I reviewed the director's cut in hopes it would change my lukewarm opinion from having seen the shortened version on release. It's certainly longer, and less choppy I guess, but at its heart it's still a silly boy-fantasy about magical, unearned specialness. Often unbelievable and even insultingly paternalistic (the locals seriously need Orlando Bloom to show them how to find water in the desert?) the film tries and tries to prove how even-handed and thoughtful it is by stating in one speech after another how even-handed and thoughtful its good-guy characters are, meanwhile handicapping the bad guys with simplistic motivations and the stupidest decision-making process on earth.
Bloom is a weak lead and simply can't carry the film. Many of the other actors though are quite good. And of course it looks pretty great. Lots of extras (real and digital) make for some nifty battle scenes, so if that's your jam and you're not too demanding in your screenplay needs, you might want to check it out.
Bloom is a weak lead and simply can't carry the film. Many of the other actors though are quite good. And of course it looks pretty great. Lots of extras (real and digital) make for some nifty battle scenes, so if that's your jam and you're not too demanding in your screenplay needs, you might want to check it out.