Great movie - not just for fans

Rating: 9/10 (1 June 2016)

I will start saying this is not your typical review. Whenever I read reviews, I look for semi-objective pros and cons to the film and not eloquently written opinions, so if you are like me, read on! Otherwise, I recommend you turn back. The way I write is also pretty boring, so there's that.
I saw this movie with my girlfriend in Germany (in English, though) last night. I should probably state that I have long been a fan of the Warcraft games, and as such familiar with the general story-line, but I'm not enough of a fan to have read any of the books or comics. My girlfriend, on the other hand, knew absolutely nothing about the story, apart from a rough idea which races exist in the Warcraft universe because she had seen me play.
With that being said, both of us absolutely loved the movie! It was one of those movies I didn't want to end, and it was exiting throughout. After it was over, I was left craving for more and I simply can't get the story out of my head now. It's been a long time since I've felt so invested in a movie. The feeling this film left me with is almost more impressive than the movie itself.
To give you a more helpful review than just some empty statements though, let me list the pros and cons of the movie from both my and my girlfriend's point of view, so maybe you can make up your own mind whether Warcraft is for you or not:
Pros:

The CGI was fantastic. 10 minutes into the movie we felt fully immersed and forgot how much of the movie was CGI.

Most of the characters seemed genuine, had clear motives and did not feel cookie-cutter at all.

The music felt pretty epic.

We obviously really liked the story.

The fact that it did not shy away from being "dark" and at some points depressing made it feel more believable. My girlfriend was close to crying at least two times.

There was some humor, but the movie still felt serious (not as silly as a Marvel movie, more like DC)

While there was some romance that my girlfriend felt added something the movie, it definitely did not feel forced (looking at you Hobbit) and was very much a side-note. More sexual tension than romance really.

Cons:

The first half of the movie was quite fast-paced. It jumped from one scene to another rather abruptly. Surprisingly, this seemed to bug me more than my girlfriend. The second half made up for it though.

Some characters could have used some more introduction or characters development. The movie could easily have been an hour longer. Still, the main characters felt fleshed-out.

My girlfriend noted that she felt very unsatisfied with how the story ended. So for people who want to see a story with a happy ending or if you hate cliffhangers, this is NOT for you.

This again seemed to bug me more, but since SO much of the movie was CGI, it felt, for lack of a better word, "damp" at times (I got a similar feeling watching Avatar and 300, for reference).

I felt the armor the humans wear is a bit ridiculous. Yeah, it's like that in the games, but it could've been toned down a little.

Neutral:

3D seemed good, I'm not a 3D fan in general though.

Some nice bonuses for Warcraft fans if you pay attention, but since this does not affect newcomers I won't add this to pros.

The original story was changed a little, but not in ways that would offend fans.

Being a Warcraft fan, I know how much more the story has to offer. I REALLY want this movie to succeed so one day they will make a sequel or spin-offs.

So is this movie worth your time? Yes, if the following is true for you:

You don't go in expecting it to be bad. Lots of "professional" reviewers from the US are giving this movie lots of hate I honestly feel is not justified. I could understand a 6/10 for the cons stated above, but some of them are ripping this movie apart so much that it feels like they were going to do it no matter how the movie was. I'm usually a pretty harsh critic myself, but this I just don't understand.

You don't expect a happy movie and ending.

You don't give up on the movie after the first few minutes.

You actually enjoy a darker movie with a few lighthearted moments.

You don't mind the film having A LOT of CGI.

You generally enjoy fantasy movies.

Summed up, I would place this movie far above the Hobbit, and probably SLIGHTLY below Lord of the Rings. While LotR had better character development and pacing, I highly prefer Warcraft's general story and feel. Overall, a 9 from me and an 8 from my girlfriend.