Film adaptations of video games have a bad reputation, and for the most part, it's a well-earned one. Many of these movies are cynical cash grabs, attempts to exploit or expand a popular brand name (there were even plans at one point for a Call of Duty cinematic universe). These are often made by people who have no interest in the games or at least consider them a passing interest.
Warcraft, however, was not one of these. Though it shares the resulting ire of some critics and fans that many of its fellow video game adaptations have endured, it was a passion project rather than an exploitative 90-minute commercial for its long-running fictional universe. It was a passion project on every level of its production; this and other factors have helped ensure that Warcraft remains one of the best video game movies and a great movie -- period. There's even more to it, though.
The Long Journey to Warcraft: The Beginning
Long before Warcraft was released in 2016, Blizzard had already planned to adapt its popular fictional universe to the big screen. As early as 2006, a year after the release of the MMO World of Warcraft that helped escalate the brand to pop cultural ubiquity, they had announced plans for a film based on the original trilogy of strategy games that had preceded it. Similarities to Lord of the Rings, however, stymied that approach, and the project lingered in development hell even as World of Warcraft reached its peak player count with its second expansion in 2008.
It was eventually taken over by director Duncan Jones in 2013, who worked with Blizzard to radically redesign the script and make the characters, particularly the antagonistic orcs, more varied and complex. This comes through in the finished product, with the orcish leader Durotan serving as a counterpoint to the nefarious fel magic enrapturing most of his race and, ironically, seeming more human than some of the actual human characters in the film. Jones' involvement, considering his earlier success with the 2009 cult classic Moon and his love of Warcraft, was a masterstroke on Blizzard's part. In an interview with PC Gamer, Jones said that "the key was making sure the core story was legitimate and true to the lore. But at the same time, tell a story that anyone can understand, to draw the audience in." The movie's duality of fan service and accessibility is one of its biggest strengths.
The Actors Were Instrumental in Bringing Azeroth to Life
The success of the writing also hinged upon its portrayal by the actors and their commitment to their parts, and even before the film came out, this was not in question. Leading star Travis Fimmel, who cut his teeth on the similarly medieval Vikings, helped carry the gruffness of that earlier role to his turn as Anduin Lothar, a defender of his endangered homeland. Ben Foster, whose work in Hell or High Water has become part of the benchmark for the modern western, illuminated the character of the mage Medivh as no one else could; the pain of his isolated role as the world's Guardian is apparent in every word, even those he shares with Fimmel's Lothar, arguably his closest friend.
Mission: Impossible's Paula Patton played the half-orc Garona, whose ties to both worlds made her deeply compelling; her complex loyalties are portrayed perfectly. Robert Kazinsky, a long-time Warcraft fan, was also committed to the film's success as he played Durotan's right hand Orc. In the film's pre-release press conference, Kazinsky joked that he would have "strangled puppies" to be in the movie. Though not everyone was as knowledgeable of the license as Kazinsky, the actors' commitment to bringing their parts to life can be seen in the film's more emotional beats, which hit as mercilessly as the wicked orcs swing their war clubs. The entire cast deserves appreciation for their work, particularly the orcish actors, who trained with stunt director Terry Notary to help capture the race's differing movements from smaller humans. The movie also includes a notable cameo by a veteran Hollywood star that will not be spoiled here.
The Sounds and Sights of Azeroth
Times of both tragedy and triumph in the movie are compounded by its score, composed by Westworld and Game of Thrones veteran Ramin Djawadi. It was important for the adaptation of a series already so beloved for its score to live up to that, and Djawadi more than delivered; the soundtrack helps to evoke the depths of a world at war for the listener, its character themes as instantly recallable as those of John Williams. Hearing them helps to place the viewer alongside the characters as they fight for Azeroth and the love and loss they endure in doing so. If one song in particular from the score has to be highlighted, though, it's "Mak'gora," the orcish word for an honorable duel to the death.
This single song is a tapestry of emotions that range across Warcraft's concluding action scenes, hammering home its theme of sacrifice. The pains of that war are reinforced by the movie's excellent use of computer-generated effects, which feel far more integrated into the film thanks to its combined use of practical sets and costumes. Though there are details that divulge from those of the game, it nonetheless remains committed to the game's spirit, something that can be said for almost all aspects of this film's production. The sound design of the many battles helps make them far more vivid than the sword-and-board action of some other fantasy movies.
Despite all the lauding heaped here, nothing can do the film greater justice than watching it. Though there have been conversations about a Warcraft sequel almost since the movie came out, it seems unlikely that there will be a direct follow-up to that iteration of the world of Azeroth. Considering this is the age of reboots and rebirths, though, nothing can be ruled out entirely. In any case, for all the criticisms the film received from some critics and fans, at the end of the day, it remains a highly watchable, enjoyable and powerful experience for newcomers and diehards alike.