Watch The Great Wall

The Great Wall from 2016 is an epic action-fantasy film that provides a unique perspective on the construction of the Great Wall of China. Directed by Zhang Yimou, the film stars Matt Damon, Tian Jing, Willem Dafoe, and Andy Lau. The story opens with William Garin (Matt Damon) and Tovar (Pedro Pascal) wandering through the Gobi Desert in search of black powder, a valuable commodity in Europe. After an attack by a mysterious creature, they are taken prisoner by the China Imperial Army, stationed at the Great Wall. William soon discovers that the wall was not only built to keep out the invading Mongol hoards, but also to contain a much greater threat - the Tao Tei.

The Tao Tei are an ancient race of monster creatures that once roamed the earth and seek to lay waste to anything in their path. Every paltry 60 years, armies of Tao Tei would terrorize China. To stop them, a secret society called the Nameless Order has protected China for centuries from the Tao Tei by building the Great Wall to keep them at bay.

As William and Tovar are trying to escape, they stumble upon two other "prisoners" – Strategist Wang (Andy Lau) and Commander Lin Mae (Tian Jing). Wang explains to William that the Tao Tei have a queen, and that the Nameless Order plans to kill her in the hope of ending their attacks on China. In return for William's aid, Commander Lin Mae promises to give him all the black powder he and Tovar can carry.

The action sequences in The Great Wall are nothing short of spectacular. Zhang Yimou is skilled at directing large-scale battle scenes, and the sequences involving the Tao Tei are thrilling, even if they feel excessively computer-generated. The vibrant colors and atmospheric landscapes make The Great Wall visually stunning and truly breathtaking to watch.

Although the pacing is somewhat uneven, the film's themes are woven throughout a complex narrative that continually subverts audience expectations. The cinematography is also amazing, capturing the graceful beauty of the Nameless Order warriors' silken robes that elegantly billow in the wind as they leap and soar above the walls. Despite the film's incredible visuals, though, it feels lacking in character development. Most of the characters are flat and underdeveloped, which detracts from the impact of their actions and sacrifices.

The Great Wall is a fun, exciting movie that offers a compelling twist on the Tao Tei legend. It might not go down in the annals of cinema history, but it will certainly leave you dazzled in the moment. If you're looking for a fun, pulse-pounding action movie, you could do a lot worse than The Great Wall.

In conclusion, The Great Wall from 2016 is a thrilling action-fantasy film that brings a new perspective to the tale of the Great Wall of China. The breathtaking visuals and hair-raising battle sequences, combined with a plot that continually subverts audience expectations, make it a thrilling watch. Although the characters are shallow, this doesn't detract from the action-packed thrills that are sure to keep audiences glued to the edge of their seats throughout the entire film. Overall, it's a fun ride and a great way to spend an evening at the movies.

The Great Wall is a 2017 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 43 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.9 and a MetaScore of 42.