Warcraft Movie Review

By: Lynn Barker

It’s orcs vs. humans trying to protect their land in Warcraft. There are unlikely alliances, strange magic and a whole lot of fightin’. Will all of these please the many fans of the game?  Will most of it confuse non-gamers?

Lothar battles the orcs on a gryphonCourtesy of Universal

The Set Up

Homeworld of the orcs Draenor is dying. Magical Orc Gul'dan unites the clans into an army to conquer lush world Azeroth through a portal. This requires draining life to sustain the portal so captive Draenei are sacrificed to keep it open. A small war band goes through to grab more prisoners to sacrifice in order to have enough power to bring through the entire army Horde.

Orc leader Gul'danCourtesy of Universal

First Strike

In the first force are chieftain Durotan, his pregnant mate Draka, and his friend Orgrim Doomhammer. All go through the portal with Draka and she starts to have her baby which doesn’t make it but magical Gul’dan uses animal life force to give the child life.

Orgrim and DurotanCourtesy of Universal

Meanwhile

Kingdom Stormwind Military commander Sir Anduin Lothar is given a gift of a weird magical broomstick by King Magni Bronzebeard. They learn that human villages are being raided and people killed. Lothar is told by young magician apprentice Khadgar that the villagers were killed using magic called the Fel. Lothar doesn’t want to have anything to do with magicians. Stormwind King Llane sends Lothar and Khadgar to another kingdom to summon the help of the Guardian.

Lothar (Travis Fimmel) declares love for Garona (Paula Patton)Courtesy of Universal

Following the Fel

Looking for traces of the dark magic the Fel, a team including Lothar, Khadgar and master magician Medivh is ambushed by orcs. Medivh casts a spell that kills several orcs but not Durotan, Orgrim and Blackhand. They escape. Garona, a half-orc slave is found chained and Durotan sets her free but she is captured again. She is freed again for vowing loyalty to Stormwind and leads humans to spy on the orc camp where they learn Gul’dan’s master invasion plan. Azeroth will be destroyed. Khadgar learns that there is a traitor inside Azeroth who is helping Gul’dan. 

Medivh (Ben Foster)Courtesy of Universal

Will the Kingdoms Unite?

What part will half-orc Garona play in protecting the humans? Who, within their ranks, has turned against the humans? What and who must be sacrificed to save Azeroth? What part will dark magic play in all of this?

Warcraft Trailer 

Wrapping Up

Warcraft has visual battle thrills to spare on an LOTR scale but not much you haven’t seen a version of before. There is enough exposition (explaining who is who and what is what) in the first section of the film to set your head spinning but it’s all pretty complicated for newbies to the franchise who never played the game. There are game references throughout about people, places and things that most of us just won’t “get”.  Characters are barely introduced before the action sequences. A “romance” between green-skinned Garona and Lothar isn’t all that believable.

Lothar and Garona in battleCourtesy of Universal

If you go to films just to say, “Wow, that battle action was awesome!” or you are devoted to Warcraft as a game then this might be the movie for you. If you are new to the Warcraft universe and into really investing in characters you understand and can get behind….not so much. We go three stars. 

Warcraft Movie Rating:

Warcraft Movie PosterCourtesy of Universal

Warcraft is in theaters now!

Have Your Say

Are or were you a Warcraft gamer? Do you just love orc on human action? Could you just not care less? Let us know below.