Film Name: 赛尔号大电影3之战神联盟 / Seer III: Heroes Alliance
I’ve been eagerly awaiting “Seer III” for quite some time. The sheer brilliance of “Seer II” has left me with nothing but heightened anticipation for its sequel.
Recalling the heartwarming bond between Sai Xiaoxi and his scrap-collecting father in “Seer II,” it added a profound layer of human warmth to the film. The timely appearance of Lei Yi perfectly satisfied children’s longing for mythical creatures without overshadowing the main characters. The plot unfolded with thrilling twists and turns, each element interlocking seamlessly, while the visuals were nothing short of exquisite.
If “Seer II” was a high-caliber performance by down-to-earth individuals, then “Seer III” is precisely the opposite—a low-caliber performance by high-caliber individuals. The four divine beasts—Ray, Gaia, Cassius, and Black—not only dominate the screen time, but their interactions remain confined to petty suspicions and trivial squabbles. Ultimately, they arrive at nothing more than the simplistic, 1950s-era slogan that unity is strength. On one hand, the film seems to cater to children’s desires, fulfilling their wish to see more Legendary Pokémon and more spectacular battles. Yet on the other, this excessive exposure of the Legendaries without depth actually drains that very desire—revealing the Battle Alliance to be rather underwhelming.
Popular characters from Detective Conan also appear in the theatrical films to boost audience appeal, such as high school detective Heiji Hattori and the beloved Phantom Thief Kid. However, the creators of Detective Conan films never allow Kid to appear in every movie, nor do they let Heiji’s role overshadow the protagonist, Conan. These characters maintain their popularity precisely because their limited screen time preserves an air of mystery. Over-exposure, or even allowing them to overshadow the main character, diminishes this mystique. While it may superficially satisfy audience expectations in the short term, it ultimately depletes their anticipation for these characters’ future appearances.
The reason I call this a low-end performance by high-end talent is that the heartwarming father-son bond that shone through in “Seer II” is nowhere to be found in “Seer III.” Instead, we get nothing but a few satisfying special moves and a handful of noisy fight scenes. What purpose do the primitive tribespeople serve, reduced to mere extras? What spiritual growth did Sai Xiaoxi’s two companions achieve? Even Sai Xiaoxi’s own romantic subplot lacks proper groundwork, making the climactic cliff-fall scene feel jarring—his transformation from a minor character back into a hero feels abrupt. One day he’s being kicked around by seemingly invincible divine beasts, the next he’s the lone hero saving the Four Divine Beasts?
Watching ordinary people portray humanity is a joy; watching great figures perform acrobatics is a burden.
Additionally, I feel Chinese animated films sorely lack the courage to utter three simple words: “I’m sorry.” When two divine beasts realize they’ve misunderstood each other, couldn’t they solemnly say “I’m sorry”? As Sai Xiaoxi plummeted off the cliff, couldn’t the Four Divine Beasts offer him a single “I’m sorry”? When several divine beasts wage war in a primitive tribe, destroying countless structures, couldn’t they offer the tribe a simple “I’m sorry”? Is all this deemed acceptable, merely for the sake of entertaining children? In truth, sometimes a simple “I’m sorry” carries more emotional weight than a thousand words; sometimes, no amount of reasoning can match the impact of a heartfelt apology. Chinese people today are overly self-important, lacking the spirit of apology, and find it difficult to utter the three words “I’m sorry.” This has become a cultural plague spreading through films. Children raised on such films will likely struggle to say “I’m sorry” in the future.
Furthermore, “Seer III” falls far short of “Seer II” in production quality, with its 3D models and effects failing to impress. The studio likely assumes that even with drastically reduced costs, any Seer film will still draw crowds of eager children. Why invest heavily in production quality? Personally, I believe Chinese animation must never sacrifice its future for present gains—especially when our resources are already thin. We have little left to draw upon.
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