So it may take a while for non-gamers to figure out who's who in the battle of orcs and humans at the center of the "Warcraft" film, which complicates an already dense mythology.

There's no way to become as invested during a two-hour movie as a gamer who's spent years immersed in the rituals and traditions of the worlds of "Warcraft".

An introductory voiceover explains that humans and orcs have been at war for ages.

That's a lot of lore to pack into one movie, though this film is clearly set up for a sequel.

Without the franchise backstory, "Warcraft" is a big-budget fantasy-action film with lots of large-scale, epic fight scenes between Mr. Olympia-sized aliens and regular humans.

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