Five Best Moments in Warcraft’s First Full Trailer

The first full trailer for Warcraft is here, and it’s a doozy. There’s plenty of setup to the story, and in a surprising turn for the casual viewer but an expert turn for fans, the movie seems to tell two parallel stories for the first act, with heroes coming from both the Orc Horde and from the Human Alliance.

We combed through the trailer and picked out what we think are the five coolest moments.

For the Horde!

The Scenery

if you’re making a movie with this much CGI, it needs to look stunning, with vast landscapes and detailed cityscapes. Luckily, it sure looks like they got that memo. While much of the story is probably going to be told on the battlefield, the trailer makes us hope for some exploration of the human cities, which look glorious with the central spire and its piercing white shell.

Giant Eagles

Haven’t you heard? Every great fantasy has beautiful, giant winged beasts that aid our heroes in the nick of time. It’s a fantasty trope, yes, but it’s also become one because it’s really freaking cool. This is also the best example of the CGI and human actor blend in the trailer – especially when you watch it on a big screen.

From One on One

Sure, a movie like this needs giant battles (more on that in just a moment), but it also needs its share of quieter moments and one on one character development. Some of the most intriguing moments in the trailer feature just a couple of characters having a chat. The one on one fight scenes in here are exciting, too, fueling the hope of more emotional weight than just “giant dude punches other giant dude.” Although, let’s be blunt, even if that’s all it was, it’d probably still be pretty cool.

To Massive Militaries

Still, these epic fantasy movies, since The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers made it the hip thing, need to have their big battles. We only get a small tease of it in this first trailer, and with seven months until release, it’s probably a great thing to hold back. The hints we do get show the two massive armies charging toward each other, and a dive-bombing giant eagle (See? they’re awesome!) coming down upon a body-littered battlefield. This is the one thing that Warcraft absolutely must deliver on, and we’re fine with just a tease for now – let them get it perfect before they really show it in action.

For the Horde!

A pleasant surprise is that this film will, seemingly, spend equal time with both factions. The orc Horde in this first trailer actually gets more relatable moments than the humans. They seem to be characters with real goals, real problems, and a real desire to work together, while humans are quoted as advocates for genocide. It’s an interesting take, and one that players of World of Warcraft, many of whom rally behind the Horde, should be very excited about.