Film Name: 俑之城 / Realm of Terracotta
Before watching “Realm of Terracotta,” I set two modest expectations for myself. If the film could meet both, I would call it a success. The first expectation was whether it could create a world of terracotta warriors that felt convincing and inspiring. The second was whether it could give these warriors a truly meaningful purpose. Now, it seems this film not only met my expectations but even surpassed them in certain aspects. So I must honor my promise and declare it a successful work.
The film constructs a world of terracotta warriors rich in cultural depth. It’s evident that the creators conducted meticulous research and employed ingenious design. In the design of the warrior figurines, the characters retain the distinctive crooked topknots of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum terracotta warriors, along with details like square-toed shoes and connected armor belts found on the artifacts. The minor characters, inspired by animal-shaped figurines, roof ridge stone carvings, bronze vessels, and other cultural relics, are vividly brought to life. Particularly striking is their concentrated appearance in the opening minutes, where a sweeping long take leaves viewers dazzled, afraid to miss a single detail. In scene design, Qinyang City’s architecture predominantly uses brick, tile, and wood for its structures, emphasizing the color contrast between gray-black roofs and red-black wooden pillars—hallmarks of Qin Dynasty construction. In ornamental design, details range from ancient coin patterns held by street vendors to material textures on buildings and props, culminating in the dome patterns of the entire subterranean realm—all drawn from Chinese cultural elements like ancient bronze ware and traditional taotie motifs. The film instantly immerses viewers in a terracotta warrior world woven from traditional cultural symbols.
The film tells the story of a terracotta warrior’s journey to adulthood. As a lowly laborer among the warriors, the protagonist Meng Yuan evolves from merely dreaming of becoming a great general and aspiring to be promoted to a sharp soldier. He develops richer emotions, learns to understand and protect others, and transforms from a clay lump that wouldn’t bleed from a scratch into someone willing to sacrifice for truth and shed tears for love. From perceiving the world “with his eyes” to “with his heart,” from being unable to choose his origins to deciding his own destiny, Meng Yuan breaks free from the shackles of his warrior statue existence. Though he may not yet be the great general of his dreams, he has become someone who transcends the world of warrior statues. For terracotta warriors, the rank of general is merely a position of power. True greatness lies in becoming a genuine being—possessing independent consciousness, independent thought, and independent emotion. Through the warrior’s journey to adulthood, the film elevates him into a symbol of rebellion and revolutionary spirit, refusing to be deceived or oppressed, thereby celebrating the core value of “freedom.” This leaves me eagerly anticipating when Meng Yuan will finally break free from the underground world. For while the General represents a human-made obstacle to the terracotta warriors’ liberation, the true institutional oppression lies beneath the impenetrable dome adorned with taotie patterns. Only by shattering this dome can the warriors beneath truly rise and liberate themselves.
What surprised me most was the film’s embrace of “harmony” as its guiding principle. The Terracotta Warriors and the Di Hu clans ultimately lay down their weapons and forge peace—a stark departure from the common trope in many domestic animated films where opposing sides must fight to the death. Through Meng Yuan’s awakening, the Warrior clan achieves collective self-reflection, growth, and revolution—demonstrating that different groups can coexist and form a community of shared destiny.
Another brilliant aspect of the film is its focus on Meng Yuan, an ordinary menial soldier. Highlighting this group holds significant meaning. Meng Yuan possesses no special lineage, background, or superpowers, making his journey more representative of every ordinary person in society who harbors dreams. The heartwarming bond between Meng Yuan and the earth-eater Kunlun is deeply moving. Particularly poignant is the moment in prison when Meng Yuan touches Kunlun with his hand—evoking the first encounter between Hiccup and Toothless in the animated film “How to Train Your Dragon.” This transcendent connection across species is truly magical. Combined with Meng Yuan’s blossoming romance with Shi Yu, his bickering rivalry with the ancient divine sword Xiao Bao, his spiritual inheritance journey with the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit, and even his friendships with fellow laborers, the film weaves a rich tapestry of relationships and emotions centered around Meng Yuan.
Of course, if I were to write this story, I might focus more on certain questions. For instance, what exactly are the terracotta warriors guarding? As ancient burial offerings, they weren’t born underground—this sacrificial nature mustn’t be lost. The warriors should be protecting the master they were buried with. If the film tells the story of the terracotta warriors, it should emphasize their loyal guardianship of their master. Simultaneously, they should discover new purpose and find something new to protect in this journey. Before the General steals the divine stone from the Earth Beast and after the Earth Beast reclaims it, the warriors’ purpose and what they are protecting remain unclear.
Furthermore, while the film anthropomorphizes all terracotta warriors, granting them life, this superficial vitality should be distinguished from the “maturity” achieved by warriors who develop autonomous emotions and consciousness. Perhaps the unevolved terracotta warriors still require daily periods of stillness to absorb energy from the earth, while their evolved counterparts break free from such constraints, drawing vitality from all things in the world. Or perhaps the unevolved warriors feel no pain, whereas their evolved counterparts, gaining emotions and consciousness, lose their physical resilience. I hope the film will delve deeper into the transformations and costs associated with the terracotta warriors’ maturation. If Meng Yuan could shed tears for Shi Yuliu, he might well undergo a more profound, comprehensive change.
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