Film Name: 西遊記之大聖歸來 / Monkey King: Hero is Back / CUG: King of Heroes
The sizzling month of July brought three movies you definitely saw all over your social feeds: “Hero is Back,” “Monster Hunt,” and “Jian Bing Man.” They swept through your WeChat Moments and Weibo feeds at lightning speed. If none of this happened around you, then you’re out of the loop.
“Hero is Back” garnered tons of praise and rave reviews. All the hype from friends made even me, who originally had no interest, curious enough to give it a try. I squeezed in a VIP theater screening, and the 3D effects felt even better than Wanda’s IMAX. I really want to rant about Wanda’s IMAX! Of course, maybe it’s just that the 3D effects in the “Monkey King” movie itself are superb—it’s the best 3D experience I’ve ever seen.
Everything felt incredibly three-dimensional. The visuals, the texture of every object—it was all crystal clear. The Monkey King’s crimson cape flew right before my eyes—I reached out to grab it, only to grasp air. That sensation was incredible!
Sadly, the story… a “Monkey King” without a story? I don’t think I understood it.
What I did grasp was the Monkey King fighting monsters barehanded, aided by the endlessly kind-hearted Jiang Liu, battling what seemed like worm-like monsters from Japan.
The faceless monster served as the main antagonist, transforming into a worm-like form that was hideously ugly and utterly repulsive. Having encountered certain creatures in outhouses since childhood, I felt waves of nausea watching it. Incidentally, the faceless monster’s blue dress bore a striking resemblance to the outfits worn by the square-dancing aunties next door. Not to disparage China’s formidable square-dancing aunties, but dressing a monster in such attire was clearly flattering it beyond measure.
As for the monster-slayers: Jiang Liu and the Monkey King. Not only were these two unarmed and lacking magical abilities, but the Monkey King also had that headband (I’ll just assume that’s what that ring on his head is). Yet they stubbornly survived countless blows, their vitality so astonishing it was breathtaking. Honestly, I can’t wrap my head around it. How come other characters in the same show die so easily? Of course, this is standard practice in Chinese cinema—heroes who survive countless slashes, guerrillas impervious to hundreds of grenades. But Sun Wukong and Jiang Liu’s survival actually makes sense.
The Five Elements Mountain transformed into a Transformer-like mountain monster, and the scenes of rocks flying everywhere were quite realistic—I felt like the rocks were about to hit me. But if Jiang Liu could just jump onto its back and tear off that paper to defeat it, why couldn’t the Monkey King handle it himself? Why bother the weak Jiang Liu? Some say Jiang Liu represents Tang Sanzang, but I say he embodies the director himself—imagining a new life alongside the Monkey King. This is a film about fulfilling dreams. Kudos to the director!
As for the other monsters’ designs? Utterly hideous. Why does that male monster at the inn look so much like Gian from Doraemon?
Everything inside the demon cave feels like a scene from American horror movies (horror here represents more than one genre)—bottomless caverns, roaring flames, cauldrons waiting for their meal, various pulley systems. It’s pure Chinese-style adaptation of sci-fi tropes. Sigh, it bears no resemblance to the demon caves in Journey to the West. Sorry, I’m a die-hard fan of the 1986 TV series, and this design is hard to swallow.
Though the mountain demons are ugly, clumsy, and a bit dim-witted, they hold significant weight throughout the film. Judging by screen time, their presence might even outshine the Monkey King’s. From start to finish, these demons are ever-present. The Monkey King doesn’t even show up until 20 minutes in. After watching, I kept feeling like there were mountain demons lurking behind me—is that a side effect? Or maybe it just means the movie succeeded in making me remember the mountain demons!
I won’t rant about the horse-faced Monkey King anymore. All I remember now is the adorable Jiang Liu and that disgusting headless monster. As for the Monkey King? Not much of an impression.
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