Matt Damon is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, and he is also one of the most bankable. However, even he has had some movies that had been forgotten… And now one of them is triumphing on Netflix in the US.
According to FlixPatrol, “The Great Wall” is currently the fifth most watched film on the platform in the US. The movie is only behind the platform’s original “Unfrosted,” “Shrek,” “The Judge” and “One More Shot,” which previously was Top 8 on Netflix US.
Directed by Chinese renowned filmmaker Zhang Yimou, “The Great Wall” is her first film in English. Apart from Damon, the movie also stars Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe, and Andy Lau. Here’s what to know about the plot and reception of the film.
‘The Great Wall’ is triumphing on Netflix after bombing on the box office
While the film might have had all the ingredients to become a sure hit, “The Great Wall” didn’t land with audiences nor critics. While it had a total worldwide gross of $334.9 million, its massive $150 million production budget meant it wasn’t enough to recover the investment.
The film’s bad box office performance could have been related to concerns prior to its release of being another “whitewashing” piece of media, as well as incorporating a “white savior narrative.” However, that’s not the case.
The storyline revolves around two European mercenaries (not heroes, at least at first), portrayed by Damon and Pascal, who find themselves imprisoned by imperial Chinese forces after entering the Great Wall of China in pursuit of gunpowder. However, they will discover that the place is invaded by monsters, pushing them to fight alongside the Chinese.
The movie received mostly negative reviews, especially calling it “not interesting” enough despite the talent involved in it. However, some reviewers were more forgiving, such as Simon Abrams, calling it a “conservative movie with action set pieces that are actually inventive and thrilling enough to be worthwhile.” And it seems like audiences on Netflix agree.