I went into this thinking Denzel Washington’s presence alone could save the movie, but I was sorely mistaken. His character’s lack of development was… well, lacking. Honestly, does anyone even understand what his actual motivation was? It felt like the script just skipped over any meaningful explanation.

In fact, the entire movie suffers from underwhelming character development. The direction rushes through every moment, completely bypassing any emotional weight. The scenes don’t even give you a chance to breathe or reflect on what just happened. It’s all too quick, too shallow, and ultimately unrewarding.

Even the dialogue falls flat. The monologues feel forced, and the actors seem more focused on ticking off boxes than actually delivering their lines with any real conviction or emotion. There’s no sense of pacing, just a constant rush to get to the next thing.

And don’t even get me started on the nostalgia attempt. It’s as if they tried so hard to invoke it, but gave barely any time to actually craft a unique story. The corrupt emperor trope is so overdone by now that we didn’t need to see it again. It just felt like a missed opportunity for something fresh or original.