Film Name: 糖果世界大冒险 / Jungle Master: the Candy World
Unless you’re a seasoned fan of Chinese animation, you might not know what species those peculiar creatures—Bule, Mule, and Tule—are in “Jungle Master: the Candy World.” They belong to the World Tree races, having befriended the protagonist Xiao Yu in the 2012 prequel “Jungle Master” and forming a deep bond with him.
What I find particularly puzzling is why this sequel deliberately avoids any connection to “Jungle Master”—from its title to its plot. Does distancing itself from the previous film somehow erase its box office shortcomings? Especially since I’ve always considered “Jungle Master” a remarkably meaningful Chinese animated feature. It may not have performed well at the box office, but its introduction of sci-fi elements and the striking character designs of its otherworldly races make it a standout example of the geographical crossover genre.
Now, in “Jungle Master: the Candy World,” the mystique and reverence for nature found in the green forest have vanished, replaced by the jarring visual spectacle of an artificial candy world. Compared to the dense forest, the layered canopy of trees, and the sunlight filtering through the foliage, the inexplicable cameras, candies, and props in the film feel completely out of place with Bule and the others. The film exhibits a sense of forced incongruity, as if it desperately needed to borrow characters from “Jungle Master” while simultaneously striving to create a candy world appealing to children, resulting in a clumsy fusion of the two.
Xiaoyu and Bule’s friendship faces a challenge when manipulated by villains, yet Xiaoyu’s emotional shift feels abrupt. To the audience, there’s little genuine conflict between them that would warrant such a rupture. At this point, the film resorts to a forced, contrived emotional shift—Xiaoyu’s feelings are exaggerated to the extreme, plunging her into a personal vortex. Audiences feel dragged along, as if being led by the nose.
Moreover, Xiao Yu never truly faces the worst possible outcome before things improve. The worst scenario would be her own transformation into candy, her impending despair, and the imminent loss of cherished memories of her mother and Bu Le—the most vital people in her life. Only then could something profoundly moving awaken her: genuine love and friendship, transcending all magic and spells. But Xiao Yu merely played the savior in others’ crises; she never truly immersed the audience in the gravity of the situation.
Even under these circumstances, the most heartrending moment I longed to see never materialized: when Xiao Yu misunderstood Bule, and Bule was turned into candy, how deeply she would regret it, how tormented she would feel, how utterly lost she would be. I can’t recall Xiao Yu’s reaction when Bule turned into candy—she didn’t rush over, didn’t cry, didn’t even show heart-wrenching sorrow. As an audience member, I felt the sadness instead. Is this the depth of Xiao Yu and Bule’s bond?
The lengthy jungle chase sequence depicting the hunt for monsters at the film’s opening wasn’t utilized in the final confrontation with the villain, depriving the film of a prime opportunity for thematic resonance. However, the embrace between the younger and older brothers during the closing credits sequence remains quite moving—arguably the film’s most poignant moment.
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