The Great Wall

The Great Wall

(2016)

1700 years to build. 5500 miles long. What were they trying to keep out?

From the director of 2002's Hero comes this fantasy-action blockbuster, an alternate history twist on why China built The Great Wall - and what elite forces were trying to keep out. Stars Oscar-winner Matt Damon, Jing Tian (Special ID), Pedro Pascal (TV's Games of Thrones), Willem Dafoe (The Grand Budapest Hotel), and Andy Lau (House of Flying Daggers).

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Flicks Review

If you want to see Matt Damon fighting an army of mythical reptilian beasts in feudal-era China, The Great Wall shouldn't disappoint. It's a remarkably straight-ahead genre piece with no delusions of grandeur, and at no risk of punching above its dramatic weight by keeping its goals nice and low. I probably won't reach for this Blu-ray in a few years from now over director Yimou Zhang's previous Hero or House of Flying Daggers; but I was pleasantly surprised with how much fun I had with it on the big screen.... More

Outrage over Damon's role turned out to be unfounded. He's a European dude who ends up helping out the Chinese imperial army defend against the demonic hordes, but it's not a white-washed or white saviour role. He's a good fighter and a big help, yes, but it's Tian Jing and Andy Lau's characters who prove more decisive than the white men in overcoming evil. Genuine outrage may be directed at Damon's accent, however, which is a hodge-podge of weirdness and wrong.

Visually, this fantasy film is both gorgeous and ugly. The Chinese army is spectacularly resplendent in colour-coded armour denoting which corps each soldier belongs to, videogame-style. Long, panoramic sweeping shots also make for nice eye candy.

Crappy CGI, however, ends up fouling up a lot of The Great Wall's aesthetics, ruining almost every single shot the evil beasts are in and a few others too. Even with the poor visual effects work, the impressive diversity in the action sequences kept me well engaged throughout, with occasional stylistic flourishes that were rousing.

With its very simple defeat-the-monsters narrative, this isn't an epic East-meets-West triumph that the increasingly big-budget Hollywood/China co-productions are sure to deliver regularly soon. But it may be an indication of greatness to come.Hide

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The Great Wall

The Press Reviews

  • Variety (USA)

    Zhang Yimou capably gives ... "The Great Wall" the look and feel of a Hollywood blockbuster, but his signature visual dazzle, his gift for depicting delicate relationships and throbbing passions are trampled by dead-serious epic aspirations. Full Review

  • Hollywood Reporter

    The Great Wall is easily the least interesting and involving blockbuster of the respective careers of both its director and star. Full Review

  • The Guardian (UK)

    Simultaneously futuristic and historic, the visual spectacle carries the film, while Zhang manages to include plenty of promised "Chinese elements", including a beautiful shot of traditional sky lanterns at one character's funeral. Full Review

  • Empire (UK)

    There are plenty of fun CGI monster-skewering scenes, but a clunky plot, rigid script and equally stiff acting make this a crumbling disappointment, if not quite a disaster. Full Review

  • New York Times

    The whole thing plays out as if it had been thought up by someone who, while watching "Game of Thrones" and smoking a bowl, started riffing on walls, China and production money. Full Review

  • TimeOut (UK)

    Damon is good value, his avuncular charm adding intimacy to what could have been an empty spectacle. Full Review

The Talk
89 %

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  • flixster sometimes it better to ignore the critics and see the movie youself. they could be wrong.
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    8 of 8
  • Rohana I saw the trailer at the IMax cinema, and it's pretty awesome. Definitely a must see movie.
    Add comment
    7 of 8
  • Rohana It's Matt Damon, why not. He's never acted in a horrible movie.
    Add comment
    6 of 8
  • forestn'jenny Looks like a visual Phantasmagoria !!!
    Add comment
    5 of 8
  • Spoiler I believe he is immortal and is from the roman empire there to help defend the wall. Interesting twist.
    Add comment
    4 of 8
  • Usurper maybe he was found in the floating basket by the emporers wife so they kept him?
    Add comment
    3 of 8
  • niblix Damon looks out of place...anyone else notice.
    Add comment
    2 of 8
  • Calavera You are telling me there was not one Asian actor who could have played he role....typical Hollywood
    Add comment
    1 of 8

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