Just got my copy of SFX magazine, for those unfamiliar with it, SFX is a magazine specialising in fantasy and science fiction films, games and books that is fairly popular in the UK.
In this month's issue they have reviewed Warcraft the movie and it's the first review I have seen.
So how did this one, and I emphasise it is only ONE review, judge it?
Three out of Five stars which they define as average.
I am not going to rewrite the entire review but I'll summarise it's main points.
They've tried to create a film that caters to both fans and people being introduced to the story. There is apparently a lot of worldbuilding and threads left open for hoped for sequels. We've all seen films that have tried to birth an entire cinematic universe all by itself struggling under the weight of doing so...Batman vs Superman is clearly the most obvious comparison here.
The reviewer also criticizes some of the dialogue as being overwrought and 'straight out of a 1980's fantasy movie' but conversely states some of the dialogue is nuanced.
He praises the performances and the quality of the CG. He suggests it takes 'bold narrative chances' which I believe refers to how the story of the first war plays out...which as fans we already know.
Long story short, the first reviewer of Warcraft finds it an average film. Now this guy spends his days watching and reviewing fantasy and sci-fi stuff so on the one hand he could be wearily familiar with all he sees on the screen, on the other he have an incisive understanding of the material.
More reviews will be required to paint a fuller picture, as well as our own opinions for when we go see it ourselves.
However...a verdict of 'average' is something I am personally not surprised by. At least it wasn't bad...
UPDATE
Find below the reproduced text of the review...credit of course goes to SFX
"In attempting to make a movie that both please gamer purists and invites in newbies, Moon man Duncan Jones faced an unenviable task with Warcraft: The Beginning. And it's only one he has partially succeeded with.
This tale of warring races - with Humans seeing Orcs as invaders while the green (and grey and sort of pink-ish) meanies are actually fleeing a dying planet - has some impressively performance-captured CG creatures, explores both cultures and occasionally takes bold narrative chances.
But those positives are often outweighed by an overwrought script and acting that ranges from nuanced to the sort of theatrical proclmations that wouldn't sound out of place in an '80s fantasy adventure. Though it's fun to channel that spirit occasionally, Warcraft stumbles over an uneven tone. And the need to cram in lots of world-building while leaving story threads dangling for future is regrettable.
There's talk of portals and dark magic, loyalty and vengeance but chances are you've heard it all before. If this is the beginning, we're not completely convinced we'll be in it to the end."
Apologies to those expecting more. SFX reviews can cover two pages if the magazine deems the work important enough, but the less important it is the farther back in the review section it is relegated. SFX devoted one column out of one page out of four to the Warcraft movie.
Now having said that, the reviewer does cram a lot in. It's his personal opinion also. The film maybe worse, or it maybe better than he has said. I don't like his objection to the dangling plot threads for example. As a fan, I know the story is greater than just one movie could ever cover and anything that didn't at least to allude to the rest of the world would have left a poorer product.
More reviews will come in the next few weeks. This is just one. Not the best we wanted, nor the worst we feared. That picture may yet change.