"Matt Damon in the Chinese Mystery Movie "The Great Wall"" Topic

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So what is Matt Damon doing in his movie? And Willem Dafoe?
And who is attacking the wall?

I find this rather strange so far.

Yeah, it all seems a bit, umm, odd. Can't help feeling he was mainly cast so his name's on the poster rather than because he's the perfect man for the role. I enjoy a *lot* of his films, and in The Martian particularly I thought he was a perfect bit of casting, but this one….

Pays the bills,dont it?

As Lord Larry said, "For the money, Dear Boy. For the money."

Oh yes, it's obvious why he accepted the job – the question is why they thought it a good idea to ask him to….

Yeah, it does seem an odd casting choice. I've seen some complaints about how it looks racially insensitive, and I can understand that argument.

Although Damon is one of the biggest stars on the planet, so I can also understand why an executive might want his name attached to the picture.

Thing is him being in this movie is not making other actors/actress happy.

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She does have a point, this is to have taken place in China and just why is a White man the lead in the movie, instead of a Chinese man?

So there's a Western guy in an Eastern fantasy movie. Who cares as long as it's a good yarn? It looks like fun to me, and the imagery is pretty enthralling.

But it's ok for cruise and reeves to be samurai…..

i'll just watch the damn movie.

Yep looks like fun. Yes once again we have some Hollywood executives who don't get out much past their insular world and think,"We need a white guy to sell this film." Of course forgetting the fact that a number of Asian Fantasy films as well as other genres have done quite well here in the states without any westerners so much as making an appearance. Was Jet Li not available?

Regardless, it does look good and Matt Damon is a huge box office draw. And that right there is the reason. After all it is called show BUSINESS. Put Matt Damon in a film and they will come and so will the $$$$$. It is pretty simple really.

What's interesting here is that it's not particularly a "Hollywood" production – director, locations, and much of the funding are Chinese, but they're just as prone as American studios to seeing a big Hollywood name on the poster as a necessary "insurance policy" for such a big budget film.

Once again TMP "experts" hop all over a movie that few know anything about.

First Matt Damon will not . repeat, not be portraying a Chinese hero. The Great Wall is a fictional story set in China but developed by Western writers. It has a budget of $135 USD Million making it one of, if not ,the most expensive movies filmed in China.

The Great Wall is a co China/USA production and was shot in English It will be the first of several projects; directed by Zhang Yimou one of China's best directors and stars a number of Chinese actors ,including Andy Lau, who is very popular in China It will be Zhang's and Lau's first English language movie.

The Chinese film industry is very good in creating Chinese Historical movies but unfortunately these are poor draws in this westChinese movie fans normally love love action pictures even more so when it has western stars. However the latest Superman and Batman movies did not do well It is probably because Chinese teens don't know the characters. On the other hand Avatar, Iron Man, etc did very well So suspect that Damon was cast as much to provide "star" power in China as well as the USA.

The story is a fictional sci fi fantasy movie,set sometime in China and shot in 3D where a group of "international"heroes come together to fight a tremendous and very dangerous monster . the movie is an attempt to unite the Chinese historical epic with the modern Sci Fi fantasy craze. The movie has a good director , high profile stars and a big budget so let's see what they can do

the Chinese have a history of casting westerners in their films. Anyway if you want an all chinese cast and great movie watch Red Cliff. Phenomenal.

Toronto, you've been around here long enough to know that we don't have to know what we're talking about to post here. It's almost detrimental.

So…..
Why is this Westerner wearing Chinese armor?

Looks like Chinese vs Lizardmen fantasy. Could be fun.

Hi Winston
Damon's armor seemsprett generic

could be Persian

Minor point on Red Cliff – there were at least two Japanese – Takeshi Kaneshiro (Japanese father Taiwanese mother) as Zhuge Liang and Shido Nakamura as Gan Xing.

And a Mongolian – Batdorj-in Baasanjab as Guan Yu.

As to the OP, figured the producers were looking for a name Western actor to draw an audience.

Watched a movie – 'Outcast' – a while back – disgraced Crusader ends up in China to save the rightful Emperor and meets his western mentor who is lading a local bandit army. Main character's actor escapes me at the moment (do remember the plot and some scenes) but the bandit leader was Nicholas Cage.

Over-reacting to other's posts is the other thing we do so well on TMP!

What about Dragon Blade a Chinese movie starring Jackie Chan, and John Cusack and Adrien Brody? Roman Legions apparently wander the silk road in 48bc, to end up in China.

We need more lizardman movies, and not ones that trash them as simple bloodthirsty monsters.

They were highly intelligent, highly motivated and very determined bloodthirsty monsters.

You think the raptors in Jurassic World were smart and clever? You ain't seen nothing yet!

Once again TMP "experts" hop all over a movie that few know anything about.

First Matt Damon will not . repeat, not be portraying a Chinese hero.

Which was never said in this thread. Maybe curb your righteous indignation by reading a little more carefully.

Over-reacting to other's posts is the other thing we do so well on TMP!

+1

Axlbates wrote

Yeah, it does seem an odd casting choice. I've seen some complaints about how it looks racially insensitive, and I can understand that argument.

Mithmee quotes a Chinese actress that complains about a westerner playing an asian

So what thread were you reading Mr Bowman ??

Righteous indignation ??

Unless I missed it,she wasn't complaining about a "westerner playing an asian".

Fun big-budget all chinese fantasy movie:
youtu.be/ZeMLCCws5m8

And another Detective Dee:

youtu.be/doHAaothY70

Haven't seen that one yet,but I want to!

Meant to add that in the two films,the beautiful young things are played by, respectively, "Li Bingbing", and "Angelababy".

I am not making that up.

Ms Wu the actress in question said that Damon's roll actually belonged to a POC ( Person of Colour) and that movies don't need "white" stars to make money I guess she saw the movie to be such an expert Maybe Damon's part and ethnicity is an important

To quote her " its pointing out the repeatedly implied racist notion that white persons are superior to POC, and that POC need salvation from our own color via white strength…We don't need salvation. We like our color and our culture and our own strengths and our own stories",

So what thread were you reading Mr Bowman ??

This one and my comments stand.

OK you win

Can't wait for US aircraft carriers to be positioned in the South China Sea or not. The re-writing of history of the wall will help the NeoMongolian confederacy no end when they launch an all out attack on those bellicose yet beguiled Chinese, As for the story I'm with the Lizard peoples let's hope Dafoes sell by date is not expired and Damion tastes like.. Well Pork. Yes Horrywood is the big thing for POCers who think we care.

What a strange thread….

I'm Chinese and I have no problem with Matt Damon in this movie. If he was portraying a Chinese hero and they gave him slanted eye makeup and a Fu Manchu mustache to make him look like an Asian then I might have a problem.

But if I were an investor, making a Chinese movie with internationally known actors is a smart move. It will draw a larger audience especially in the US market in a way that a all-Chinese cast would never do.