Another franchise ruined.

Rating: 3/10 (9 August 2016)

LOTR, Alien, Spiderman, Terminator, Jurassic, Star Wars... Will this century be the death of everything that makes us human? Will technology kill the last brain cells that Apple still hasn't?
Something is wrong... When Tales of the Past 3, a machinima circa WotLK, made by one person... Can outperform a marvel of CGI. A hand-made game engine movie... that has more soul than a 160$ mil motion picture. How could Blizzard do it? When I found out that Legendary Pictures is producing it - I was overjoyed. They are to movies like Blizzard... "is" to games - every movie is magnificent, even if it's written by Snyder. But I thought that... with minds like "the" Metzen, with books that were written by bestselling authors, the series that can rival any other major and older franchise... I thought they would do Warcraft justice.
Warcraft is their baby. How could they do it? Who in the bloody blue **** is Duncan Jones? How can he say something like "was the stale fantasy trope of, humans are the good guys, monsters are the bad guys"? Now I respect Moon and treat it better than Martian, but Moon was... like a puppy to the elephant, compared to Warcraft. It was a good "indie" movie, but with just two movies on record, how can Blizzard hire someone like him? Is he Shyamalan? Who may be fanatical, but who damn knows how to write a mystery? Is he Jackson? Who at least has directed the best fantasy trilogy in the history of cinema? Is he "the" Nolan?
I know it's too cliché to say "Nolan should've directed it". Hell, that's all DC has been saying since DKR. But if anyone is good at directing EPIC grade masterpieces - that's either Nolan or Jackson. Why give the rights to the movie to a person, who first of all did not understand the core concept of Warcraft. Who tried to make it all mopey and kind, when it's... ****ing WARcraft. Not LOTRaft.
So without further "ado", let me say that I, being a heartfelt fan, who promised to curse the movie for eternity if they **** up "The Last Guardian"(which... oh boy, they did) - still acknowledge that the movie has its heart in the right place. Like Medivh explained the hourglass - the order of how the pieces fall does not matter - they all are in the bottom of the glass. So does the movie resolve mostly according to Warcraft lore. However, only "mostly". And I feel like the remaining part will yet cause uncalled for protraction that will screw up even more memories. Like - Doomhammer will kill Lothar, but it would not be a champion, who would later go in a long journey of repentance and searching for new purpose. It would be a silly "BvS Martha" level of misunderstanding, because of how Llane assassination went. Hell, how many tears were shed upon the lines "The orc chieftains agree with you". Hell, even Yogg-Saron encounter was better than this movie's "Kill me, save yourself", that completely removes all the guilt, because it was a voluntary death, an order...
Bah, okay. It should be obvious by now that the story has been twisted beyond any value. It should be painful to realize that the simple people will imagine that this is Warcraft. It's like thinking that Tolkien wrote the Hobbit trilogy(you get my point). If only the story perversion was enough - that would be fine. However, the acting, the performance is deplorable. Where is the brooding Medivh? Who is this clown that is trying to make a serious face? Where is the grand Lothar? Why is there Ragnar Lothbrok? A troubled comedian viking, whose place is on small screen? Where is the King Llane? The strategist, the hero of his people? Who is this... this... popeyed creep? It's like Emma Stone in TAS. So creepy it's revolting. They've CGIed the orcs, why not draw some Final Fantasy level humans as well? Lines feel empty, scenes feel awkward(and downright insane to a real fan). Khadgar is a laughing stock. I wonder how will they ruin Thrall later... though that won't happen soon.
If there is anything, even a slightest hint of value in the movie - it's the visuals. But that's just the Legendary Pictures. As much as I despise CGI in movies, I must say - the movie was a fine trailer. Worse than Warcraft 3 or WoW trailers. But still a good chance to see a realistic Warcraft, something WoW engine can't provide. However, if the orcs might have some nature to them, the dwarfs feel like a caricature of the most clichéd fantasy dwarf. Even Hobbit did a better job. Elves feel like plastic action figures with rubber ears.
So... I delayed watching this movie. I tried to relive myself of all hope, I've heard what they say. So I thought I'd watch it with a glad heart... But some things can not be swallowed as a "summer blockbuster". It's not Independence Day 2, which I'd popcorn any time.
They might as well have picked Uwe Boll. Can't be any worse.