Warcraft: The Beginning - Movie Review

$warcraft: the beginning 2016 movie review\$

'Warcraft: The Beginning' started abruptly. By the time the film opened, the viewers are greeted with the characters of its universe in the middle of the action, established as if we already get to know them before. It's quite a refresher to see not much exposition in a film that has a scale this large, and very ballsy for director Duncan Jones' part to introduce this story without actually doing so formally.

This creates a tendency to the regular viewer, especially to those who have no encounter with the film's source material, the popular video game World of Warcraft, to feel confused. But fortunately, the filmmakers somehow made it work without actually being jarring.

The characters here, which is divided into humans and orcs are fascinating and was given their respective screen presence. The movie, however, tries to tell as much story as it can that it everything started to jumble. It's uncertain what the movie wants to give itself focus, which results to some of the subplots losing its attachment to the emotional core of the film.

The theme of father and son relationship was hinted several times that the film didn't actually succeed in fleshing out. Toby Kebbell's role of Durotan was the stand-out from the rest of the film as being the sole character to gain sympathy from everything that happens here, probably because he has the most decent story to fill in.

The action sequences are terrific, with the visual effects effectively incorporating the large scope of the world it took place, Azeroth. But that isn't enough for the film to have a more fluid structure. 'Warcraft: The Beginning' started and concluded with so many potential that the filmmakers didn't try to reach. It's decent at some parts, but could've been loads better than what it was.

The geek rates it 7/10!

'Warcraft' is now showing in cinemas nationwide from United International Pictures Philippines! Rated R-13 by the MTRCB.