It misses some marks, but when it hits them, this is a gigantic hit

Rating: 4/10 (9 June 2016)

So, first of all, I'm a hardcore fan, but I'm also a filmmaker so I'm hoping the two opposite points of view have balanced each other out so I can state my opinion without being too bias. It is rushed... It is. I don't get the point of having a talented director and an Oscar winning editor if the studio execs are gonna make dumb editing decisions. The Director's Cut could have made this a consensual success. Let's hope that the extended version gets released... So there goes the first and biggest problem of this film. Rushed editing. I mean... Really rushed! Performances are just fine. Some even amazing, and some better than others, but luckily no one dropped the ball in a big way. Ben Foster is an amazing actor, and he pulled it off, but he does have such a modern look to him that it might have been a miscast. Same goes with Paula. But Paula also did good. Not great, but good. Charlize Theron killed it with Furiosa. Paula did not. But again... Still OK, maybe she can do better on the next one. In their defense, and they do deserve it cause they overcame the challenges... everything was rushed. I'm pretty sure they would have done better with a slower editing and material with more depth. Which takes us to the Script. It's not amazing. Yep, lots of info to present, not enuf screen time for so many important characters, developments, arcs and emotional moments. Although, thank God, it's not terrible. Neither are some of the action sequences. And the film does feel a little claustrophobic when it comes to locations. Some parts are cheesy, they did not have to be... The emotional parts also suffer from a fast pace... The Soundtrack is not amazing, at all! And it punctuates too much!!! But it is competent enough. So... a LOT of problems. BUT: Here comes the good stuff: - Is has an Orcs's heart. A big beating heart. The movie fights for it's life with such fierce will, that when it connects, when it works, it works big time! - The CGI alone is a big victory. And by that I don't just mean the looks! I mean the performances. It is Movie Magic again! It is something never seen before, again! - It does set a path for bigger and better! This was the hard one. Everything is much easier to do from now on. Warcraft II and III won't have half the challenges this one had, Storytelling-wise and introduction to the Mythology-wise. So big hit in that sense. Duncan was at the same time respectful and disciplined enough on to balance everything out. - The action sequences are at times boring and at times spectacular. When the camera-work and editing work... man, this is just plain awesome. It could have been more tho, hope Duncan evolves in that sense. - The point of view works, surprisingly. Jumping around from the Orcs to the Humans. But it barely does, so that's something to look into in the next one. It works for this one, but it might be hard to manage in sequels... I give it a 10 because I was crying of joy when the film started, which has to mean something of value to it, and it has to do with the story, not the game, and I did not leave the Cinema disappointed. I was relieved and I just wanted to see it again, and I will later on tonight, in IMAX! That says something about the grandiosity of this project! This is HUGE! With all it's problems, Warcraft leaves this battle injured, but also victorious! This can become even bigger then LOTR. But in order to do so, it need to evolve, it needs better pacing and more time for the characters to develop and for us to fall in love with them. It needs to be a 3 hour film. Not 2 hours. Thrall is coming in the next one. And he's a powerhouse of a character. Actually my favorite in the Warcraft lore. I give it a 10 because when it works, it works on the Warcraft level. HUGE!!! When it does not, it's because of the pacing, which I think is solved in the extended version. Fans will love it, big time. Fantasy fans will enjoy it, big time. A whole lot of people new to it will fall in love with it. Others will just have a good time. Lots of people will hate it. Just like lots of people hate other films that other people love.