Film Name: 圣龙奇兵大冒险 / The Soccer Way
The following are fragmented thoughts on this film—not a proper review, but more of an exchange.
The screenplay for this animated film is fundamentally subpar. The integration of kemari with the film’s theme of national warfare feels forced and clumsy, falling short of dedicated works like “Legendary Soccer Kid” that focus solely on the growth of a kemari youth. Aside from a few flashy soccer moves, the rest of the plot is largely illogical, implausible, and riddled with glaring flaws. It seems there’s a significant gap between crafting a compelling trailer and producing a quality film.
Several scenes are particularly problematic: First, the opening sequence where the wolf king tears apart a vulture, terrifying young children in the audience. Second, a boy strangles a soldier with a rope—despite the soldiers clearly provoking the conflict. Third, the inexplicable inclusion of the Sacred Dragon, culminating in a bloody battle between the good and evil dragons so graphic I had to avert my eyes.
The two pets—a dog and an elf-like creature—were mere background noise throughout. Since they contributed nothing to the plot even after the end credits rolled, why include them at all? And why did the film consistently use 3D for characters in long shots while keeping them 2D in medium and close-ups? Was this a cost-saving measure? It felt jarringly inconsistent.
The Five Grandmasters—which five major sects are they from? What are their names? At the very least, they should have been introduced in the opening credits. Aside from the monk, the others barely register, flashing by so quickly that viewers never get a close-up to see their faces. Additionally, I personally feel that cuju relies primarily on physical movements. The overly fantastical halos and special moves during combat somewhat diminish the significance of the cuju actions themselves.
As an orphan, the protagonist Shier’s rebelliousness toward family, friends, nation, and society isn’t portrayed. Consequently, there’s no cathartic release of his deeper dependence on these relationships. Shier lacks maternal love—a plot point that could have been resolved through the little girl’s mother. Yet, at a crucial moment, this mother delivers a cold, dismissive remark, dousing Shier’s hopes—and mine—with icy water.
When Shier shattered tiles with his “Sweeping Thousand Armies” move, nearly injuring everyone, he couldn’t even muster an apology. I felt sorry for the young audience members present. Had the film explored whether he learns to apologize after causing trouble as an emotional thread, it would have made him far more three-dimensional. The arc of him evolving from someone incapable of saying “sorry” to someone who understands the need to apologize after making mistakes would have been far more moving than the current version.
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