The Great Wall

Summary

The Matt Damon historical dramaThe Great Wallwas one of the most controversial motion-picture show during the time of its release . The Great Wallwas aUnited States and Taiwanese cobalt - output directed by visionary Chinese theater director Zhang Yimou . Damon starred in the lead role of William inThe Great Wallalongside a supporting castthat let in Willem Dafoe , Tian Jing , Andy Lau , Pedro Pascal , Hanyu Zhang , Han Lu , Kenny Lin , and Eddie Peng .

Despite its star cast and crew , The Great Wallstruggled at the time of its release . Its response was mostly poor , with the film garnering a 35 % Tomatometer and an only slightly higher consultation score of 42 % . The film ’s box part was also unsatisfying . Though it grossed $ 334.9 million worldwide , itsdomestic box office forThe Great Wallwas only $ 45.5 million , and the motion picture ’s $ 150 million budget did n’t account for the merchandising costs , lead to the photographic film lose money . Amidst this lusterless box office , The Great Wallfaced a vast controversy .

Matt Damon is a gifted worker , and although he has played some great roles , he also has a few theatrical role on his resume that have been mostly leave .

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The Great Wall Has Been Accused Of Whitewashing With Its Cast

The Great Wall Has Also Been Called A White Savior Narrative

The fact that the cinema ’s made - up tale involves a white humankind saving the solar day suggests thatThe Great Wallteam felt that the floor would be elevated — or more merchantable — through the employment of blank character , thus whitewashing the cast of its China - set floor .

The main unfavorable judgment ofThe Great Wallhas been in its cast . Putting Damon in the lead was widely see as whitewashingor even a white savior narrative . bring European soldier of fortune William , Damon ’s fiber ends up helping a Formosan army group defend the Great Wall of China , becoming the hero of the storey . Even if this was not intentional , it did terminate up seeming like a textbook example of the blank savior narrative .

The Great Wallis presently available to follow on Netflix .

Matt Damon as William from The Great Wall, looking pensive and surrounded by what appears to be a purple explosion

Damon is also not the only main actor in the film who is non - Taiwanese . Pascal is Latino and Dafoe is white , making the three main leads all non - Chinese . It would be one affair ifThe Great Wallwere ground on a true story involve European mercenaries , but the film is a work of fiction . The fact that the movie ’s made - up narrative involves a snowy piece saving the day indicate thatThe Great Wallteam felt that the story would be elevated — or more vendible — through the employment of snowy eccentric , thus sleek over the cast of its China - set account .

What Matt Damon Has Said About The Great Wall’s Controversy

Matt Damon Has Given Mixed Thoughts On The Movie

In a metre when hush up is a Brobdingnagian topic of conversation in the film industry , The Great Wall ’s output look less - than - stellar for Damon . In the years since the film ’s release , Damon has total out toadmit thatThe Great Wallwas not his good oeuvre . In a 2021 consultation on theWTFpodcast , Damon relate to the film as a “ disaster ” and said “ it does n’t work out creatively . ”

Damon ’s commentary on the quality ofThe Great Walloverall has been coupled with reaction to the controversy . In a 2016 interview withThe Associated Press , Damon aver thatThe Great Wallis a “ historic fantasy ” and read that he “ did n’t take a role away from a Chinese actor . ”He was also cite in other interviews mentioning his distaste for the association betweenThe Great Walland whitewashing . Even if Damon does not see things the same way , The Great Wall ’s bequest will eternally be marred by its whitewashing controversy .

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Cast

The Great Wall is a 2016 military action - adventure cinema star Matt Damon , who helps maintain the Great Wall of China from a horde of monsters . The Great Wall receive miscellaneous to electronegative reviews upon release and was criticize for descend into the white savior narrative . Also starring in the picture are Tian Jing , Willem DaFoe , and Andy Lau .

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The Great Wall is a 2016 action-adventure film starring Matt Damon, who helps defend the Great Wall of China from a horde of monsters. The Great Wall received mixed to negative reviews upon release and was criticized for falling into the white savior narrative. Also starring in the movie are Tian Jing, Willem DaFoe, and Andy Lau.

Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon in The Great Wall standing in armor

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Headshot Of Tian Jing

The Great Wall