Zhang Yimou's The Great Wall (Matt Damon)

[Lighthouse]

To be fair, Damon does look really weirdly out of place in that trailer.

 

[Kyle]

According to the poster, the wall was built to keep out Matt Damon.

Lol. Just noticed. I wonder what Matt Damon was trying to do to China other than whitewash it. Which I wouldn't say is his fault, if it wasn't him it would have been someone else - I think...

 

[Silvermoth]

It's not about the actual building of the Great Wall is it? It's a fictional alternate reality. No more about whitewashing than reiko in pacific rim was Asian washing.

I think the trailer focused a lot on him for the same reason he was hired. To attract western audiences. But most of the film will be about the Chinese stars. I mean, it's produced and directed by Chinese people and with an unbeatable cast (not just Chinese but Korean too).

I think maybe people are jumping the gun a bit with the controversy angle. Fair enough after doctor strange and ghost in the shell but I don't think this is the same situation yet

 

[terry78]

It's a little hard to defend a movie called the Great Wall with Damon plastered on the movie teaser poster.

 

[GENERAL RAAM582]

I'm pumped for this movie.

 

[slimshady247]

Well, I called this. Get ready, Universal. This will be the first of many of these articles:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...in-the-great-wall.html?source=TDB&via=FB_Page

He's just one character though... lol.

 

[GENERAL RAAM582]

Wouldn't it be whitewashing if Matt Damon's character was Asian? In this case, he's an American who comes to China, so...

 

[LoganGambit87]

^they dont let facts get in a way of a story

 

[TheVileOne]

Well I guess you can argue it's white-washing because why wouldn't you cast an Asian or Asian American actor in the lead role in a story about the Great Wall of China?

 

[titansupes]

I don't know about the white-washing or anything, but I do think Damon is laughably out of place here in this sort of movie. Looks atrocious.

 

[MadVillainy]

I dont think this is white washing, if anything this is the "Mighty Whitey" trope

But even that aside, this didn't excite me. Again not because he's white but Damon looked really outta place. So did Pedro Pascal

Constance Wu:
http://www.vulture.com/2016/07/constance-wu-slams-matt-damon-great-wall-as-racist.html

This actually is a good point that she had here

Think only a huge movie star can sell a movie? That that has NEVER been a total guarantee. Why not TRY to be better? If white actors are forgiven for having a box office failure once in a while, why can't a POC sometimes have one? And how COOL would it be if you were the movie that took the "risk" to make a POC as your hero, and you sold the s*** out of it?!

 

[TheVileOne]

I think there is truth in what she says.

The truth is, very few games in town want to be the one that take that type of risk. They want to go with they think they know will sell.

That's why everything is a reboot or sequel at this point instead of a big budget original story. They want to go with a pre-established property with brand recognition for the audience.

I'm not saying it's right or I approve, that's just the reality of Hollywood.

 

[Marvolo]

Well, I called this. Get ready, Universal. This will be the first of many of these articles:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...in-the-great-wall.html?source=TDB&via=FB_Page

Last I checked their weren't giant magical monsters in China either. Those Bastards are magicwashing Chinese history!

Seriously, people need to stop confusing fantasy with historical dramas and period pieces. And do we know for sure that Damon's character isn't meant to be a traveller or someone that was adopted by a Chinese character in the film? White people did travel believe it or not.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Last I checked their weren't giant magical monsters in China either. Those Bastards are magicwashing Chinese history!

Seriously, people need to stop confusing fantasy with historical dramas and period pieces. And do we know for sure that Damon's character isn't meant to be a traveller or someone that was adopted by a Chinese character in the film? White people did travel believe it or not.

Please, Marvolo. I like you, but don't start up with that bullsh**.

She makes a fair point, even if you don't agree with it. The "white savior" narrative is one that has gotten so much play in Hollywood and people are getting sick of it. No one is saying that there weren't white people who traveled to Asia back then. But what people have a problem with is having the white guy be the center of the story and the one who plays either a key role or the primary role in saving another race of people from some impending doom. Now, it is true that we have seen very little of this movie and perhaps Damon isn't portrayed this way, but they're still marketing it this way. Damon's the only one whose name is featured, he's on the movie poster, he narrates the trailer, etc. And even if it IS only for marketing purposes, it's still a problem, because it assumes that American audiences are so latently racist that they will only go see a movie set in China if it centers on a popular white actor.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Lawd.

If they ever make a film about the meteor destroying the dinosaurs, it would be a white american man as that meteor.

Let us just place a white american guy into every moment in human history.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

This movie looks so ****ing silly. What were they thinking?

 

[TheVileOne]

I think it's one of those problem movies that Universal inherited when it signed up with Legendary.

Legendary has a lot invested in China. And they probably thought this would be a big global release that would play very well in China. And you know, there is a good chance it will do well in China.

Just saying, Asian audiences tend to like the white savior stuff. Case in point, The Last Samurai was a huge hit in Japan.

Bandai Namco is making a Dark Souls clone game set in Japan where you play as William Adams, a "white" Samurai.

Again, not saying its right or I agree with it. It's a cultural thing. I think we know by now that overseas audiences will go see these big pieces of Hollywood trash en masse. They like Hollywood stars and big epic blockbusters with lots of FX and explosions.

 

[MadVillainy]

I think it's one of those problem movies that Universal inherited when it signed up with Legendary.

Legendary has a lot invested in China. And they probably thought this would be a big global release that would play very well in China. And you know, there is a good chance it will do well in China.

Just saying, Asian audiences tend to like the white savior stuff. Case in point, The Last Samurai was a huge hit in Japan.

Bandai Namco is making a Dark Souls clone game set in Japan where you play as William Adams, a "white" Samurai.

But that also was released at a very different time.

I do think this will be a hit in China though

 

[TheVileOne]

Have times and views on this changed that much in Japan though? I know it's different now here in the US, but Japan, dunno.

 

[MadVillainy]

I dunno either. Get Japan on the phone

 

[Black Narcissus]

I dunno either. Get Japan on the phone

Get me Maria Ozawa's number while yall are at it.

 

[TheVileOne]

Get me Maria Ozawa's number while yall are at it.

 

[Octoberist]

The Great Wall is mostly backed by Legendary's Chinese branch, "Legendary East', which was proceeded by a big Chinese giant (Wanda)'s purchase of Legendary themselves (which makes Nerdist a Chinese company now!)

I would not be surprised if the Chinese shareholders WANTED a famous White American to headline the film, just for bragging rights. Since it's being produced, funded, and directed by the Chinese, they can go 'Hey Damon is in a Chinese film! Hell yeah.'

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I just don't think that the movie looks like it's any good.

 

[Roose Bolton]

I've not seen enough to judge one way or another as to this film's quality. I'll wait and see.