Film Name: 龍之谷：破曉奇兵 / Dragon Nest: Warriors’ Dawn / Dragon Nest: Rise of the Black Dragon
I’ve just returned from the theater, and my emotions remain unsettled—utterly indescribable! The entire screening, including myself and a fellow enthusiast colleague, numbered around twenty people. Yet among us, there was only one child, perhaps eight or nine years old. The rest were all young adults and adults—white-collar workers, couples, and even obvious gamers (wearing Dragon Nest T-shirts). I’ve seen countless domestic animated films in theaters before, but never once witnessed so many adults specifically coming out to support a Chinese animated film like this. For this reason alone, Dragon Nest has undoubtedly made history in the realm of domestic animation!
Now, onto my detailed impressions of the viewing experience: The 3D effects need no elaboration—they undoubtedly surpassed Jungle Master by Hippo Animation, which I had previously held as the benchmark for domestic 3D animation. Dragon Nest is indisputably the pinnacle of Chinese 3D animation to date, deserving to be hailed as the new standard and aspiration for future domestic 3D animated films! Moreover, based solely on its 3D visuals, among all animated films I’ve seen in theaters this year, it ranks second only to Disney’s “Frozen” and Blue Sky Studios’ “Rio 2,” even surpassing DreamWorks’ “Mr. Peabody & Sherman.” Simply put, the sheer brilliance and breathtaking realism of its 3D visuals—a true “feast for the senses”—alone are worth double the ticket price! Unfortunately, due to various reasons, I couldn’t catch the “China Giant Screen” version during my first viewing. So I’ve decided that in a couple of days, I absolutely must find a way to see the “China Giant Screen” version, because its effects are bound to deliver an even more breathtaking visual experience!
Now, regarding the story itself: Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that the male lead, Lambert, is a blend of “Li Xiaoyao” and “Tianming”—a cheeky, flirtatious rogue who remains brave and endearing. The female lead, Leia, is equally quirky, feisty, and adorable—a true tomboy. Personally, I think she resembles a blend of “Lin Yueru” and “Anu”! Among the supporting cast, Bear, Jack, and Sister Ta undoubtedly steal the show. However, having never played the original game, I’m essentially a “newcomer to the source material.” Since the film is only 90 minutes long, many plot points lack sufficient development, leaving me feeling a bit lost and confused. For instance—how did Jack and Sister Ta end up on Barnard’s spaceship in the first place? How did Brother Jie and Brother Bei know each other? They acted like old friends upon meeting! And so on! During the final “battle between good and evil,” another extremely rare trope in Chinese animation films appeared—possibly the first since 2011’s “Legend of The Moles-The Frozen Horror”—a “dual boss” setup (meaning a hidden boss appears after the main antagonist). Additionally, two post-credits scenes (hidden storylines) follow the main credits. Don’t miss them—please stay seated after the credits roll!
The film’s three most heart-pounding emotional moments:
NO.1—With only one arrow left and facing life-or-death peril, Lya resolutely sacrifices herself to give Lambert a chance at survival.
NO.2 — When Algetha witnesses her brother, now transformed into a golden dragon, on the brink of death at the jaws of the black dragon, she forcibly unleashes her final power, transforming into a silver dragon to sacrifice herself and save him! (Throughout the film, Algetha seems to have a bit of a “brother complex.”)
NO3—After the battle ends and the heroine Lya is resurrected, she dashes toward the hero Lambert for an intense embrace, followed by an 18-second passionate kiss that sent shockwaves through the entire theater. (Not just the exhausted “League of Heroes” comrades who couldn’t even stand up—everyone was utterly dumbfounded, their expressions priceless. Heh, even I was stunned, and at that moment, the entire theater murmured in low astonishment.
Regarding the somewhat controversial “voice acting” issue, I personally didn’t notice any problems. Whether it was the professional voice actors or the celebrity voice talents (including Jing Tian), they all delivered competent performances! Special praise goes to Hu Ge—not only was his performance exceptional, but I even felt the character of Baskord seemed carved from the same mold as Hu Ge himself, matching both form and spirit. If a live-action adaptation of Dragon Nest ever happens, it would be a shame if Hu Ge didn’t play this role—he’s practically the only choice!
Of course, the film has its minor flaws. First, it’s unfortunate that subtitles were absent (I learned from official sources that due to tight deadlines, the subtitled version was completed but there was no time left to implement it). Without subtitles, I couldn’t catch everything when characters spoke quickly in certain scenes. Second, it suffers from the age-old problem with 3D screenings in China: theaters cut corners by keeping the lights too bright, resulting in some scenes appearing dim and blurry.
Of course, these flaws don’t overshadow the film’s brilliance. I ultimately award it a high score of 95 points, along with a heartfelt note: Regardless of its final box office performance, this will remain the most dazzling pearl of domestic animation this summer—a truly conscientious work. It may lose at the box office, but it absolutely refuses to compromise on quality or soul. In this regard, “Dragon’s Valley: Dawn of the Warriors” has succeeded. I am proud of it!
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