In Zhang Yimou’s recent Chinese monster epic, William Garin (Matt 
Damon) and Pero Tovar (Pedro Pascal), two European mercenaries seeking black powder, are taken captive by the Nameless Order, guardians of China’s Great Wall. The Commander of the Crane Troop, Lin Mae (Jing Tian), holds them prisoner as a cyclical battle between the Order and a force of lizard-like monsters, the Tao Tie, tests limits of both the wall and its defenders.
While it sounds as though The Great Wall can easily fit into the stereotypically predictable criteria for a monster film, it handles some surprisingly provoking themes. They may struggle to find a place in Yimou’s world of hive-mind reptilians and colorfully garbed warriors, but they remain nonetheless.
Upon the discovery that her prisoners are soldiers-for-hire, Lin Mae calls William’s honor into question. And rightfully so: the coming battle encourages Pero, with the help of another captive, Sir Ballard (Willem Dafoe), to consider escape – and William to juggle his own fate. Should they stay and protect their captors from slaughter or save their own lives?
A mercenary is certainly the right character to have an internal struggle surrounding loyalty; they “fight for food,” as William puts it. But when this is their only conundrum, it makes the suspense fizzle, as the result can only go one of two ways: he either stays or he leaves. The only thing he personally has to lose is his pride.
When it is revealed about half way through the film that the nation’s capital is just beyond the wall, the stakes are unquestionably raised. However, as an almost immediate counter to the danger, William’s captured belongings yield a lodestone whose magnetic powers are rumored to be the “kryptonite” of the Tao Tie. When the presence of the lodestone renders a single Tao Tie immobile, their theory is proven correct – and the danger dissipates.
As a result, William and Pero both become expendable. They’re a liability to the Nameless Order (whose purpose is kept secret from the masses), William’s archery skills are good in close combat but are in no way more useful than having another man with a bow on the wall, and they have now given up their only bargaining chip: the lodestone. That being said, William and Pero’s story ought to end right there.
But it continues on, and not in the worst fashion. When the Tao Tie overtake the wall and move to the capital, the Nameless Order must alight in air balloons in pursuit. This is an engaging display to watch, as is the fluttering of the Order’s vibrant uniforms in the wind whenever they march in formation.
Spectacle is a factor in this film, so keep that in mind, but the high production value and engaging action sequences make it fun and, in the end, entertaining. The performances on Damon’s and Pascal’s parts leave a little to be desired, but so does the story, which at least levels the playing field.
All in all, it’s worth seeing in a large theatre setting where it’s strongest attributes can be most enjoyed.