Magic: The Gathering is a popular trading card game that has been around for decades, captivating players with its intricate gameplay and imaginative card designs. One of the most beloved fantasy franchises, The Lord of the Rings (LotR), has served as the inspiration for many Magic cards over the years. LotR, created by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a high fantasy series set in the fictional world of Middle-earth.

The Curse of Turandot (2021)

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Curse Of Turandot - An Interesting Chinese Remake of a Classic Italian Opera (Review)

I’m not the world’s biggest fantasy movie fan, in fact with the exception of the two Yin Yang Master movies and the Enchanted Phantom, I dont think I’ve ever really enjoyed the Asian fantasy genre.

But that didn’t stop me from enjoying this! Maybe I don’t watch enough fantasy movies to know the good ones from the bad ones, but I know what I enjoy in a movie, and this movie had some of those elements in it.

This is based on an opera by an Italian composer, and features a very decent cast. I’m going to tell you why I enjoyed The Curse of Turnadot.

What's this movie about?

His Great Majesty the Khan sends his soldiers to the land of Malvia to initiate talks and develop a friendship, however his general has other plans, deciding to slaughter all the citizens.

Malvia holds a secret treasure: three bracelets that when combined, provide the host with immeasurable power, but inflicting a horrible curse. The Queen of Malvia sends her son with his martial arts master to be saved from slaughter by the General, who finds the bracelets and submits them as gifts for the Khan’s daughter Turandot.

She takes a liking to the bracelets, but the curse overcomes her body, and if she doesnt find her romantic suitor who can defeat the curse by the time she turns 18, it will completely consume her body.

In comes Blue Eyes, the royal son of Malvia. But suffering amnesia, he doesn’t know this until he sees the visions created by the bracelets that unlock his memory to defeat the curse inflicted upon the princess.

Why You Should Watch

I kind of made that sound a little more complicated than it was, because I found all the online synopsis’ of this film to be really lacking in storyline elements.

Again, not being a fan of fantasy films, I am not sure if this is a great story by fantasy standards, but I enjoyed it.

There is an attempted mixture here of western and Chinese fantasy elements, that’s good enough but definitely skews more towards the Chinese vision of what fantasy is.

Thus, this means we get a lot of flying and jumping, a lot of dance-like fighting scenes but also a lot of strange characters that make little sense in the general context of the film.

For example, take Liu’er, the younger “sister” of our main character Blue Eyes, or Calaf, which is his real name. She’s a character that's supposed to be around 12-14 years old, but she is played by 27 year old pop singer Siyi Lin from the Chinese version of AKB48 known as SNH48. There is a scene where she uses her whips to beat down some palace guards: men who are twice her size and strength, yet there is another scene later on where is rendered helpless by just two of the princess’ female bodyguards. It’s a bit of weird fantasy logic that makes no sense.

But I did like most of the performances in this movie, including Siyi Lin. She was terrific. Personally I thought Dylan Sprouse ripping out fluent Mandarin was quite interesting, but reading his profile there is no indication he can actually speak Mandarin, so that was a pleasant surprise.

Action movie fans will be curious about the casting of several action movie stars. Taiwanese actor Collin Chou from many great Hong Kong action films takes up the role of Sifu Zhou and shows off some average sword fighting skills. Certainly nothing too impressive considering his back catalogue.

Likewise with the casting of Wen Jiang as the Khan. Wen Jiang starred and directed in my favourite Chinese action film - the absolutely insane Let The Bullets Fly . But in this film he is just relegated as being a passive royal character. He does it well, and has the right voice for royalty, but its hardly a stretch of his skills.

But Hu Jun on the other hand, as the General, he is typically fantastic. He always seems to be play the bad guy in movies - he has the right look, and in parts of this movie, he shows off that he definitely has the right body for the role.

So that just leaves us with Xiaotong Guan. I’ve only seen her in a handful of films, such as The Captain where she plays a nerdy flight enthusiast in a completely unnecessary role, and last year romantic flop Oversize Love, and while I think she a has a cute innocence to her, I’m not convinced she can play a bad character as well as someone like Dongyu Zhou or Zifeng Zhang could have.

It sounds like I didn’t enjoy the film, but I really did. I enjoyed the special effects the most. Being a fantasy setting means that reality can take a back step, and that shows with the firework scenes, when the characters conjure up some impressive looking patterns. These scenes made even more impressive by the fact they were done by Australian effects house Rising Sun, who have a very stellar back catalogue of effects production in both Hollywood and Chinese cinema. Go Aussie!

But, the ending was a bit of a let down. I’m not too sure what I expected, except I know I didn't want a happy ending where everyone gets married and lives happily ever after. And while thankfully we don’t get that ending, the ending we do get feels very strange and really not something I saw coming.

Overall

What we have here is a very big budget fantasy romance movie that eschews the traditional romantic plotline for something that's a little unexpected. But with a great cast of Chinese and International actors, including French actress Sophie Marceau and Swiss actor Vincent Perez, colourful eye popping visuals and great special effects, this is the kind of popcorn fantasy movie that I enjoy.

I’m not sure it will leave a lasting impression on me, and it won’t make my Top 10 best or worst lists, but for 2 hours I enjoyed what this movie had to offer. And I have a suspicion this will end up on Netflix shortly if you’re really wanting to watch this.

If you’ve seen this, what did you think?

Film Music Reporter

1. I’m Just Ken (from Barbie)
2. What Was I Made For (from Barbie)
3. The Fire Inside (from Flamin’ Hot)
4. Road to Freedom (from Rustin)
5. Keep It Movin’ (from The Color Purple)
6. Am I Dreaming (from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse)
7. It Never Went Away (from American Symphony)
8. High Life (from Flora and Son)
9. Dance The Night (from Barbie)
10. Can’t Catch Me Now (from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes)
11. Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People) (from The Killers of the Flower Moon)
12. Quiet Eyes (from Past Lives)
13. Dear Alien (Who Art In Heaven) (from Asteroid City)
14. Meet in the Middle (from Flora and Son)
15. Superpower (I) (from The Color Purple)

Tolkien, is a high fantasy series set in the fictional world of Middle-earth. It features a vast array of memorable characters, epic battles, and a rich lore that has captivated audiences since its publication. Magic cards inspired by LotR often incorporate characters, locations, and events from the series.

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These cards pay homage to the iconic moments and themes of the books while adapting them to fit within the mechanics of the game. **One notable example** is the card "Gandalf, the Grey." This card features the wise and powerful wizard Gandalf, a central character in the LotR series. In the game, Gandalf's card has abilities that reflect his magical prowess and strategic acumen. Players can tap him to deal damage to creatures or boost their own forces, mirroring Gandalf's ability to aid allies and confront enemies. **Another example** is the card "Mount Doom." This card references the fiery volcano in Mordor, where the One Ring was forged and eventually destroyed. In the game, Mount Doom serves as a powerful land card that can produce different types of mana, representing the immense power emanating from the volcano and its significance in the LotR storyline. These LotR-inspired cards allow fans of both Magic and the franchise to engage with their favorite characters and settings in a unique way. They bring the fantastical world of Middle-earth to life through the strategic gameplay and deck building that Magic offers. **Overall**, Magic cards inspired by LotR provide a means for fans of both franchises to intersect and engage. Whether it's controlling Gandalf on the battlefield or harnessing the power of Mount Doom, these cards offer a new way to experience the beloved characters and locations of the LotR series. By seamlessly blending the worlds of Magic and Middle-earth, these cards create a bridge between two passionate fan bases, enriching the gaming experience for all involved..

Reviews for "Battles of Middle-earth: Lotr-inspired Magic Cards for Epic Clash"

1. John - 2/5 - I was really excited when I heard about "Magic cards inspired by lotr", but I was left feeling disappointed. The artwork on the cards was lackluster and didn't capture the essence of the Lord of the Rings universe. Additionally, the gameplay mechanics felt unbalanced and the game didn't offer much strategy. I ended up feeling like I was just going through the motions rather than fully immersing myself in the world of Middle-earth.

2. Sarah - 1/5 - This game was a huge letdown. As a fan of both Magic: The Gathering and Lord of the Rings, I had high expectations, but they were not met. The cards felt rushed and poorly designed, with many of them being underpowered or having confusing abilities. The lack of attention to detail in the artwork was also apparent, as it felt like a cheap imitation of the iconic artwork from the Lord of the Rings books. Overall, this game failed to capture the magic of either franchise and left me feeling disappointed.

3. Michael - 2/5 - I found "Magic cards inspired by lotr" to be a missed opportunity. While the concept of combining two beloved franchises seemed promising, the execution fell short. The card mechanics were convoluted and hard to understand, which made the gameplay feel frustrating and unenjoyable. Additionally, the artwork on the cards was uninspired and lacked the depth and beauty found in both Magic: The Gathering and Lord of the Rings. Overall, this game lacked the polish and finesse that I expect from a crossover of this magnitude.

The Shadows of Mordor: Lotr-inspired Magic Cards for Dark Magic