Film Name: 风云决 / Storm Rider / Storm Rider Clash of the Evils
As domestic films increasingly fall into the so-called “blockbuster” mold—relying on big stars, grand spectacles, high budgets, and box office expectations—a series of common flaws seem to follow: unclear storytelling, shallow exploration of human nature, and the reduction of Eastern elements and Chinese culture to simplistic surface symbols. Naturally, I hope such flaws don’t spread to China’s already underdeveloped animation industry, but “Storm Rider” only deepens my concerns.
That said, “Storm Rider” has its commendable aspects: its production quality ranks among the finest in domestic animation. You can sense the crew’s selfless passion and sincere dedication in every scene and shot—an attitude arguably more crucial for the development of Chinese animation. Moreover, the action sequences deliver a genuinely exhilarating experience, particularly the vivid portrayal of Nie Feng’s Wind God Leg technique; Furthermore, the film’s audience targeting is noteworthy. “Storm Rider” is aimed at young adults and even mature audiences—a remarkable breakthrough that moves beyond the default reliance on children’s content. This is crucial for expanding China’s domestic animation market. Therefore, I hope it won’t face baseless accusations like ‘violent’ or “some scenes unsuitable for children.”
However, it must be acknowledged that “Storm Rider” still exhibits some persistent weaknesses common in Chinese animation.
First, storytelling remains a perennial issue. Plots are either simplistic, lacking depth, or overly convoluted, making them hard to follow. In truth, understanding “Storm Rider”‘s narrative is challenging without prior exposure to the “Wind and Cloud” comics or TV series. Yet, if “Storm Rider” is viewed as a standalone commercial film, it’s unreasonable to expect every viewer to have read Ma Rongcheng’s multi-volume “Wind and Cloud” comic series beforehand—just as one doesn’t need to review Diana Wynne Jones’ original novel before watching “Howl’s Moving Castle.” Nie Feng, Bu Jingyun, Duan Lang, Ao Jue, Wuming, Xiong Ba, Er Diemeng, Ni Putuo, bandits—how exactly do all these characters interconnect? What are each one’s ambitions, ideals, principles, and backgrounds? Trying to explain all this within 110 minutes is incredibly difficult. Personally, I believe the dual “boss” setup of Ao Jue and Duan Lang would be better served by removing one and adopting a single “boss” structure. This would make the first half of the film more focused and better serve character development: either highlighting Duan Lang’s nature as an ambitious schemer or emphasizing Ao Jue’s unwavering resolve as a vengeful warrior.
Secondly, the portrayal of human nature—often the most compelling aspect of any film—rarely shines in Chinese animated productions. In “Storm Rider,” not only do the two protagonists share strikingly similar personalities, but the characterization of the antagonists Ao Jue and Duan Lang is also overly simplistic. It’s important to recognize that a black-and-white world has lost its appeal for today’s youth. However, one minor character did capture my interest: the dashing constable. Initially portrayed with a touch of clownishness as he was toyed with by Feng and Yun, his encounter with formidable bandits revealed his cowardice, prompting him to seek self-improvement through renewed training. Sadly, he ultimately met his end at the bandits’ blades. Yet his resolve to change and his fearless spirit—fighting to the death despite knowing the odds were stacked against him—made this minor character shine brilliantly. That radiance even outshone the two unremarkable protagonists. Protagonists carry the main narrative, yet when that narrative lacks depth—existing merely as a formalistic bond—it becomes difficult for them to embody humanity’s brilliance. Ultimately, characters and plot are inseparable; to make characters more three-dimensional and distinctive, the plot’s main thread must also gain depth—a complexity that presents a dilemma. The core plot of “Millennium Actress” follows a woman relentlessly pursuing a painter she met only once. Though their exchange consisted of mere words, the painter’s noble ideals profoundly moved her. Yet despite dedicating her entire life to this quest, she never reunited with him, instead endlessly discovering and following his traces. This compels us to ask: Was her pursuit truly worthwhile? This is a dilemma. On one hand, her lifelong pursuit for love seems worthwhile. On the other, dedicating an entire life to chase a man whose face she can’t even recall feels futile. If our animations could explore such complex dilemmas, it would deepen our dissection of human nature.
Beyond reflections on “Storm Rider” itself, I believe it’s more crucial to contemplate the potential wave of animated blockbusters it might pioneer. Should such a trend materialize, it would undoubtedly elevate Chinese animation to a new level.
Compared to live-action cinema, Chinese animation has yet to enter the era of blockbusters. Let us examine the state of Chinese films that have pioneered this era. Professor Yin Hong commented on “Red Cliff” in his blog: “No characters, no personalities, no integrity, no soul, no spirit—even a literary classic like ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms,’ rich in chivalry and cunning, has been reduced to nothing more than a mindless game of violence and pornography.” While perhaps overly harsh, his words are not far from the truth. The problem lies in how we’ve become utterly ensnared by a utilitarian standard system. We’ve allowed ourselves to be bewitched by the repeated market miracles created by so-called “blockbusters,” developing a dependence on them, a superstitious belief in them, until the notion that “only blockbusters can succeed” has become mainstream thinking. For Chinese animation, entering such a “blockbuster era” by blindly pouring in massive investments, hiring a bunch of Hong Kong and Taiwanese celebrities who can barely speak Mandarin fluently for voice acting, yet neglecting to put effort into the plot and characters—what meaning would that hold? Many animation directors may still dream of China’s animation industry taking off with a truly influential “blockbuster,” but I must say: making blockbusters isn’t impossible or undesirable. However, it must never be the sole objective. Only when we truly recognize that the title “blockbuster” must be matched by its plot and characters can Chinese animation embark on the right path.
From this perspective, “Storm Rider”—and its predecessors “Lotus Lantern” and “Thru the Moebius Strip”—are by no means true Chinese animation blockbusters. They are merely the first steps on China’s path toward creating such blockbusters.
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