A fervid display of Chinese nationalism & jingoistic propaganda, Wolf Warrior treads the same route that countless Hollywood action war blockbusters have walked, and packs some expertly choreographed moments of action as well. However, the story has no meat on it, its characters are dull, the CGI is lame, and the pacing is tedious throughout.
Co-written & directed by Wu Jing who also stars as the lead, the film establishes its tone rather well with its stylishly photographed opening segment, and also makes it abundantly clear who its intended audience are. But once it tries to build a narrative around its primary character, the shortcomings in the script are effortlessly exposed and turns this 90 mins story into a chore.
Not a single character is worth caring about which keeps us detached to everything that unfolds on screen. The action picks up in the second half but it is predictable & uninteresting. Wu brings a physicality to his role that helps keep things afloat but its nationalistic sentiments are overplayed. Scott Adkins plays the baddie and does his usual shtick. And that romance angle is an absolute cringe.
Overall, Wolf Warrior is a bland, boring & blatant propaganda piece that attempts to remind its citizens of their duty & responsibility to their nation but the execution is all over the place. There are a couple intense & captivating scenes of martial arts face-offs where it redeems itself to an extent yet for the most part, the picture remains an unexciting & unstimulating affair. A forgettable, lifeless & uninspiring actioner.
Co-written & directed by Wu Jing who also stars as the lead, the film establishes its tone rather well with its stylishly photographed opening segment, and also makes it abundantly clear who its intended audience are. But once it tries to build a narrative around its primary character, the shortcomings in the script are effortlessly exposed and turns this 90 mins story into a chore.
Not a single character is worth caring about which keeps us detached to everything that unfolds on screen. The action picks up in the second half but it is predictable & uninteresting. Wu brings a physicality to his role that helps keep things afloat but its nationalistic sentiments are overplayed. Scott Adkins plays the baddie and does his usual shtick. And that romance angle is an absolute cringe.
Overall, Wolf Warrior is a bland, boring & blatant propaganda piece that attempts to remind its citizens of their duty & responsibility to their nation but the execution is all over the place. There are a couple intense & captivating scenes of martial arts face-offs where it redeems itself to an extent yet for the most part, the picture remains an unexciting & unstimulating affair. A forgettable, lifeless & uninspiring actioner.