Warcraft reviews not looking great

[Fappy]

People on the WoW sub-reddit are fanboying really hard about this movie. If you want to see what a denial-based echo chamber looks like, check it out.

I don't expect this movie to sink to the level of Batman v Superman, but it's probably not a whole hell of a lot better. I'll see it anyway, though. Looks like it's at least fun.

 

[Lennac]

Shame, I was hoping it would be good enough to encourage Blizzard to keep making movies. And maybe one day make an Overwatch movie, cause that would be hella awesome.

Warcraft looked awful from the start to me. But, I agree - an Overwatch movie would be great, especially given the animated shorts we've seen so far have been pretty good. Some of the dialogue is pretty terrible, but I honestly think that's by design.

 

[elvor0]

Well...yeah. They want people who see the movie who haven't played the game before to be able to actually play it, I'm not sure what's so sinister about that. It makes perfect sense as a promotion.

So the movie is a 2 hour long ad for WoW that Blizzard manage to convince some idiot movie studio into paying over 100 million to make?

It's a Warcraft movie, of course in some form it advertises that WoW exists. That doesn't make it all some conspiratory plan for which its sole existence is just to shift copies of WoW and nothing else. Of course they want to shift copies of WoW on the end of it, given you'd hope your movie is a success, you'd be a fucking idiot if you didn't plan for new fans for the game it's based on after your movie airs.

Even in an ideal world where this is a movie considered perfect across the board and was made with 100% pure intentions, you'd /still/ want to plan for it drumming up business for the game. It would be foolish not to.

So... it's a cash grab. Not sure what you're arguing here...

If you're not sure what I'm arguing, you might want to try reading what I said with something other than knee jerk like reactions and a black and white world view that just because someone in the business department wants to make money, because that's their job, it's inherently a cash grab.

Seriously, this movie has been in the works in some form since 2006! 10 years does not scream "cash grab" to me. If it is, it's the worst concieved cash grab in the history of ever.
http://web.archive.org/web/20071125104232/http://blizzard.com/press/060509.shtml

Anything that's an adaptation of anything is a cash grab then I guess? Superman with Chris Reeves? Cash Grab! Knights of the Old Republic? Cash Grab! Marvel Movies? Cash Grab! Burton Batman Movies? Cash Grab! Baldurs Gate? Cash grab!

Because you can bet your ass someone was hoping they would shift copies of their original format on the back of each of those things too.

It's an adaptation of a video game, of course they want fans of the movie to play the game it's adapted from. If someone likes your work, obviously you want to get them into your other stuff, that's extremely sensible planning.

 

[wizzy555]

No I don't think it's a cash grab. People have been wanting a Metzin storyline on film for years, unfortunately they delayed it so much, this just isn't a good time. We have a plenty of these sorts of stories now.

There is cross-marketing going on, the games are there to promote the movie and the movie is there to promote the games... because there is this thing called money....

 

[mduncan50]

Well...yeah. They want people who see the movie who haven't played the game before to be able to actually play it, I'm not sure what's so sinister about that. It makes perfect sense as a promotion.

So the movie is a 2 hour long ad for WoW that Blizzard manage to convince some idiot movie studio into paying over 100 million to make?

It's a Warcraft movie, of course in some form it advertises that WoW exists. That doesn't make it all some conspiratory plan for which its sole existence is just to shift copies of WoW and nothing else. Of course they want to shift copies of WoW on the end of it, given you'd hope your movie is a success, you'd be a fucking idiot if you didn't plan for new fans for the game it's based on after your movie airs.

Even in an ideal world where this is a movie considered perfect across the board and was made with 100% pure intentions, you'd /still/ want to plan for it drumming up business for the game. It would be foolish not to.

So... it's a cash grab. Not sure what you're arguing here...

Would that not apply to amy adaption of anything I mean could Game of Thrones be considered a cash grab to promote the books?

Or a Superman movie be a cash grab to promote the coimcs?

I'd say in the case of Game of Thrones that is anything it prevents people from buying the books, because they're getting the while story in movie form (and I know there are differences, but general audiences wont care.

As for Superman, as much as we have argued about the quality of the DC movies, my friend, I don't for a second think that the people involved were not trying their best to make a good movie that stands on its own. If anything making it a darker PG13 movie means that they're cutting off a large portion of comic book readers from being allowed to see it. Also they're not offering discounted comic subscriptions when you go to see the movie or something like that.

What makes Warcraft a seemingly more egregious case of cash grab is the generic and safe fantasy plot, fan service over coherence, and the aforementioned free month of WoW with ticket purchase calculated to bring back old subscribers and attract new ones. I'm not going to fault them for taking a step to try to boost their business, but I'm going to call a spade a spade.

 

[anthony87]

People on the WoW sub-reddit are fanboying really hard about this movie. If you want to see what a denial-based echo chamber looks like, check it out.

Bit harsh no?

I mean god forbid that people actually.....

shudder

Enjoy it.

 

[Fappy]

People on the WoW sub-reddit are fanboying really hard about this movie. If you want to see what a denial-based echo chamber looks like, check it out.

Bit harsh no?

I mean god forbid that people actually.....

shudder

Enjoy it.

And that absolutely fine. I don't doubt that I may enjoy it myself when I see it in theaters (in fact, I am excited to). However, that doesn't mean I won't think about the film critically. The users on that sub are basically defending the movie by saying all film critics are pretentious and that they don't understand Warcraft. Sure, that may be true for some, but that doesn't mean Warcraft doesn't have issues as a functional film.

It's perfectly fine to enjoy something while acknowledging its faults. Some people simply can't do that it seems.

 

[mduncan50]

So, I have watched it, and I loved it and it is everything I have expected it to be. It is a near perfect if not perfect video game movie. It isn't even based on Warcraft, it is Warcraft. Nothing has been compromised for the average Joe that wouldn't have appreciated it anyway.
If you have read any of the other Warcraft content, like the books of the mangas, it is exactly that. A somewhat simplistic but effective story that ultimately ties into the history of the greater conflict and explains how things came to be. A video prequel to Warcraft: Lord of the Clans, 100% in canon.
It looks right, sounds right and feels right. Watch it.

Now if you've been reading Barrens chat instead and expect a video that reflects that, I suggest you maybe watch The Guild instead and save your money.

Does it take itself too seriously? No, not really. The story in Warcraft has always been pretty dark, if you bothered to pay attention to it at least at some point. After all, it's called Warcraft, not Laughtrack.

Honestly, nothing will make me ignore someone's opinion faster about something that is generally disliked than when they just call it "perfect". You like it? Fine. But if it were perfect, everyone would like it, as opposed to most people thinking it is discordant drivel.

 

[MrCalavera_v1legacy]

Shame, I was hoping it would be good enough to encourage Blizzard to keep making movies. And maybe one day make an Overwatch movie, cause that would be hella awesome.

Warcraft looked awful from the start to me. But, I agree - an Overwatch movie would be great, especially given the animated shorts we've seen so far have been pretty good. Some of the dialogue is pretty terrible, but I honestly think that's by design.

Warcraft cinematics were generally regarded as being fucking excellent. It didn't really help with transition to the big screen, it seems.

 

[mduncan50]

Honestly, nothing will make me ignore someone's opinion faster about something that is generally disliked than when they just call it "perfect". You like it? Fine. But if it were perfect, everyone would like it, as opposed to most people thinking it is discordant drivel.

No, not necessarily. Perfect does not mean that everyone will like it. It is just means it has accomplished what it strived to accomplish. And what it strived to accomplish, is a true to the lore Warcraft movie. Which it is.

That makes it competent, not perfect. Perfect means it could not be improved upon.

 

[wizzy555]

So, I have watched it, and I loved it and it is everything I have expected it to be. It is a near perfect if not perfect video game movie. It isn't even based on Warcraft, it is Warcraft. Nothing has been compromised for the average Joe that wouldn't have appreciated it anyway.
If you have read any of the other Warcraft content, like the books of the mangas, it is exactly that. A somewhat simplistic but effective story that ultimately ties into the history of the greater conflict and explains how things came to be. A video prequel to Warcraft: Lord of the Clans, 100% in canon.
It looks right, sounds right and feels right. Watch it.

Now if you've been reading Barrens chat instead and expect a video that reflects that, I suggest you maybe watch The Guild instead and save your money.

Does it take itself too seriously? No, not really. The story in Warcraft has always been pretty dark, if you bothered to pay attention to it at least at some point. After all, it's called Warcraft, not Laughtrack.

That's excellent, I hope I end up agreeing when I see it.

I think people are forgetting that warcraft is just weird to normal people, it's tonally inconsistent and in parts a bit pulpy. One min you have genocide another you have talking cows and people turning in sheep. In a film that is going to be strange.

 

[Ushiromiya Battler]

People on the WoW sub-reddit are fanboying really hard about this movie. If you want to see what a denial-based echo chamber looks like, check it out.

Bit harsh no?

I mean god forbid that people actually.....

shudder

Enjoy it.

And that absolutely fine. I don't doubt that I may enjoy it myself when I see it in theaters (in fact, I am excited to). However, that doesn't mean I won't think about the film critically. The users on that sub are basically defending the movie by saying all film critics are pretentious and that they don't understand Warcraft. Sure, that may be true for some, but that doesn't mean Warcraft doesn't have issues as a functional film.

It's perfectly fine to enjoy something while acknowledging its faults. Some people simply can't do that it seems.

I actually kinda agree that the movie critics don't really understand Warcraft. I've read a bunch of reviews for the movie ,for the hell of it, and basically anyone with any interest in the Warcraft universe gives it a good/great review. People with not attachment to the universe mostly slams it.

It seems they failed badly at giving us a movie that non Warcraft enthusiast will like, but they gave us a movie Warcraft enthusiast seems to love.

 

[mduncan50]

People on the WoW sub-reddit are fanboying really hard about this movie. If you want to see what a denial-based echo chamber looks like, check it out.

Bit harsh no?

I mean god forbid that people actually.....

shudder

Enjoy it.

And that absolutely fine. I don't doubt that I may enjoy it myself when I see it in theaters (in fact, I am excited to). However, that doesn't mean I won't think about the film critically. The users on that sub are basically defending the movie by saying all film critics are pretentious and that they don't understand Warcraft. Sure, that may be true for some, but that doesn't mean Warcraft doesn't have issues as a functional film.

It's perfectly fine to enjoy something while acknowledging its faults. Some people simply can't do that it seems.

I actually kinda agree that the movie critics don't really understand Warcraft. I've read a bunch of reviews for the movie ,for the hell of it, and basically anyone with any interest in the Warcraft universe gives it a good/great review. People with not attachment to the universe mostly slams it.

It seems they failed badly at giving us a movie that non Warcraft enthusiast will like, but they gave us a movie Warcraft enthusiast seems to love.

Doesn't that make it kind of fail as a stand alone movie then? If you have to understand the source material to follow the movie, that's a poorly made movie, and one that maybe should have been an extended cut-scene, less ambitious film, or something else rather than a $160 million Hollywood blockbuster?

Currently projected to only make around $25 million this weekend (and that was before the reviews started trickling in) it's expected to be a pretty epic failure. I completely understand the idea of making something like this "for the fans", it is highly doubtful that those fans will get to see the last two films of this planned trilogy unless something unexpected occurs, so they're the ones that end up being screwed over.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

Well...yeah. They want people who see the movie who haven't played the game before to be able to actually play it, I'm not sure what's so sinister about that. It makes perfect sense as a promotion.

So the movie is a 2 hour long ad for WoW that Blizzard manage to convince some idiot movie studio into paying over 100 million to make?

It's a Warcraft movie, of course in some form it advertises that WoW exists. That doesn't make it all some conspiratory plan for which its sole existence is just to shift copies of WoW and nothing else. Of course they want to shift copies of WoW on the end of it, given you'd hope your movie is a success, you'd be a fucking idiot if you didn't plan for new fans for the game it's based on after your movie airs.

Even in an ideal world where this is a movie considered perfect across the board and was made with 100% pure intentions, you'd /still/ want to plan for it drumming up business for the game. It would be foolish not to.

So... it's a cash grab. Not sure what you're arguing here...

Would that not apply to amy adaption of anything I mean could Game of Thrones be considered a cash grab to promote the books?

Or a Superman movie be a cash grab to promote the coimcs?

I'd say in the case of Game of Thrones that is anything it prevents people from buying the books, because they're getting the while story in movie form (and I know there are differences, but general audiences wont care.

As for Superman, as much as we have argued about the quality of the DC movies, my friend, I don't for a second think that the people involved were not trying their best to make a good movie that stands on its own. If anything making it a darker PG13 movie means that they're cutting off a large portion of comic book readers from being allowed to see it. Also they're not offering discounted comic subscriptions when you go to see the movie or something like that.

What makes Warcraft a seemingly more egregious case of cash grab is the generic and safe fantasy plot, fan service over coherence, and the aforementioned free month of WoW with ticket purchase calculated to bring back old subscribers and attract new ones. I'm not going to fault them for taking a step to try to boost their business, but I'm going to call a spade a spade.

Well as a WOW fan I can admit the feeling of genericness comes from the fact they are adapting the story of the First War which even from a lore perspective is very simplistic plot line.

Warcraft became more "Warcraft" and not "generic fantasy" to me when it got to the Third War and the World of Warcraft began.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

People on the WoW sub-reddit are fanboying really hard about this movie. If you want to see what a denial-based echo chamber looks like, check it out.

Bit harsh no?

I mean god forbid that people actually.....

shudder

Enjoy it.

And that absolutely fine. I don't doubt that I may enjoy it myself when I see it in theaters (in fact, I am excited to). However, that doesn't mean I won't think about the film critically. The users on that sub are basically defending the movie by saying all film critics are pretentious and that they don't understand Warcraft. Sure, that may be true for some, but that doesn't mean Warcraft doesn't have issues as a functional film.

It's perfectly fine to enjoy something while acknowledging its faults. Some people simply can't do that it seems.

I actually kinda agree that the movie critics don't really understand Warcraft. I've read a bunch of reviews for the movie ,for the hell of it, and basically anyone with any interest in the Warcraft universe gives it a good/great review. People with not attachment to the universe mostly slams it.

It seems they failed badly at giving us a movie that non Warcraft enthusiast will like, but they gave us a movie Warcraft enthusiast seems to love.

Doesn't that make it kind of fail as a stand alone movie then? If you have to understand the source material to follow the movie, that's a poorly made movie, and one that maybe should have been an extended cut-scene, less ambitious film, or something else rather than a $160 million Hollywood blockbuster?

Currently projected to only make around $25 million this weekend (and that was before the reviews started trickling in) it's expected to be a pretty epic failure. I completely understand the idea of making something like this "for the fans", it is highly doubtful that those fans will get to see the last two films of this planned trilogy unless something unexpected occurs, so they're the ones that end up being screwed over.

The thing about WOW is that its lore is easy to follow. Its right here:

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/the-story-of-warcraft/chapter1

 

[mduncan50]

People on the WoW sub-reddit are fanboying really hard about this movie. If you want to see what a denial-based echo chamber looks like, check it out.

Bit harsh no?

I mean god forbid that people actually.....

shudder

Enjoy it.

And that absolutely fine. I don't doubt that I may enjoy it myself when I see it in theaters (in fact, I am excited to). However, that doesn't mean I won't think about the film critically. The users on that sub are basically defending the movie by saying all film critics are pretentious and that they don't understand Warcraft. Sure, that may be true for some, but that doesn't mean Warcraft doesn't have issues as a functional film.

It's perfectly fine to enjoy something while acknowledging its faults. Some people simply can't do that it seems.

I actually kinda agree that the movie critics don't really understand Warcraft. I've read a bunch of reviews for the movie ,for the hell of it, and basically anyone with any interest in the Warcraft universe gives it a good/great review. People with not attachment to the universe mostly slams it.

It seems they failed badly at giving us a movie that non Warcraft enthusiast will like, but they gave us a movie Warcraft enthusiast seems to love.

Doesn't that make it kind of fail as a stand alone movie then? If you have to understand the source material to follow the movie, that's a poorly made movie, and one that maybe should have been an extended cut-scene, less ambitious film, or something else rather than a $160 million Hollywood blockbuster?

Currently projected to only make around $25 million this weekend (and that was before the reviews started trickling in) it's expected to be a pretty epic failure. I completely understand the idea of making something like this "for the fans", it is highly doubtful that those fans will get to see the last two films of this planned trilogy unless something unexpected occurs, so they're the ones that end up being screwed over.

The thing about WOW is that its lore is easy to follow. Its right here:

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/the-story-of-warcraft/chapter1

I'm not saying that the lore isn't easy to follow, simply that it apparently wasn't made easy to follow for people watching the movie. A well made movie doesn't require homework.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

People on the WoW sub-reddit are fanboying really hard about this movie. If you want to see what a denial-based echo chamber looks like, check it out.

Bit harsh no?

I mean god forbid that people actually.....

shudder

Enjoy it.

And that absolutely fine. I don't doubt that I may enjoy it myself when I see it in theaters (in fact, I am excited to). However, that doesn't mean I won't think about the film critically. The users on that sub are basically defending the movie by saying all film critics are pretentious and that they don't understand Warcraft. Sure, that may be true for some, but that doesn't mean Warcraft doesn't have issues as a functional film.

It's perfectly fine to enjoy something while acknowledging its faults. Some people simply can't do that it seems.

I actually kinda agree that the movie critics don't really understand Warcraft. I've read a bunch of reviews for the movie ,for the hell of it, and basically anyone with any interest in the Warcraft universe gives it a good/great review. People with not attachment to the universe mostly slams it.

It seems they failed badly at giving us a movie that non Warcraft enthusiast will like, but they gave us a movie Warcraft enthusiast seems to love.

Doesn't that make it kind of fail as a stand alone movie then? If you have to understand the source material to follow the movie, that's a poorly made movie, and one that maybe should have been an extended cut-scene, less ambitious film, or something else rather than a $160 million Hollywood blockbuster?

Currently projected to only make around $25 million this weekend (and that was before the reviews started trickling in) it's expected to be a pretty epic failure. I completely understand the idea of making something like this "for the fans", it is highly doubtful that those fans will get to see the last two films of this planned trilogy unless something unexpected occurs, so they're the ones that end up being screwed over.

The thing about WOW is that its lore is easy to follow. Its right here:

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/the-story-of-warcraft/chapter1

I'm not saying that the lore isn't easy to follow, simply that it apparently wasn't made easy to follow for people watching the movie. A well made movie doesn't require homework.

Sounds like the same complaints I have towards Star Wars the Force Awakens because I feel a lot of things were not very easy to follow.

How did these First Order Guys came to be? How did they make a Death Star that is even more powerful?

I feel this is the problem with setting up movie universes. It ends up making filler movies to get to the important movie.

Like for example Ant-Man felt like a filler movie just to set up Civil War. (Which I am sure people preffered to watch more than an Ant Man solo movie) I certainly don't care about Ant-Man, I just think the movie was painfully average. But you got Civil War out of it.

That is what I am hoping the future sequals will give us. Because for me I hope it will give us the Lich King movie: