Film Review: The Great Wall

White male hero leads dumpster fire movie to a forgettable fate.

Do we LOOK like we’re having fun?

I chose the above picture for very specific reasons. I could’ve chosen a more beautiful shot of a heroic looking Matt Damon atop The Great Wall of China. But no, I preferred this one for the way it captures the feeling one has while watching The Great Wall — the feeling of trudging through the sewer, acting unfazed while knowing deep down that the journey will result in nothing but a sh*tty mess. If you were considering watching The Great Wall as a fun activity this weekend (or at some point), let me save you the two hours you’d never get back. First, The Great Wall is offensive for its white savior narrative. Second, it’s poorly shot and edited. And third, it features cartoonish special effects and thus can’t even manage to string together two minutes of respectable cinema without an embarrassing element restarting the clock.

Continue reading “Film Review: The Great Wall

Film Review: Epic

Colin Farrell voices Ronin in Epic
Colin Farrell voices Ronin in Epic

Naming a film Epic is asking for a lot, especially when it’s based on a children’s book of a different and less demanding title, “The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs” by William Joyce.  Mirriam-Webster defines ‘epic’ as “extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope.”  To focus Epic on inherently small things, like insects and miniature people in a world of forest trees and underground hives, is a problem in of itself.  Sure, things may look “epic” from the characters’ point of view, but from the perspective of a human being in the audience, not so much.  Luckily the visuals do look epic, they just don’t feel that way.  This is due in part because of the relatively banal storyline and uninspired character design for the protagonists.  It’s still a very playful film with just enough depth to satisfy adults, but as it tries to balance emotion and a tone oriented toward small children, it falls short.

Continue reading “Film Review: Epic”