The Great Wall' Movie Rating: A Mixed Bag for Action Enthusiasts

=====================================================================================

Directed by renowned filmmaker Zhang Yimou and starring an all-star cast including Academy Award winner Jackie Chan, 'The Great Wall' promises to deliver heart-stopping action sequences set against the breathtaking backdrop of ancient China. But does this $150 million budgeted blockbuster live up to its lofty expectations? In this article, we'll dive into what makes 'The Great Wall' worth watching and where it falls short.

Visually Stunning but Storytelling Lacks Depth

---------------------------------------------

From its opening shots, it's clear that considerable resources have been poured into bringing 13th century China to life on the big screen. The sweeping vistas of snow-covered mountainsides, lush forests teeming with mythical creatures, and imposing city walls (aptly named) are simply breathtaking in IMAX3D format.

However, while the film excels vis-a-vis its visuals - particularly during frenetic battle scenes where Chan's gravity-defying stunts truly showcase his ageless agility - it falters somewhat when attempting to flesh out more substantial narrative depth beyond mere action set pieces. The story follows a small band of Chinese soldiers as they engage in an epic struggle against hordes of ferocious monsters from another realm.

The supporting cast, which includes Chan alongside global stars such as Mandy Moore and John Cho, are largely reduced to cardboard cutouts - their motivations and backstories left woefully underdeveloped throughout the entire runtime. This lackl box office potential could well have been rectified had screenwriters taken more time in fleshing out these secondary characters beyond mere generic archetypes.

Rating Disappointment on IMDB Equivalent Douban

----------------------------------------------

It seems however that audiences around Asia aren't alone in their disappointment with 'The Great Wall'. On the Chinese equivalent of IMDB, Douban - a popular social media platform for movie lovers to share reviews and ratings - Zhang's latest offering has managed an abysmal 5.0 out of 10 rating based on over 50,000 one-star votes cast by dissatisfied viewers.

While it must be noted that cultural differences may well play a significant role in this mixed response towards 'The Great Wall', even accounting for regional preferences and tastes, such universally poor reviews do suggest some fundamental issues lie at the heart of this costly big-budget actioner. Whether these can still be rectified through additional re-editing or post-production tweaks remains to be seen.

-------

In conclusion, while 'The Great Wall' may not entirely live up to its sky-high expectations in terms of narrative depth and character development, it does deliver on one key front: pure visceral action entertainment. For fans of mindless splatterfests who are willing to overlook some major storytelling omissions - particularly during quieter moments between high-octane set pieces - then Zhang Yimou's latest offering might just provide sufficient adrenaline-fueled thrills and spills.

However, for those seeking something more substantial beyond mere CGI spectacle or looking towards 'The Great Wall' as an authentic cultural representation of ancient China would be wise to look elsewhere.

The great wall movie rating