The Great Wall (2016)
An entertaining popcorn munching blockbuster. The 100 min running time meant it never dragged but the downside was there wasn't much in the way of characterization other than for Matt Damon and Pedro Pascal's mercenary's.
The film looked terrific throughout with innovative action sequences (The use of Chinese lanterns in the finale was class) courtesy of director Zhang Yimou's and worthy of his excellent Chinese films Hero and House of Flying Daggers as were drumming sequences when soldiers were called to arms during an epic opening battle on the wall.
Interestingly it was co-written by The Last Samurai's director and writer Edward Zwick. Whilst The Great Wall has similarities with that film - Westerner integrates into Asian society to combat outside threat - it's nowhere near as good but remains very watchable all the same.
A no-brainer purchase from Poundland on Blu-ray last year to upgrade my dvd
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