My (negative) thoughts on the Warcraft Movie

[therealstegblob]

They also kept saying Raimi's scripts weren't what they wanted.

I thought it was the other way around?

"Negative thoughts" on a movie that hasn't been released yet. Nice. Anything else to share or do we actually wanna wait till it comes out?

Wanna read the first post?

[Zoaric]

I thought it was the other way around?

Raimi wrote a few things, Blizzard kept trying to add or change stuff. He'd say no,
then it'd happen again. Eventually he quit because they weren't giving him much
freedom and he went off to direct Oz the Great and Powerful.

[KrazyK923]

the movie isnt out yet

the end.

[Thimagryn]

Raimi has his own style. You can see that with the Spiderman films, they were good films and they kept the character core to the comics, but a lot of it was in his style. He treats material like a dark comedy, where even the most serious situation has an element of silliness to it. If he made the Warcraft movie, it could have turned out like Xena with Orcs.

- - - Updated - - -

It'd be interesting to see if they try to have both sides include good elements during
the Second War. If Doomhammer is Warchief, he has no reason to continue the
conquest. Unless he's in the sort of leadership role where he'll be killed if he does
something his troops think is weak?

It'll be interesting to see where they take it if they do manage a sequel. The Doomhammer retcons really change how Warcraft 2 was originally supposed to be. The cunning usurper is now a conqueror looking for redemption? It's such a mess of character identity. We'll see how they characterize Doomhammer in the movie, maybe that'll shed some light in which direction they're going to take the series moving forward.

[Biff]

This movie looks fucking retarded. If hardcore WoWtards think normies are going to want to see this garbage, they're about to get shit on by reality.

[Zenny]

What? The Orcs aren't all evil? Movie sucks then.

[Socialhealer]

negative? mmo-c?

bread and butter really.

film isn't even out, try then.

[Zenny]

This movie looks fucking retarded. If hardcore WoWtards think normies are going to want to see this garbage, they're about to get shit on by reality.

If "normies" can watch Pacific Rim then they can certainly watch Warcraft.

[Soulwind]

It'll be interesting to see where they take it if they do manage a sequel. The Doomhammer retcons really change how Warcraft 2 was originally supposed to be. The cunning usurper is now a conqueror looking for redemption? It's such a mess of character identity. We'll see how they characterize Doomhammer in the movie, maybe that'll shed some light in which direction they're going to take the series moving forward.

From what I've seen from the interviews and such, I think Orgrim is kind of the wrong guy at the wrong place. He's strong and reliable, but not a great leader. Durotan will influence him into betraying Blackhand and retreating to Blackrock, but once there and without Durotan's help, he'll be a powerful brute with an army of bloodthirsty orcs craving for revenge.

It's the Garrosh kind of orc, he understands peace as long as someone explains it to him nice and slow, but he can't work it on his own. I think he's likeable as an antihero, or even an antivillain, but definitely not a protagonist in the way Lothar and Durotan are.

[Thimagryn]

From what I've seen from the interviews and such, I think Orgrim is kind of the wrong guy at the wrong place. He's strong and reliable, but not a great leader. Durotan will influence him into betraying Blackhand and retreating to Blackrock, but once there and without Durotan's help, he'll be a powerful brute with an army of bloodthirsty orcs craving for revenge.

It's the Garrosh kind of orc, he understands peace as long as someone explains it to him nice and slow, but he can't work it on his own. I think he's likeable as an antihero, or even an antivillain, but definitely not a protagonist in the way Lothar and Durotan are.

I agree, and that's part of the problem moving forward. This movie establishes protagonists on both sides. The next story arc literally has no real Horde protagonist. Even now, looking at the lore in retrospect, I couldn't really tell you what 'Doomhammer's Legacy' is all about.

[Soulwind]

I agree, and that's part of the problem moving forward. This movie establishes protagonists on both sides. The next story arc literally has no real Horde protagonist. Even now, looking at the lore in retrospect, I couldn't really tell you what 'Doomhammer's Legacy' is all about.

If having a villanous side isn't feasible, then people asking for an Arthas movie will be disappointed, as that's a story with an evil protagonist.

I think it's good they establish that the Warcraft franchise isn't about good vs evil with the first movie, but that doesn't mean they have to have two "good" sides for every part of the saga. Warcraft 2 could focus on incompetent leaders Terenas (he wasn't exactly brilliant in Warcraft 3) and Orgrim handling a war they don't understand.

If they feel like they absolutely need an orc protagonist, they could always bring Saurfang or Rexxar into it, as their roles in the first two wars are unknown.

Still, we're getting waaay ahead of ourselves, there may not even be more than one Warcraft movie.

[Thimagryn]

If having a villanous side isn't feasible, then people asking for an Arthas movie will be disappointed, as that's a story with an evil protagonist.

Arthas is driven and has a strict sense of purpose. What's happening with Orgrim and the retcons is making him out to be a confused character who rides the fine line between conquering and redeeming his people/maintaining honor. He can't do both. I guess it could be a similar story, but we're nowhere near as empathetic with him as we would with Arthas. Orgrim's decision to usurp and lead the Horde isn't the same as Arthas' search for greater power to fight evil. I don't know if they'd necessarily want Orgrim to be that kind of character. Ultimately he'll have to be someone who Thrall looks up to, and he won't get to go that extra mile that Arthas does.

If they feel like they absolutely need an orc protagonist, they could always bring Saurfang or Rexxar into it, as their roles in the first two wars are unknown.

I think Garona could potentially be the best carry over. She's already an established character, even if she didn't have much purpose in the second war.

[Harbour]

This movie looks fucking retarded. If hardcore WoWtards think normies are going to want to see this garbage, they're about to get shit on by reality.

Sorry dude, but it looks like you need to look at reality. Most people who know nothing about WoW or Warcraft, were hooked by the trailer. Its mostly fans are those who think the movie is shitty (already, yep).
The same with CGI - general audience who spent their lives working and living their lives with families and kids and other stuff find Warcraft trailer gorgeously looking ("Woah, that looks like epic movie. These giant dudes are badass. It looks fun! Thats the summer? Gonna watch, why not?"), and only those twitter-forums nerds who dont pull their heads out of the internet nitpick every screenshoot from the trailer. General audience is the audience that make box-office for the movies. So WCM most likely will get the attention of masses with decent promotion campaign.

[Soulwind]

Ultimately he'll have to be someone who Thrall looks up to, and he won't get to go that extra mile that Arthas does.

Alexstrasza and Antonidas would disagree.

I think Garona could potentially be the best carry over. She's already an established character, even if she didn't have much purpose in the second war.

True, but we don't know how much of a slave she is in the first movie and if she breaks free. We also don't know if the Horde considers her an ally at that point. That's why I mentioned characters who would most likely be at Blackrock during the Second War, and there's probably a lot more that would fit that role.

[therealstegblob]

It'll be interesting to see where they take it if they do manage a sequel. The Doomhammer retcons really change how Warcraft 2 was originally supposed to be. The cunning usurper is now a conqueror looking for redemption? It's such a mess of character identity. We'll see how they characterize Doomhammer in the movie, maybe that'll shed some light in which direction they're going to take the series moving forward.

That was also something I forgot to bring up. They almost seem like they're changing Doomhammer's character a bit (again this is something where the details seem really vague so it's hard to tell what they did). In the original lore/novels he was more of a really, really grey character and in that way, not very relatable on a traditional level. If they change him, it'd seriously be a massive loss because Doomhammer is one of the best characters in a canon starved of true moral grey characters (I'm looking at you, evil-at-the-drop-of-a-hat Arthas).

[Thimagryn]

Alexstrasza and Antonidas would disagree.

It'll all be made out to not be Orgrim's fault. Alexstrasza's capture already had little to do with Doomhammer. Her capture in War2 manual was due in part by Rend and Maim in conjunction with the Dragonmaw clan. Day of the Dragon points at indirect influence from Deathwing granting the Demon Soul to Nekros.

I'd like an evil, ruthless Doomhammer circa War2, but everything leading up to being a role model for Thrall makes it difficult to take his character in that direction.

[therealstegblob]

I'd like an evil, ruthless Doomhammer circa War2, but everything leading up to being a role model for Thrall makes it difficult to take his character in that direction.

He was never evil or ruthless (I don't even think he was in WC2). At least, especially, by the time of the novels and WC2 retcons/story tweaks, he was only going to war against the humans and elves until the Orcs had enough land to live on for themselves, then they'd settle down and live like they did on Draenor. Or is his peace agreement with Pernolde something an evil, ruthless monster would do?

[Thimagryn]

He was never evil or ruthless (I don't even think he was in WC2). At least, especially, by the time of the novels and WC2 retcons/story tweaks, he was only going to war against the humans and elves until the Orcs had enough land to live on for themselves, then they'd settle down and live like they did on Draenor. Or is his peace agreement with Pernolde something an evil, ruthless monster would do?

Prior to the novels? He usurped Blackfang's position through sheer force. He tortured Garona into divulging the secrets of the shadow council. And the main kicker that had him out as the ultimate big bad?

When the Horde was beaten back to Blackrock Spire, he tricked Lothar into having a diplomatic meeting only to ambush and kill him. That's what happens at the very beginning of the second-last Alliance mission in Warcraft 2. It was totally some Game of Thrones shit back then.

[xezar]

Agreeing the bastardization of already established lore is sickening. Next they'll probably make the horrible comic lore even more canon with a hot Medivh on Garona scene in the movie.

[therealstegblob]

Prior to the novels? He usurped Blackfang's position through sheer force. He tortured Garona into divulging the secrets of the shadow council. And the main kicker that had him out as the ultimate big bad?

When the Horde was beaten back to Blackrock Spire, he tricked Lothar into having a diplomatic meeting only to ambush and kill him. That's what happens at the very beginning of the second-last Alliance mission in Warcraft 2. It was totally some Game of Thrones shit back then.

He usurped Blackhand's position through force in the novels, and then he basically just butchered the Shadow Council. I believe him torturing Gorana was more or less kept in the canon, just not spoken of. I suppose the biggest retcon was his ambush on Lothar but does that really make him evil by itself? My memory on WC2 is a bit fuzzy, I should replay it sometime, but even in WC2 I don't think he was ever presented as overtly evil, just very very morally grey.