WARCRAFT
US, 2016, 123 minutes, Colour.
Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbel, Ben Schnetzer, Clancy Brown, Daniel Wu, Ruth Negga, Callum Keith Rennie.
Directed by Duncan Jones.
For the uninitiated, Warcraft sounds like a film about war, obviously, along the lines of such stories as Battleship. And, because it is based on computer games, these audiences may be expecting long sequences of conflict and combat.
Audiences in the know, the great number of fans of the Blizzard Productions, need no introduction. They have played games, seen the television shows, have become familiar with the world of Warcraft, the characters and the struggles. At the end of the press screening (in IMAX and 3 D), and groups sat around during the final credits analysing the carriages and situations there was great enthusiasm about the film and talking with anticipation about sequels.
In many ways it was a pleasure to find that this was a fantasy film in a fantasy world, not so much long, long ago in a distant galaxy but rather long ago in a parallel world.
Of course, this is a film of special effects and CGI, a most impressive: land of the giant Orcs, the contrast with the human world, looking like a mediaeval city and kingdom, the mysterious world of the magic-endowed Guardian and his tower; costumes and decor; and the make up for the creation of the Orcs, giants, teeth tusks, becoming more sinister the more evil they were. There seemed to be no complaints from fans about any of this.
The film opens with the Orcs, in battle with the humans, taking them prisoners. but, the land is arid and the situation, not unlike the opening of Mad Max, Fury Road, with the community in need of fresh water and a home, led by a tyrant, and only magic portal which can open, only when the leader has absorbed the energy from the captive humans, and the Orcs can go through to a new life. The leader of the Orcs is truly ugly and sinister – and continues to behave accordingly. On the other hand, there is Durotan, leader of a clan, his pregnant wife who ultimately gives birth to a son, whom we more than suspect will be a future leader (confirmed towards the end of the film when his mother puts him in a small boat and pushes him to safety on the river, with words that echo those of Marlon Brando’s Jor-el in Superman the Movie, a Moses saviour moment).
Actually, there are many, many references to popular fantasy films which critics may deride as being derivative but which the fans will enjoy identifying and relishing. After all, a good meal depends on an excellent recipe – so, amongst others, audiences will be thinking of The Lord of the Rings, of hobbits and avatars, of Star Wars Creatures, echoes of Star Trek, and prehistoric sagas akin to Conan the Barbarian and other sword and sandal epics as well as parallels with the Knights of the Round Table and an evil Merlin.
Dominic Cooper (rather inexpressive on the whole) is the King who has to face the crisis from the Orcs and the desire to release the humans. Much more vigorous is Travis Fimmel, already at home in televisions The Vikings, who has no difficulty in transition to the leading human warrior, Lothar, expressive, with ingenuity, his young son going into battle. Ben Foster is usually a villain so it is a surprise to find him as the Guardian, Medhiv, a powerful magician who advises the king on strategies – but, his fans will not be surprised to find that he has a sinister side. On the other hand, Ben Schnetzer is Khadgar, a young human with magic powers, a pleasant apprentice kind of personality, who will be the ally of Lothar. And into the mix comes Garona, Paula Patton, part human, part Orc.
In many ways this is comic book and Saturday matinee kind of action and dialogue, with mixture of English and American accents. Some of the battles are huge, CGI thousands, while some of the confrontations between Orcs and humans are in bone-crunching close-up.
It is all a bit bombastic, but that is part of the point – and, it seems, fans have not been disappointed so we can look forward to the next instalment, with Lothar as leader, Khadgar as advisor, and conflict between humans and Orcs into which Garona has been placed in an invidious position.
Nothing to do with content of the film but it is a pity that the father of director, Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code) died a few months before the release of the film – his father was David Bowie.
1. Audience knowledge of Warcraft? The games, television programs, over the decades? The fans? Expectations of this film?
2. The film presupposing audience familiarity? Not? Introducing the audience into the Warcraft world?
3. The title, expectations, the focus on battles, realism? Invitation to go into the world of fantasy?
4. The variety of ingredients, popular aspects of so many fantasy stories, The Lord of The Rings, Avatar, Star Wars, Star Trek, Mad Max Fury Road, Conan the Barbarian, and
the references to the book of Exodus and Moses?
5. The cast, apt embodying of the characters? The humans, the Orcs?
6. The visuals of, the land of the Orcs, arid, battleground, going through the portal, lush world? The human kingdom, the cities, exteriors, the palace and the interiors, the mediaeval style? The home of the Guardian, the tower, the interiors, the pool, the library? Costumes and decor? The musical score?
7. The creation of the creatures, the examples of magic, the battles and the vast number of soldiers, the close-ups and detail of the battles and fights?
8. The introduction of the Orcs, their appearance, size, faces, tusks, bodies? The presentation of the hero, his family, his pregnant wife, the birth of the son, the leader and giving the baby energy? The plan for the migration into the human world? Through the portal? The leader and drawing energy from the humans at opening the portal? Going through, tossed in space, the rescue? The leader of the clan, authority, power, the community? The taking of human energy, wanting to overcome the human kingdom?
9. The contrast with the kingdom, the palace, the King and his court, the courtiers, the king and his wife, children? The human prisoners of the Orcs, the dangers to the kingdom?
10. Lothar, his policing the kingdom, his leadership, dead wife at birth, his son, the warrior?
11. The arrival of Khadgar, his age, experience, fleeing the other community, his knowledge, his capacity for magic? At the mercy of the kingdom? Received with suspicion? His justifying himself? His later return to his origins and asking for help?
12. The crisis, the need to seek the Guardian, Lothar and Khadgar travelling, the creatures, flying through the sky?
13. The Guardian, Mdhiv, his talent, his assistant, his magical powers, to protect the kingdom, absent for six years? Seeming benign – but suspicions? Lothar, the discussions, Khadgar, the library, encountering the Guardian, hiding the book? The decision to go to the kingdom?
14. Guardian, the encounter with the King, discussions, advice? The Guardian and his interior life? The decision to fight the Orcs? The battle, the Orcs travelling on the giant wolves? The encounter with Garona? Her appearance, being taken, in the court, in prison, the Queen bringing her food and a blanket?
15. Durotan with his family, his leadership, to becoming suspicious of the leader, the issue of loyalty, his friend, at home, the plans, asking for the meeting with the King?
16. The Orc leader, his role, sinister, powers, the fact that he had opened the portal, allowing in the Orcs?
17. The meeting, the agreement, each returning home, the attack of the Orcs? Lothar and his son doing battle? The Guardian, watching from the mountain top, setting up the barriers evil magic? The son and his death?
18. Lothar, the return, the dilemma for the King? Lothar and Khadgar going to visit the Guardian? In his talent, his being weak, getting energy from his assistant and killing him? The Guardian and the encounter with Garona?
19. The King, the decision, the advice of the Guardian? The whole company going? Lothar in the cell?
20. The battle, the massed Orcs, the portal, the leader and his wanting to return to fight, Durotan as hero, killing his opponent, the leader and his vengeance, killing Durotan? His wife’s death? The traditions of the Orcs?
21. The ferocious battle, the humans losing, yet wanting to free the humans? The king and his asking Garona to kill him, the knife given by the Queen? Reluctance, doing so?
22. The Guardian, getting weaker, confronted by Lothar, Khadgar? His burning Lhadgars drawings? The confrontation, his going into the pool, his final words, his death? The
closing of the portal?
23. The saving of the humans? Lothar and his travelling, his dismay at the King’s death, condemnation of Garona? His being acclaimed as leader?
24. Garona, the leadership of the Orcs?
25. Durotan’s wife, taking the baby, putting in them the screen, the echoes of Moses and the Exodus, the baby’s survival – and the final image of the child?
26. The preparation for the next chapter?
