MICHAEL LOMAX: ‘Warcraft’ dazzles but doesn’t charm
FILM REVIEW: Film has too much going on to get a full grasp of plot
By Michael Lomax
When I first saw the trailer for “Warcraft,” I was pretty excited. There have been many video game adaptations in the last several years, but for the most part these films have been forgettable. “Warcraft,” on the other hand, felt different.
Looking back on it now, I think I just really liked the initial trailer. What followed was not an innovative new leap in fantasy so much as a shiny next installment in a genre that’s seen better days.
As their planet starts to decay, hordes of orc warriors, led in part by the noble Durotan (Toby Kebbell), invade the peaceful realm of Azeroth to start colonizing a new world. But as this orc army faces extinction, the armies of man face annihilation. Sir Anduin Lothar (Travis Fimmel) raises a resistance and sets out on a collision course with Durotan to decide the fate of two civilizations at war.
That was probably the easiest way to describe what goes on in “Warcraft,” omitting the seemingly endless list of important and semi-important characters and their respective conflicts, which is really the problem with the film as a whole. There’s simply too much going on, and trying to memorize all the names and faces becomes impossible after a while.
Critics have been razing “Warcraft” to the ground, and I can understand why. It’s a very convoluted story that tries too hard to be that great new fantasy series. The dialogue at times is also corny, if not outright ridiculous, and it’s clear the screenwriters spent more time than they should have trying to make everything sound fancy and medieval.
That all being said, “Warcraft” is not an unenjoyable movie by any stretch. The visuals are predictably incredible, and the level of detail that went into the rendering of the orcs and the landscape really is astounding. Even if the story is a bit much, it’s still a quick ride through to the finish.
Bottom line: You shouldn’t get bored with “Warcraft,” but you probably won’t be seeing it again anytime soon.
Like many other video game adaptations before it, “Warcraft” will likely fade away until its inevitable sequel, at which point we’ll probably have the same discussions and reviews as we are right now. So if you’re looking for a fun couple of hours this weekend, “Warcraft” might just be for you. For any other deeper concerns or desires, you might want to try another film.
Michael Lomax is a writer-filmmaker currently at work on a film script to be set and shot in Albany.
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