The Great Wall (2016)

Intro
"The Great Wall" is a 2016 epic historic dream action-adventure movie directed by Zhang Yimou and written by Tony Gilroy, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro. Popular for being the most expensive film ever shot completely in China, it includes a global cast led by Matt Damon, Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, and Willem Dafoe.

Plot
Set in China during the Song dynasty, the movie revolves around a mercenary, William (Matt Damon), who is taking a trip eastward with his buddy, Tovar (Pedro Pascal), in search of black powder, a powerful weapon unidentified to Europeans at that time. After a mysterious beast attacks them, they look for sanctuary in the nearby Great Wall, behind which lies the secret army of the Nameless Order, dedicated to safeguarding the wall and the empire from the monstrous Tao Tei.

Main Characters
William, an expert archer, impresses Commander Lin Mae (Jing Tian), who decides to keep him alive. In addition to Lin, Strategist Wang (Andy Lau), basic Shao (Zhang Hanyu), and a sent to prison European, Ballard (Willem Dafoe), who looked for the black powder too, play substantial functions in the plot. When the Tao Tei attack, William remarkably eliminates one, making him respect and appreciation from the Chinese warriors.

Significant Conflict and Climax
As the film progresses, the Tao Tei attacks heighten, with each fight triggering dramatic losses to the protectors. During one of these fights, General Shao is killed, and Commander Lin takes over the role of General. In spite of this, William and Tovar's mistrust over their survival opportunities prompts them to outline an escape with Ballard, who has already prepared his departure. Nevertheless, the strategy goes awry, resulting in Ballard's death and Tovar's capture by Khitan bandits.

William stays back, driven by his newfound friendship with Commander Lin and his devotion to helping the Nameless Order beat the Tao Tei. William and Lin execute a daring strategy to slay the queen Tao Tei, which would trigger all other Tao Tei to die. With numerous close calls and intense fights, William lastly handles to slay the queen, causing the defeat of the Tao Tei.

Ending
Given a chance to take the black powder, William rather decides to complimentary Tovar from the bandits to honor their friendship. The movie ends with William and Tovar heading back to Europe, while Commander Lin continues to safeguard the Great Wall, and a sense of mutual regard and adoration is acknowledged between the characters.

Vital Reception
"The Great Wall" is a combination of Chinese history, monster-fantasy, and a touch of Western heroism, making it an unique cinematic experience. While the movie received blended evaluations with criticism mostly targeted at its movie script, its special results, action sequences, and cinematography gathered substantial appreciation. The movie also initiated discussions around the 'white savior' narrative in Hollywood due to its choice to cast Matt Damon as the lead. Despite the critical reception, the film managed to make a substantial earnings worldwide, especially in the Chinese box office.

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