WoW Moviewatch: Ulduar: The Movie 3/3
by Michael Gray 
Oct 14th 2009 at 12:00PM
It was only a few weeks ago when the second installment Ulduar: The Movie (also known as Ulduar: Defiance) hit the streets. Artraira didn't leave us hanging, though, and has just released the third and final installment, titled Ulduar: The Movie - Part 3/3. This closing video maintains the same epic feel and smooth presentation as the rest of the series.
There's a small piece of me that regrets the finish of Ulduar: The Movie. It's kept me excited during its entire run, even though I've clearly seen all the fights before. Artraira's attention to framing and unparalleled sense of pacing made Ulduar: The Movie one of the best PvE films I've seen. While some critics might call the series simply "boss fight videos," I think that Artraira has filmed the entire Ulduar experience in a way that gets the feel and importance of the instance through to people who have never stepped foot in it.
A year from now, when we're all off chasing Deathwing, someone's going to ask "What was that Ulduar thing about?" Ulduar: The Movie is definitely where you should send them.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Knob Oct 14th 2009 12:08PM
I loved this series, much better than Jack's Ulduar movie. His best work was Naxxramas 2004 and every movie after that has been an average movie with unbelievable hype surrounding it. I love how this movie doesn't incorporate horrible voice-acting or dialogues and instead chooses to show us the actual boss lines during each encounter.
It's a shame that the maker has decided not to make an Icecrown Citadel movie. Although I do wish him/her the best of luck and hope he/she carries on with the quality.
jared.daniels Oct 14th 2009 12:26PM
Awesome camera work. Fourty five and a half gold stars!
JLocke Oct 14th 2009 12:39PM
awesome finale, loved the perspective of Artraira, with the visions, we need more raid movies like hers, that show the story behind the raid instance, compared to music kill videos. She's made me a fan!
I await what she has in store for us in Icecrown!
BTW what pet is that holding a remote control when Bran is speaking about Alagon? So want it :3
wolfofthepast Oct 14th 2009 3:49PM
@Jlocke
White kitten, sold by a boy in Stormwind.
mike Oct 14th 2009 12:51PM
absolutely awesome. Although, if i was going to pick, i'd say that i would have liked to see the event in dalaran at the end instead of just the main character running across the world.
J Oct 14th 2009 1:19PM
I took a long time to decide if I'd even bother hitting the play button, as this isn't the sort of machinima I'm usually given to watching, but I'm so glad I did, after finding part 1 on youtube.
Well paced and explained by use of the boss encounter sound bites, with a solid and impressive show of the chaos of many of the fights via the cinematic panning camera work (it's not all just player perspective!). The music is absolutely excellent - you know it's going to be worth it when a boss as early as Ignis feels truly epic, just from the sound alone. I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this.
Personally, I would have preferred this without the starring paladin's inner turmoil, but those sequences are short and fairly non-intrusive, so it's a small niggle, at most. :)
Bravo!
fatherland Oct 14th 2009 1:21PM
Excellent, as are most of the Artaira / Invisusira movies.
Chromebus Oct 14th 2009 1:49PM
I may be a fuddy duddy for saying this but I do wish there was more of a music variety in movies like this. I know there was that Black Temple movie what was very similar to this and just the same it was just filled with trailer music.
Im perhaps being too critical because obviously the music works well. I just suppose that while this was good, it isnt anything that really blew me away like it did for some people.
Dave Oct 14th 2009 1:51PM
Absolutely amazing. I'm probably never going to see the Algalon encounter, so to see this video was really nice. Most videos are just generic techno with a confusing UI blocking half the screen. This feels so much more cinematic and really gets across the epic feeling of Ulduar.
Aramis Oct 14th 2009 2:05PM
EPIC.
Enough said.
Nikolaj Oct 14th 2009 2:07PM
I'm hate being that guy, but you could put that kind of music to paint drying, and it would still catch people's interest in the same way this movie has.
The camera work really isn't that remarkable, I don't know what you saw, but all I saw was a panoramic view of the back of the raid, followed by a panoramic view of the sorroundings, followed by...a panoramic view of the back of the raid. hardly revolutionary.
The point being, stop calling something a masterpiece just because it has Hans Zimmer in the background.
And stop making movies based on the above principles.
Chromebus Oct 14th 2009 4:35PM
I can see why this was downrated but it's not like anything wrong was said. All the fights are pretty much presented the same way and the music does become redundant.
But I will say that I think the visual limitations stem from the game itself. I mean there isnt really all that much WoW lets you do to begin with
Lemons Oct 14th 2009 7:17PM
I can see it now...Paint...Revenge of the Fallen...
Epic music coupled with sweeping camera work all to watch the majesty of paint drying!
Will it dry evenly? Will the Smiths be able to keep their 4 year old son Nick at bay during the crucial drying period? Why did we pick yellow for the guestroom!? These and other questions will keep audiences on the EDGE OF THEIR SEATS!
sammy Oct 14th 2009 2:13PM
Love this series. The only thing I could wish more for is adding in the Dalaran event after downing Alganon. Otherwise, awesome!
crunk Oct 14th 2009 2:49PM
Very nice indeed. I'm glad to have seen this.. it's just unfortunate that I doubt I will in person til maybe a year from now when I'm level 85 and doing it with a bunch of people for achievements.
Ryan Oct 14th 2009 4:27PM
i've done everything but Algalon, but my eyes were glued to the screen the entire time. It was great. Also never heard Algalon so clear, can't believe it was Kyle Herberts voice and I never caught it.
zolikk Oct 14th 2009 3:33PM
Wow. The fight with Algalon, paired with the music from Sunshine - Surface of the Sun. It really surprised me.
Nicely done, epic.
Tri Oct 14th 2009 3:48PM
OMG it's here! I'm looking forward to watching it tomorrow when I'm off from work :D
Wyattbw09 Oct 14th 2009 4:32PM
As one who has never made it to Ulduar, I found the movie entirely excellent. To some degree this movie brought a part of the WOW storyline alive for me that was otherwise not possible.
I lay down only one criticism, the ending was unsatisfying. The movie started with a story about a single character and the movie then progressed through the eyes of that character. Even the final part of the movie the Lich King scene appears edited to add the main characters sister/friend/whatever. Then the movie suddenly comes to end for that character without any sort of resolution or thought on the matter.
That said, it seems like you are transitioning the story to Ice Crown and hopefully the story will continue. However, the movie all three parts was nothing less than top notch.
Valt Oct 14th 2009 5:18PM
Epic. This is something you CANT do with toc. I cant wait when they do this with IC