I don't even know where to begin on this one-it's just sad how such interesting and inclusive cast, great design and ideas, interesting (if strangely familiar) heroes, monumental budget and 2 and a half hours were all thoroughly and completely wasted.
Every minute I had hopes, thinking so many exciting outcomes could follow, and they just didn't. Amateurish exposition might be the worst offender, and wooden performances and useless distractions form plot-including an otherwise good antagonist and frustratingly unsatisfying fights-don't help in the slightest. Jarring special effects failures during these ruined otherwise fantastic visuals, too.
A lot of it is just people standing around and not knowing what to do, but instead projecting their internal struggles it's just boring. Many of the 156 total minutes were spent on just that. At least the title is accurate.
My goodness, how I would love this movie if the characters acted like they actually lived for thousands of years, growing and making decisions, suffering the consequences. Developing, you know, character. How I would enjoy a flashback scene to the ancient past, metaphorical of the struggle with Mahd Wy'ry. I would melt if the aforementioned antagonist was made to tap into a Celestial, or really used for... anything.
There is so much potential within.
Instead we get bumbling, confused dimwits, all in love with or hating each other and you're told to care without showing or even telling why, endowed with powers they clearly never even learned to use, demonstrating Brownian behavior.
And a stupefyingly boring movie.