Film Name: 西游新传 / A New Journey To the West
We don’t demand that animated films be educational, nor do we advocate for any didactic elements in them. But after watching an animated film, we should at least feel some degree of emotional resonance. Yet when I finished watching “A New Journey to the West,” I felt nothing. Admittedly, I laughed heartily at the film’s numerous stand-up-style dialogues and spoof gags. Yet afterward, I felt no joy because I gained nothing.
If we aim to learn from the lighthearted humor of American animated blockbusters, we must also recognize that no major film exists solely to make audiences laugh. A film’s ultimate purpose is always to resonate with viewers through its narrative and portrayal of humanity. Humor is merely one tool American blockbusters use to capture attention.
“A New Journey to the West” parodies the classic novel “Journey to the West,” which is perfectly acceptable. I’ve always believed that subverting classics holds greater value than merely preserving them. However, the crux lies in whether your subversion—or parody—carries meaningful substance. When you portray the four disciples of Tang Sanzang as a team that spends their days merely cracking jokes at each other’s expense, what meaningful purpose does that serve?
Break to build anew. “A Chinese Odyssey” also parodied “Journey to the West,” but it added “love” to Sun Wukong’s character—this is the film’s innovation after deconstruction. The Japanese anime “Gintama” satirizes the Meiji Restoration era of late Edo period Japan. Yet when you realize that those opposing the samurai and privileged classes actually carry the spirit of Bushido deeply ingrained in their own blood, you understand that while “Gintama” mocks the decline of the samurai, it profoundly reveals the enduring nature of the Bushido spirit as the soul of the Japanese nation.
“A New Journey to the West” truly went all out with its parody. It weaves together completely unrelated fragments through a quest for gems—I believe if there’s enough comedic material, the film wouldn’t stop at two gems, but could go on to three, four… It might even have gone the route of seven Dragon Balls, like in Dragon Ball—it even made history by bringing in crosstalk comedians Li Jing and Cao Yunjin for voice acting, a first in Chinese animated film voice casting. The effect certainly achieved greater hilarity, but I still feel something is missing.
The three protagonists in “Gintama” also came together by chance, yet they quickly forged deep bonds. Though they bicker and joke daily, they truly risk life and limb for each other in critical moments. Why? Because they treat their little team as family. This makes them feel vividly alive. But in A New Journey to the West, does any member of this pilgrimage quartet truly regard the group as home? You don’t feel it. It seems these four are merely together because the classic novel dictates it, with no depth to their relationships or their bond as a team. This leaves audiences unable to connect emotionally, feeling no connection to these characters, let alone any sense of shared humanity. Watching their antics might elicit a laugh, but that’s about it. When an animated film exists solely for the sake of parody, it fundamentally fails to connect with its audience.
Perhaps the film could have ended with Zhu Bajie facing mortal danger to accomplish a task, abruptly snapping viewers out of their detached mindset and back into the story. Then the three trade a gem to save Zhu Bajie’s life. Though they may lose the chance to obtain the new scriptures—or at least delay their quest—there’s a price to pay. But the brotherhood forged in rescuing Zhu Bajie, isn’t that the true “scripture”? Isn’t it more precious than any scriptures brought back from the Western Paradise? Provoking such reflections in the audience is the true purpose of adaptation. Yet A New Journey to the West concludes with the most tedious abrupt ending imaginable, then cheerfully inserts an animated sketch of Li Jing and He Yunwei’s crosstalk routine during the credits—persisting in parody to the bitter end, and clinging to a soulless spirit to the very last.
Therefore, you must imbue your parody with meaning; otherwise, it remains shallow, tasteless, and spiritually devoid. True joy doesn’t come from being doubled over laughing at the parody itself, but from gaining something precious within your soul.
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