I haven't read the original light novels or the manga, so if the material that is handled in this movie works better in those versions, that doesn't change the fact that this adaptation is simply bad. In fact, it would make this movie look even worse in comparison.
The first 25 minutes are just a recap of the anime series, but it doesn't even do a good job at summarizing what's so interesting about Goblin Slayer if this was your first exposure to the franchise. And that's under the generous assumption that someone who has never watched or read Goblin Slayer would be interested in giving it a shot by watching the movie first.
Goblin Slayer works as a concept, because it shines the spotlight on someone who is obsessed with staying in his lane, doing the one underappreciated job that nobody thinks is important. It puts emphasis on a lot of small details that are usually glossed over in other fantasy works and makes you think about cliché monster encounters with a more realistic and pragmatic mindset.
But the recap only shows that Goblin Slayer kills goblins mercilessly, that he pulls out unconventional tricks in tough situations, that he keeps on fighting with sheer determination, and that he learned to overcome his insecurities through stoicism. That's not to say that these aren't also important parts of the original series, but it's not what I would've picked. Especially the battle scenes were an unnecessary foretaste of what's to come later on in the movie. It would've been the better choice to not remind us how the Goblin Champion and Goblin Lord were defeated, because the method they use on the Goblin Paladin in this movie is a lot less spectacular.
As for the new content... everything is poorly paced. A lot of smaller scenes are inconsequential and don't do anything besides filling time. The action coordination in the latter half is extremely poor and doesn't live up to what you've come to expect from the rational and methodic Goblin Slayer.
What was the point of the poisoned arrow? You'd think it'd be to follow the blood trail to find the nest, but its spreading effect apparently didn't do significant harm to this goblin horde.
What was the point of the Elf getting shot in the leg? You'd think it's supposed to give the heroes a handicap, but she's completely fine for the rest of the movie. If it's only there to show that the goblins learned the trick, it only proves the poison arrow trick more useless.
What was the point of the Berserk brand? It flared up later on and gave the rich daughter a panic attack that ruined any strategy they might've come up with, but the brand wasn't necessary to make her scream in that scene. Was I wrong to expect a God Hand plot where a human sacrifice summons a bigger monster?
What would they have done if the rich daughter hadn't attacked the goblin priest? They blame her for ruining their cover during the coronation ceremony, but there was no way to let the priest live in the prison scene.
What was the point of the armory scene where they destroy all the weapons with rust magic? The Dwarf apparently did save a bag full of weapons for the mountain scene later on, but it didn't have a noticeable impact on the goblins' offensive capabilities.
Why didn't they use the Dwarf's stupor magic or the rich daughter's lightning magic when all the goblins were gathered in the courtyard? Goblin Slayer loves efficiency!
Why did they split up into a bait team and a prisoner rescue team when the most pressing issue should've been defense from the goblins? They could've easily freed those prisoners later on when all the goblins were eradicated.
Why did nobody light the oil on fire when Goblin Slayer threw the bottle?
Why didn't the goblins cut the rope on Goblin Slayer's grappling hook when he casually climbed down the fortress wall?
What was the point of having everybody wear underwater breathing magic rings for the avalanche when the Priestess proved that a Protection barrier was much more effective? Goblin Slayer himself ended up being the only one caught up in the avalanche anyway.
Why would Goblin Slayer decide to bait the whole goblin army out of the fortress when there's a high possibility that a lot of them will remain inside, or that a lot of them will evade or even survive the avalanche?
None of this was necessary, and I can't help but feel that we were cheated out of a much more interesting battle strategy because the writer was too in enamored with the sea gate scroll scene from the series in which Goblin Slayer uses the forces of nature to wipe the whole enemy army out with one move. It sacrifices character integrity only to rehash old material that was done better previously.
Last but not least, I gotta mention that the rich daughter is ducking annoying and unlikable. Her hubris lead to a whole team of adventurers dying horrible deaths, she then unrepentantly joins the cleanup mission, only to fuck it up multiple times with her emotional outbreaks and physical inadequacies. But there's never a redeeming moment when she really gets her shit together and grows as a person. At least I wouldn't call it "growth" when the Priestess nudges her so she would stop wavering, or when Goblin Slayer tells her to shoot her lightning and then she does. That's just the bare minimum of functioning as a person in that world. She's clearly missing the coping process that the Priestess had to go through at the beginning of the series, so we're left with a much shittier version of the Priestess. And this is the character that the whole plot of the movie revolves around.
All in all, wasted potential. The Goblin Slayer world and cast can be really interesting, but the franchise doesn't do it justice. Would not recommend, even if you're a fan and you're starving for more content. You'll only ruin your appetite.
