So not great

Rating: 6/10 (12 July 2016)

Warcraft had the potential to be a great movie, and looking at the sheer quality of the visuals/CGI it's clear that the necessary budget was there. But the movie is not great. It's very average.
The visuals alone would probably ensure that the project doesn't incur loses. But that is about the only thing this movie has going for itself.
The core story itself is good enough but it's missing details, sub-plots, and proper execution in story-telling. So what you see seems very generic. The pace at which events unfold seems very inconsistent and often rushed.
There's no character development at all which is always a big deal but even more so these days with Game of Thrones setting the bar so high. Durotan and Gul'dan are the only characters that you may (or may not) find even mildly interesting. Garona feels like a completely unnecessary character with no real importance in the story.
The acting is poor. Most of the cast did a lousy job here but Paula Patton as Garona seems like a rank amateur. So not only is her character poor, but she herself seems just as bad.
The score is uninspiring. A movie like Warcraft needs a great soundtrack but it just doesn't have it. Think Lord of the Rings, Troy, 300, Game of Thrones.... You can't create epic scenes without epic music. But I suspect there is more to blame for that than just the music - the editing.
The visuals and some familiar faces may make this movie feel rich on the surface. But it's very shallow. That's very sad considering how rich the source material is. Its still a watchable movie if you go in without very big expectations.