--- title: "Warcraft" year: 2016 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/warcraft" fi1m_id: "warcraft" imdb_id: "tt0803096" tmdb_id: 68735 wikidata_id: "Q14513321" fi1m_score: 43 critics_score: 36 critics_reviews: 25 published: "2026-10-05T14:05:48.689828+00:00" updated: "2026-10-05T14:05:49.298345+00:00" region: "PH" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Warcraft (2016) Directed by Duncan Jones · 2h 03m · Action, Adventure, Fantasy ## Identity Warcraft - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/warcraft - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** warcraft - **IMDb ID:** tt0803096 - **TMDB ID:** 68735 - **Wikidata ID:** Q14513321 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0803096/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/68735, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14513321 **Fi1m score: 43** · Critics 36 from 25 reviews *In a sentence:* The orcs have feelings; the humans have names we are still trying to remember > Duncan Jones gives his orcs weight and feeling, but *Warcraft* buries them in a crowded, hurried story. Toby Kebbell supplies the strongest performance in a fantasy that asks for more patience than it earns. ## Synopsis The Horde enters Azeroth through a portal, bringing an invading army into the realm of King Llane Wrynn (Dominic Cooper). Commander Anduin Lothar (Travis Fimmel) must defend it, with magic complicating a soldier’s response to the threat. Medivh (Ben Foster) holds the title of Guardian, while Gul’dan (Daniel Wu) is a wizard on the orc side. Among the invaders is Durotan (Toby Kebbell), whose concerns give the conflict another perspective. The story follows both sides of the crossing, with Garona Halforcen (Paula Patton) also drawn into a war between the two worlds. ## Review Duncan Jones approaches *Warcraft* as though the orcs deserve as much consideration as the people standing in their way, and that is a worthwhile place to begin. This is a poor fantasy film with an unusually persuasive group of digital characters. Jones wants us to understand the opposing sides, but the screenplay, which he shares with Charles Leavitt, gives us too many introductions and too little time with anyone. Across 123 minutes, learning who matters becomes more work than it should. Toby Kebbell’s Durotan gives the film its clearest reason to keep watching. The bulk of the orc body never prevents a thought from registering in the face, and the effects allow Kebbell’s performance to remain readable beneath the tusks. We cared about him, because the worry in those eyes makes the conflict feel like something happening to a person. The orcs have weight, too: their size and movement suggest bodies capable of hurting each other. The human cast has a harder job. Travis Fimmel’s Commander Anduin Lothar is given plenty of importance without becoming a particularly engaging companion, while Dominic Cooper’s King Llane Wrynn struggles to be more than his rank. Ben Foster, as Medivh, has the burden of making the magic sound consequential, which does not leave much room for a person underneath. Paula Patton gives Garona Halforcen some welcome grit. Her presence suggests a more immediate, less crowded film, but she is repeatedly made to serve the business of moving this one along. Paul Hirsch’s editing keeps changing our company before the relationships have had time to become interesting. The story feels hurried even when it is laborious to follow, because explanations and introductions occupy the space where a scene might have developed. There is not enough pleasure in simply being here. Jones and Leavitt appear so concerned with fitting the world into the film that they seldom let us discover it through a character doing something worth our attention. The images have a similar problem of competing demands. Cinematographers Simon Duggan and Stewart Whelan give the magic a welcome brightness, but the actors and digital surroundings do not consistently look as though they belong together. Gavin Bocquet’s production design contains plenty of detail, but the props do not always look substantial enough to belong beside those convincingly bulky orcs. There are passages where the sheer effort of filling the frame leaves us less certain what we ought to be looking at. Ramin Djawadi’s score adds to the insistence that all this matters. Its force suits the combat better than the stretches in which the film is still trying to establish why we should care. The fighting at least benefits from the orcs’ physical presence, and there is a blunt pleasure in the scale of them. Yet the crowded storytelling keeps reducing the impact: we can register a blow without having much invested in who receives it. Fantasy can accommodate complicated histories, but it needs to make a stranger want to learn them. *Warcraft* asks for that commitment before it has supplied enough excitement or affection to earn it. There is care here, particularly in the orc performances, and anyone already attached to this world may be more willing to do the connecting work. Try it for the orcs only if you can tolerate a good deal of hurried explanation. *Fi1m score 43, published 5 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics find Warcraft overcrowded, difficult to follow and short of characters worth caring about. The recurring complaints concern rushed storytelling, dense mythology and familiar fantasy material, with even sympathetic reviews acknowledging the strain of fitting so much into one film. Praise clusters around the performance-captured orcs, particularly Toby Kebbell’s expressive Durotan, and the care put into their world. Several critics also find warmth or promise in Paula Patton’s Garona, though the story gives her too little room. The spread is wide, but heavily weighted towards negative verdicts. Visual effects divide the reviews: some admire their detail and physical heft, while others find them artificial or tacky. The Hollywood Reporter offers the clearest dissent, finding a character-driven achievement despite the burdensome mythology. The Los Angeles Times also sees value in Duncan Jones’s heartfelt commitment; Variety argues that the same earnestness makes the silliness harder to overlook. ## Straight answers **Is Warcraft worth watching?** *Warcraft* is hard to recommend beyond those already attached to its fantasy world; we score it 43 out of 100. Toby Kebbell’s Durotan and the physically convincing orcs give us something to care about, but the crowded, hurried storytelling makes following the conflict more work than pleasure. **How long is Warcraft, and what is it rated?** *Warcraft* runs 2h 03m. It is an action and adventure film. **Where can I watch Warcraft in the Philippines?** *Warcraft* is streaming on HBO Max and Netflix in the Philippines, and it is also available to rent from Apple TV from ₱149.00. It leaves HBO Max on 31 October. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Warcraft, and is it suitable for children?** *Warcraft* carries a UK 12A certificate and contains fantasy combat whose force comes partly from the orcs’ convincing size and weight. We would be cautious with younger or sensitive children: those bodies make the fighting feel forceful, while the crowded story also asks for patience. Under-12s need an accompanying adult at the cinema. **How does Warcraft compare to The Dark Crystal?** *Warcraft* is the weaker choice beside [*The Dark Crystal*](https://film.one/film/the-dark-crystal), which we recommend for the personalities of its handmade creatures and their richly imagined home. Both make their creatures feel physically present, but *Warcraft* buries its persuasive orcs in hurried introductions. *The Dark Crystal* sometimes struggles to hold our attention, yet offers more reason to spend time in its fantasy world. **What should I watch after Warcraft?** After *Warcraft*, try [*The Dark Crystal*](https://film.one/film/the-dark-crystal) (1982, Fi1m 78): Another divided fantasy world, with creatures whose physical presence makes its dangers matter. Then [*Princess Mononoke*](https://film.one/film/princess-mononoke) (1997, Fi1m 88): For a war between peoples whose competing needs deserve more than a villain; and [*Excalibur*](https://film.one/film/excalibur) (1981, Fi1m 79): Heavy armour and committed performances make extravagant magic easier to take seriously. ### Reviews we read (25) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Sheri Linden (70/100, inferred): Linden finds the film a crafted, character-driven breakthrough, though its mythology can make it dull or campy for newcomers. She particularly praises the expressive digital characters and the grit of Paula Patton’s Garona. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/warcraft-film-review-896290/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (65/100, inferred): Chang finds Warcraft exhausting and cluttered, but ultimately buoyed by Duncan Jones’ heartfelt commitment to its fantastical world. He especially praises the immersive visuals and Toby Kebbell’s expressive performance as Durotan. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-warcraft-review-20160606-snap-story.html) - **Screen Daily**, John Hazelton (64/100, inferred): The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also does not reveal what the review singles out for praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/warcraft-review/5103902.article) - **Little White Lies**, Anton Bitel (3/5): The critic finds the film often trite but entertaining, with an audience likely to enjoy its ambitious fantasy world-building. He particularly praises the imposing, convincingly bulky computer-generated orcs and the brutal combat scenes. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/warcraft-the-beginning) - **RogerEbert.com** (60/100, inferred): The page could not be read, so its verdict and any singled-out element cannot be verified. The URL identifies a RogerEbert.com review of the 2016 film. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/warcraft-2016) - **Total Film**, Kevin Harley (3/5): Harley finds the film ambitious but cumbersome, often rushed and emotionally disengaging. He praises the detailed orc world-building and the performance-captured characters, while faulting the crowded story for leaving little room for wonder or investment. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/warcraft-movie-review/) - **Radio Times**, Victoria Luxford (2/5): Luxford finds the film visually impressive but weighed down by its dense presentation. She praises the effects and Jones’s understanding of the source material. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-d1fgmf/warcraft-the-beginning/) - **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (2/5): The review finds the fantasy adventure overloaded with genre trimmings but lacking personality. It criticizes the source material as a clunky patchwork of familiar fantasy elements. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/warcraft) - **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (30/100, inferred): O'Sullivan finds the adaptation difficult to enjoy, despite its effort to make the orcs sympathetic. She praises Jones's command of the effects but faults the confusing character designs and shoddy-looking costumes and props. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/warcraft-film-review-dazed-and-confused-by-the-march-of-the-videogame-orcs-a3263136.html) - **The Guardian**, Steve Rose (30/100, inferred): Rose finds the ambitious fantasy largely lifeless and difficult to connect with. He praises Garona as an intriguing character but says the film’s CGI spectacle and plot demands leave her underdeveloped. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/25/world-of-warcraft-the-beginning-review-end-already-nigh) - **The New Yorker** (30/100, inferred): The review finds the film crowded and scattershot, with a finale that feels morally weightless. It singles out the characters’ medication-like names as one of the fantasy world’s rare charms. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/warcraft) - **Slant Magazine**, James Lattimer (1/4): The critic finds the film a graceless, confusing and derivative misfire. He faults its synthetic-looking CGI world and incoherent editing, which leave the fantasy setting difficult to care about. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/warcraft/) - **Empire**, Olly Richards (20/100, inferred): Richards finds the film ambitious but ultimately empty and difficult to love. He praises the care and effort behind its world-building, but criticizes the crowded cast and lack of fun. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/warcraft-review/) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (20/100, inferred): Dargis gives the film a negative verdict, finding its fantasy adaptation familiar and unengaging. The review singles out its reliance on computer-generated spectacle as a weakness. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/10/movies/warcraft-review.html) - **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (F): Ehrlich calls the film a disastrous, incoherent failure despite its ambitious effort to adapt the game world. He singles out the muddled storytelling and character motivations as major complaints. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/warcraft-review-duncan-jones-1201683601/) - **Variety**, Geoff Berkshire (10/100, inferred): Berkshire pans the film as an earnest, derivative fantasy that fails to make its spectacle compelling. He particularly criticizes the tacky visual effects and says the heartfelt approach only emphasizes the material’s silliness. [Read](https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/warcraft-film-review-world-of-warcraft-movie-1201780459/) - **Den of Geek**, Ryan Lambie (3/5): Lambie finds the film a lightweight but disarmingly entertaining fantasy with a pulpy, old-school charm. He praises its vibrant magic and improving battle sequences, while noting uneven effects and a shaky opening. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/warcraft-the-beginning-review/) - **The Playlist** (49/100, inferred): The headline indicates a negative verdict: impressive effects cannot save the film from familiar fantasy. The critic singles out those effects as insufficient to overcome its genre familiarity. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-brilliant-effects-cant-save-duncan-jones-warcraft-familiar-fantasy-doldrums-20160525/) - **/Film**, Jacob Hall (35/100, inferred): The group is divided, but the overall verdict is largely negative. They particularly criticize the rushed storytelling and thinly developed characters, while one participant praises the orcs and their performances. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/544742/dungeons-and-dragons-warcraft-review/) - **Digital Spy**, Rosie Fletcher (25/100, inferred): Fletcher finds the film dull and emotionally disengaging, with flat pacing and hard-to-care-about characters. She praises the expressive rendering of Durotan and the heart Garona brings, but says the CG-heavy world feels distancing. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a795662/warcraft-the-beginning-review/) - **Consequence**, Blake Goble (20/100, inferred): Goble finds the film’s overloaded lore and rushed storytelling make it difficult to follow and emotionally hollow. He praises the detailed visual effects and production craftsmanship, especially the orcs, but says they cannot compensate for the weak narrative. [Read](https://consequence.net/2016/06/film-review-warcraft/) - **HeyUGuys** (15/100, inferred): The critic finds the film underwhelming and difficult to follow. They fault its confusing worldbuilding and lack of emotional investment in the characters. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/warcraft-the-beginning-review/) - **Paste**, Brogan Morris (1.5/10): Morris finds the film a dour, confusing failure that wastes its director’s talent. He singles out Toby Kebbell as the one performer to retain some dignity, while criticizing the effects, action, and performances. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/warcraft) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (10/100, inferred): Hammond pans the film as incoherent, over-produced fantasy blather. He singles out its cheesy visual effects and incomprehensible dialogue as major flaws. [Read](https://deadline.com/2016/06/warcraft-review-paula-patton-travis-fimmel-1201771949/) - **The Wrap**, Alonso Duralde (10/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a tedious, soulless failure of a game adaptation. They particularly fault its artificial-looking visuals and say the cast seems mostly adrift. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/warcraft-review-swords-sorcery-and-stupidity-abound-in-game-adaptation/) ## Details - **Director:** Duncan Jones - **Director:** Duncan Jones - **Writer:** Charles Leavitt, Duncan Jones - **Cinematography:** Simon Duggan, Stewart Whelan - **Editor:** Paul Hirsch - **Music:** Ramin Djawadi - **Production design:** Gavin Bocquet - **Producer:** Alex Gartner, Charles Roven, Thomas Tull - **Cast:** Travis Fimmel as Commander Anduin Lothar; Paula Patton as Garona Halforcen; Ben Foster as Medivh (Guardian); Dominic Cooper as King Llane Wrynn; Ben Schnetzer as Khadgar; Toby Kebbell as Durotan / Antonidas; Robert Kazinsky as Orgrim; Clancy Brown as Blackhand - **Runtime:** 2h 03m - **Release (the Philippines):** 8 June 2016 - **Genres:** Action, Adventure, Fantasy - **Budget:** $160 million - **Box office:** $434 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65AjY_nRdqE ## Where to watch in the Philippines - HBO Max: streaming, leaving 2026-10-31 - Netflix: streaming - Apple TV: rent ₱149.00, hd - Apple TV: buy ₱399.00, sd *Checked 2026-10-05.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Dark Crystal* (1982), Fi1m 78: Another divided fantasy world, with creatures whose physical presence makes its dangers matter. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-dark-crystal.md) - *Princess Mononoke* (1997), Fi1m 88: For a war between peoples whose competing needs deserve more than a villain. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/princess-mononoke.md) - *Hellboy II: The Golden Army* (2008): Detailed creatures, sympathetic outsiders and a director who lets us enjoy looking. - *Excalibur* (1981), Fi1m 79: Heavy armour and committed performances make extravagant magic easier to take seriously. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/excalibur.md) - *Baahubali: The Beginning* (2015): Grand battles and forceful emotions, with much clearer reasons to care about either. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/warcraft