My children just came back from the actual Great Wall of China. They said they were only allowed to walk on certain segments of the Wall. This movie adds to that mystique of one of the Wonders of the World. With Matt Damon (William), you know there's going to be plenty of action; not cultural interaction, so no expectations from me. Two Europeans travel the Spice Roads in search of trading for "black {gun} powder" in the Empire of China. William's companion is Tovar (Pedro Pascal). They learn that the Great Wall is not just keeping out Mongols, and they are forced to stay and fight against this monstrous enemy, the Tao Tei. The marketing created great anticipation, and when we finally see Tao Tei, they don't disappoint!
Kudos for the creativity of blending historical fact with fiction. Movies are running out of authentic, alluring plots. Matt Damon is in his typical "hero" role, as he stays to help instead of escaping. The gadgetry and engineering were overkill, but allude to China's place at the peak of the ancient world. The army was a color guard of synchronous harmony and acrobats. That's Director Zhang Yimou for you, though, with his collection of mythical martial arts movies.
Unfortunately, the final solution is just another kill the queen and scatter the drones scheme. The ending gets worse and worse. The hot air balloon trek was used like an air metro??? I don't like spoiling too much, so I must stop here. Let's just say these Tao Tei were not automatons. Did my children care?...,noooo. If you blink, you miss major CGI effects. You be the judge. Well, I have to score this on the Winning 35 yard Line, within scoring range, since most of the movie had great appeal.
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