By the early 2000s, every studio in Hollywood wanted a big fantasy blockbuster. The reason for this was the success of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. In recent years, however, the great fantasy stories have migrated to the streaming landscape as series. Enter The Great Wall.
Released in 2016, the action epic bucked the trend as one of the greatest fantasy films ever, but sank in the face of controversy and its massive box office flop. Tonight you can give the film a second chance. VOX shows Zhang Yimou’s expensive work in the evening program.
Fantasy blockbuster on TV today: The Great Wall delivers action bombast from master director Zhang Yimou
The story of The Great Wall is set in ancient China during the Song Dynasty and revolves around two mercenaries from Europe who are on the run: William (Matt Damon) and Pero (Pedro Pascal). Their adventure is supposed to end at the Great Wall of China – there they are captured.
You can watch the trailer for The Great Wall here:
The Great Wall – Trailer 2 (German) HD
At this point the story really begins, as a huge army of monsters is on its way to tear down the bulwark. Before William and Pero know it, they’re part of a gigantic battle. Through their fighting skills, they can gain the trust of the Chinese soldiers.
No expense or effort was spared: The Great Wall was released in cinemas with a generous budget of 150 million US dollars and had a gifted director in Zhang Yimou, who has already made breathtaking films such as Red Lantern, Hero and House of the Flying Daggers. What could go wrong? Some.
Controversies began as soon as Matt Damon was cast in the lead role, specifically in the form of Whitewashing allegationsas the Guardian reported. Although The Great Wall is set in 15th century China, Chinese stars such as Tian Jing and Andy Lau only appear in supporting roles. The focus is on Damon’s character.
Damon plays Irishman William Garin, who leads the fight against the great threat. This further led to the question of why the film was released White Savior Trope which is about the conflicts of a foreign culture being solved by a white person to whom this culture is actually foreign.
The reviews were devastating and the audience reaction was muted. The Great Wall disappointed at the box office with $335 million, according to Box Office Mojo. In itself, that sounds like a tidy sum. However, films of this size are expected to gross two to three times the budget.
Fantasy blockbuster: When is The Great Wall on TV?
The Great Wall is on tonight on November 9, 2024 at 8:15 p.m. on VOX. With advertising, the broadcast lasts until 10:20 p.m. The repeat follows on Sunday in the afternoon program at 3:10 p.m. Alternatively, you can currently watch the film with a streaming subscription on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
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