What were the critics smoking?

Rating: 8/10 (24 June 2016)

So I finally got around to seeing the new Warcraft movie in theaters. I've seen the previews, read the dismal critical reviews, and heard all about how it tanked at the box office, at least here in the States, so I went into it with rather low expectations. But as a rabid WoW player and a person heavily versed in Warcraft lore, I had to see it, regardless of the reviews. Was it perfect? No. Was it a great movie? No. Did it stick to Warcraft Lore perfectly? No. Was it the "worst movie of the year"? Not even close. The acting was solid, the effects were good, the fight scenes were engaging,(the scene where the Stormwind infantry form the shield wall had me jumping up and pumping my fist while shouting "Hell yeah!") the fictional world of Azeroth was well portrayed, and all together, it was a pretty good movie, if it didn't quite fulfill my hopes. Granted, as a WoW player, I knew what was going on and knew who was who, and can see how non players could get a little confused, but still, the story wasn't that hard to follow even if you've never heard of the games. Most of the fan reviews I've read have been positive, with many saying they plan to see it again. I myself plan to go see it for the 2nd time later today. If you haven't seen it yet and are a fan of the games, or of fantasy in general, I urge you to give it a try. It's not perfect, but WAY better than the critics say, and here's hoping there's a Warcraft 2, which irons out the bugs from this one.