Film Name: 西游记之再世妖王 / Monkey King Reborn
This film shares a similarity with “Monkey King: Hero Is Back” from six years ago in that both tell the story of a powerful figure protecting someone seemingly weak. Ultimately, the sacrifice of the weaker party inspires the stronger one to transcend themselves, enabling them to defeat an even mightier adversary.
Jiang Liu’er in Monkey King: Hero Is Back and the Fruit Spirit in Demon King Reborn both serve as that protected figure. The difference lies in the context: Jiang Liu’er is essentially a child version of Tang Sanzang, so Sun Wukong’s protection of him aligns with his protection of Tang Sanzang. However, in the case of the Fruit Spirit, there is another Tang Sanzang present. This leaves Sun Wukong torn between two equally vulnerable protectees, ultimately dispersing the very factor that should have driven his transcendence.
What enabled the Demon King Sun Wukong to ultimately defeat the Demon Ancestor Yuanti? Sun Wukong declared, “Because I have a heart.” While this sounds logical, upon closer reflection, the concept of “heart” seems rather vague. What does having a heart signify—merely possessing a physical organ? Here, the ‘heart’ likely refers to the Fruit Spirit’s compassion, which drove her to sacrifice her own essence to save the people. Ultimately, it boils down to that universal word: “love.” Exactly, exactly. It must be because Sun Wukong possessed love within his heart that he could defeat the love-deprived Yuan Di.
But did Sun Wukong truly possess love? If he did, would he have stolen the ginseng fruit from others, then uprooted the entire ginseng tree when confronted? If he did, would he have forced the Earth Deity into servile submission, resorting to violence against lesser immortals at the slightest provocation? If he had love, would he have rampaged through the Mountain God’s temple, smashing his territory to pieces and damaging private property without a single apology? If he had love, would he have tossed the adorable Fruit Spirit aside like trash? Not only is there no trace of love in him, but he radiates demonic energy, rogueishness, and even malevolence.
In recent years, Chinese animated works have portrayed mythical figures like Sun Wukong and Nezha with extreme recklessness. It seems that as long as a hero ultimately defeats evil, moral ethics and proper conduct become irrelevant—one virtue overshadows a hundred flaws, with the goal of whitewashing the means and the outcome obscuring the process. Take Nezha, for instance—he can merrily torment village children without facing consequences for his cruelty. Sun Wukong, too, wields his formidable powers to act with utter disregard for the repercussions. We must guard against this portrayal of heroes as morally unaccountable, using character as a pretext to defy rules and laws.
What did Zhenyuanzi of Wuzhuang Grove ever do to deserve having his sacred ginseng fruit tree—the very treasure guarding his sanctuary—uprooted? While the film’s first half captivates with its mesmerizing depictions of Wuzhuang Grove, this plotline raises troubling questions: How does Sun Wukong’s behavior differ from that of a gangster? Forming cliques, stealing, smashing, looting, bullying others with brute force, and casually tossing around the word “death.”
If we use animation to showcase the breathtaking beauty of classic myths while amplifying elements that clash with contemporary values without critique or consequence, it risks creating a negative impression. For instance, global audiences might form the misconception that Chinese people are inherently like this, that such behavior is what we truly admire. The reality is entirely different.
Therefore, whether it’s Monkey King: Hero Is Back, Ne Zha, Demon Child: The Birth of a Demon, or Demon King Reborn, the most crucial element—regardless of whether it’s a return, birth, rebirth, or reincarnation—is to reduce the demonic aura and increase the righteous spirit. One can be wild and bold, but must always be courteous and virtuous. Only a demon who is not truly demonic, filled with universal love, can truly defeat the Demon Ancestor.
Please specify：Anime Phone Cases » Monkey King Reborn 2021 Animation Film Review: Beware of moralizing character portrayals of heroes