Today’s quick review: The Great Wall. William (Matt Damon) and Tovar (Pedro Pascal) are the last survivors of a mercenary expedition to China to find the legendary black powder. What they find instead is a colossal wall guarded by the soldiers of the Nameless Order against the Tao Tei, a horde of monsters that threaten to overrun China. Caught in the middle of the conflict, the duo hatch a desperate plan to escape with the black powder and their lives.
The Great Wall is a historical fantasy action movie that tells of the secret purpose behind the Great Wall of China. The plot is simple enough: a pair of mercenaries are given the chance to become heroes by helping to defeat an army of deadly monsters. The script is uninspired, but its jokes hit more often than they miss. The special effects show signs of budget and polish, giving the action the visual support it needs.
The Great Wall excels in a few unexpected areas. The Chinese soldiers’ ornately detailed and richly colored armor makes for a striking visual spectacle. The siege weaponry used along the Wall is impressive in its scope, intricacy, and creativity, from the massive catapults to the pulley systems used to lower warriors into the fray. The soundtrack, while not particularly memorable, complements the action sequences well, particularly once the war drums start up.
As for the action itself, The Great Wall opts for slow motion combat, complex interactions, and a healthy dose of William’s archery. While hardly realistic, the action sequences have an excellent flow to them. The fights with the Tao Tei en masse are somewhat less exciting, but the one-on-one fights are interestingly choreographed, well-rendered, and competently presented.
The Great Wall’s merits stop there, however. The plot is predictable and short, and while it is executed well enough, it lacks a real sense of progression or escalation. The second half of the movie offers only one or two surprises over the first. The monster designs seem unique at first, but when several thousand of them are on screen at once, they quickly begin to feel generic.
The Great Wall is a fairly entertaining action movie that fails to build on its strengths. Fans of schlocky action could do worse than to give it a try. Between its action and its visuals, The Great Wall does bring something new to the table. But without the follow-through, The Great Wall offers little beyond the action basics. Anyone looking for a story or a memorable action classic should look elsewhere.
6.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for entertaining action and visual spectacle held back by poor escalation and a weak plot.