On paper, the trailer for The Great Wall isn’t all that amazing, or seems that important.

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Visually, the movie is arresting - directed by Zhang Yimou, who gave the world Hero and House of Flying Daggers.

The plot seems somewhat simple, using the building of the Great Wall of China as the setting of a giant monster/fantasy film.

So, what makes The Great Wall so important?

The movie is a glimpse of a possible future of film-making.

Funded by the (now) Chinese-owned Legendary Entertainment, The Great Wall was shot in China, features a primarily Chinese cast, and is the most expensive film ever created in China.

Yes, it features Matt Damon (to court us, the American audience), and is written by no less than three people (including Prince of Persia’s Doug Miro and The Bourne Ultimatium’s Tony Gilroy), but this is a release looking to do well here in the US - yet absolutely CLEAN UP in China.

Much has been written about how major blockbuster films are making concessions to the Chinese market, which is fast becoming the biggest market for the movie industry. But what happens if, and when, a Chinese production becomes a huge hit?

Will The Great Wall be the tipping point? Will Matt Damon appear in more scenes than what we see in the trailer? Will the movie actually be any good? We’ll find out in the beginning of 2017.

The Great Wall hits theaters on February 17, 2017.