs of Frostwolf, focuses on the orcs using dark but powerful magic to save their Horde. With said magic, a kind of dream, a weapon of great power, the orcs opened a portal connecting their world to the humans. From there, the two camps waged an exciting, multifaceted battle.
Fighting Out of Development Hell
While real-time (RTS) games and the massively popular multiplayer RPG game set in the Warcraft universe preceded it, the movie’s origin also predates its eventual theatrical debut. In 2006, Blizzard Entertainment and Legendary Pictures began a collaborative project for a big-screen film, which was received by fans around the world.
Fanfare sank into disappointment and frustration, however, as die-hard fans watched the effort to turn the fantasy universe into a film endure many delays and major changes along the way, otherwise known as production hell.
Assisted by the Brave Director
Progress was restored when Duncan Jones (fun fact alert: son of music legend David Bowie) took over. Jones, who has earned critical respect and a large audience for projects like the sci-fi darling The montheasily rewrite i Warcraft text. He tried to show a balanced take on the conflict between humans and orcs, breaking away from the traditional good versus evil.
LOTHAR
For those familiar with and familiar with the eye-catching, fun, and serious style of gaming animation, the film will not disappoint. Indeed, it’s a visual marvel, where the colorful beauty of Azeroth emerges with effective special effects and strong CGI. Of particular note are the battle scenes, which are enhanced by the intense choreography and stunning visuals.
Internal actors WarcraftTravis Fimmel does well as the charming Anduin Lothar. Perhaps the film’s most memorable role is that of Paula Patton as Garona, a she-orc who leads an orc charged through an inter-dimensional portal.
For the Glory of the Crowds
The film premiered in Paris on May 24, 2016, before its US release less than a month later, with Universal Pictures handling the US premiere. The large fan base of both the games and the fictional location, combined with the visual presence of the talented director and involvement, was not enough to secure the reviews that the film’s producers had hoped for. Reviews have been decidedly mixed.
Right now, Rotten Tomatoes is sharing Warcraft a minimum rating of 29 percent, based on 231 reviews. Professionals appreciated Jones’ reliable directing skills and the impactful style of the project, seeing a cinematic realization of the beauty of the games. But the plot struck many as fake and unreal.
He Made Hundreds of Millions But He Lost Money
Warcraft and it suffered financially, failing to surpass its tipping point half a billion dollars. The budget was reduced due to the huge costs of marketing and global distribution. Most of this international marketing and distribution effort was directed at China, where the film grossed $225.5 million.
But between a total of nearly fifty million made nationwide and $439 million made worldwide, the result was, sadly, a box office hit.
As of this writing, Warcraft is streaming on Netflix.
