Matt Damon has been lost in World War II, on a planet orbiting a black hole, and then on Mars, but all signs point to him now getting lost on the Great Wall of China, fighting a horde of vile monsters from the rich Eastern mythology. The Great Wall will hit Chinese theaters on December 16, and those interested can check out its new nine-minute trailer.
The Wall's True Purpose
The story tells us that the Great Wall was built to protect the country's northern border from constant attacks by nomads from Mongolia and Manchuria. Its construction spanned several eras, and the part we usually see in videos and images belongs to its development during the Ming Dynasty. It also served as border control and customs post, but cinema has decided to give it another role. Instead of protecting Chinese territory from nomads, what if they were mystical monsters? That concept leads us to The Great Wall, a new film starring none other than Matt Damon.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/0NF1fFcX9GAYes, I'm one of those who wonders what a Western mercenary is doing fighting alongside the elite of five Chinese armies, but the most interesting thing is that Matt Damon isn't alone in the cast. We also find Willem Dafoe, Chilean actor Pedro Pascal (known for his excellent work as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones), and Mackenzie Foy (Murph Cooper in Interstellar). Honestly, I don't know any of the Chinese actors or their work in the local market, something The Great Wall might try to change. What I do know is the type of enemy they'll face in the film. Its name is taotie, glutton ogre if my translation isn't off.
It's a shame the trailer doesn't have subtitles for the Chinese dialogue, because we sincerely want to know more (the previous trailer helps a bit). The Great Wall was made with a budget of around 160 million dollars, so it's no small project. As expected, complaints about possible whitewashing didn't take long to appear, but director Zhang Yimou responded that critics "are not armed with the facts", and clarified that Matt Damon's role was never thought of or prepared for a Chinese actor at any moment. The Great Wall will premiere in Chinese theaters on December 16, and here we'll have to wait at least until February 17.
