Although Ne Zha 2 was years in the making, the wait is worth it! This superhero style retelling of the Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods is all about the wow rather than being fully faithful to the source material.
Spoiler Alert
Anyone who loves the 2019 Chinese animated film about a spunky demon-child (no, not Lil’ Hellboy) will be glad to know Ne Zha 2 is finally here. Having some knowledge of the prior events (or reading my movie review from before and my past coverage) helps because this latest takes place moments after.
Both this kid (Lü Yanting) and Ao Bing (Han Mo) have no mortal shell, and if they don’t have a simulacrum to inhabit, they’ll soon dissipate. Thankfully, with Taiyi Zhenren (Zhang Jiaming) around, a possibility of getting their bodies back exists. However, all do not go according to plan. When the Sacred Lotus lacks the power to build, the result is ectoplasm! This leads to a hilarious intro, and I was in stitches.
When Creation of the Gods 2: Demon Force is similar in scope to other classic pieces of epic literature far and wide, the set pieces are well earned!
Well GO USA Release Date: Jan 31, 2025 Please check local listings for screenings near you
All of Ancient China and Heaven are in danger when the Twelve Golden Immortals debate resurrecting Yin Jiao (Fei Xiang), the Crown Prince of Shang (also known as Yin). In the first film, he got killed in battle and now exists in limbo. With this prologue in Creation of the Gods 2: Demon Force in place, just what that means in the mortal world can be anything! When all he wants is revenge, he can’t ascend, and guardians can either turn him into a herald or help him move on.
As for how much of a role he has to play, it’s not as obvious.. This movie trilogy chronicling the mythical end of the Shang dynasty is more about the action than the soap opera. That’s because this individual’s father, King Yin (named Wu in the book; played by Kris Phillips), lost his way because one of his consorts, Daji (Naran), became possessed by a jiuweihu, a fox spirit. This trickster warped his mind. And when the Gods from Heaven send their own team to investigate, things get rather chaotic fast. There’s treachery afoot everywhere!
In this latest instalment, Deng Chanyu (Nashi), a local fighter, pledges to the Shang king that she can bring the hostage-son, Ji Fa (Yosh Yu) to face prosecution. He’s the son of King Wen of Zhou and the complex web of who is killing whom is just as convoluted as a Shakespearean play. Crib notes about the novel Investiture of the Gods are required to keep track on who is betraying whom, what the word ‘Zhou’ represents as a title, region or family connection (even I got confused!) and who are teaming up to bring Wu down.
In this world, a fair number of fantastic beasts are choosing sides. One group wants harmony back, the other is conspiring for the opposite. When Jiang Ziya (Huang Bo, pictured below) has the key that can control the gods he’s also a target! This magical list known as the Fengshen ba names all the Chinese gods in existence, and whoever knows the true identities can also control fate.
When this movie bounces back and forth between tracking down this macguffin and Ji Fa attempting to evade Chanyu, it’s easy to lose track of what’s going on. Anyone who knows the novel, The Investiture of the Gods, is in a better place. This adaptation never looked better in live-action. When the animated take is slow because the storytellers want to explore the backstories of the supporting characters, this cinematic presentation wastes no time with lengthy explanations.
Three movies are apparently enough to chronicle the transition from one dynasty to another. The presentation contains many scenes that rival the cinematic Lord of the Rings trilogy for action. And although the special effects are not up to WETA standards, the fights are still impressive. The best comes last (three post-credit scenes surpass the entire film), but regarding the main film, I believe the studios wanted to keep the look consistent rather than improve upon the former film.
Although those CGI moments are very obvious, the Four Great Heavenly Kings (giants) are not. This film uses the same technique found in Peter Jackson’s film to represent the characters’ varying heights. The inclusion of three conjoined upper torsos and arms on another body suggests a bit of Vedic lore in this tale. Although I missed catching his name, this entity has a significant role in the narrative. I’m fairly sure he wasn’t the storm god Leizhenzi in disguise–I’d have to rewatch this long film to confirm. Between all the folklore and daoism going on, director Wuershan downplays any morality lessons in favour of more action.
As for the fox spirit, what she’s doing is for something much worse! Hopefully that release will be scheduled for next year. Unlike other movies adapting Xu Zhonglin’s novel, this one promises to get to the huge climax that ends this story once and for all. It’s about time!
Sometimes silly comedies top the list on what to see this Chinese New Year, and Crazy Alien fits the bill well.
When first contact goes horribly wrong, it’ll be up to the wrong people to save the world. That’s the hope in Crazy Alien. This Chinese film came out in 2019 during Chinese New Year and the reason I’m looking at this work is that the sequel is due during this year’s celebrations!
That’s because, according to GlobalTimes.cn, “Comedic films, a staple for the New Year season, are set to entertain audiences during the New Year’s Day holiday with titles such as domestic films Honey Money Phony and Hot Pot Artist, and British animated film Paddington in Peru.”
But when I have my list on what to see, I have to begin by looking back. Here, Huang Bo is the star, and unlike his other works which received limited release in America (He loved his work in Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms as Jing Ziya), I needed more! This jack of all trades in the Chinese film industry is a talent to pay attention to, and when he’s partnered with Shen Teng in this comedy, I see good things. They’re not like any traditional comedic double act. In China, the word used is Xiangsheng–a genre of its own!
Like its namesake, let’s hope this new take on A Chinese Ghost Story isn’t just a fading dream. This film has a new release date, and as for when it’ll come out in the Americas, that’s anyone’s guess.
Nie Xiaoqian: A Chinese Ghost Story has a new release date, and according to AsianFilmFans YouTube information, that’s Dec 6, 2024! Whether this is for its debut in China or an international date, the latter is unlikely. This animated movie was supposed to come out in April of this year, but with no media coverage and reviews to be found, perhaps the film wasn’t ready. When considering the credits lists first-time director Qichao Mao in charge, perhaps he realised there’s some flaws that needed fixing.
Between the older trailer and newest, there’s a lot more story revealed. Siu-sin is tied up, and shows no love for her captor. It’s some greater force who have kept others from ascending. In Bhuddism, there’s sometimes the hope for reincarnation or even a new life in a new realm, but here, there are unearthly forces who want to control spirits!
Fans of Chinese animated films will want know if these works will gain international distribution or not.
Nezha from the Fengshen Cinematic Universe
There are not a lot of months left in 2024 for China to churn out more animated wonders for its citizens. Not everything is expected to get an international release, but I’m hoping. That’s because of the works said to be coming out this year according to the website Xrender, one is more internationally known over others, and White Snake 3 has made its debut to only one part of the world fully aware and fans worldwide eager to see it!
But there’s more, and I offer my top three choices of films which has not been released yet, but deserve recognition. Not every work has their promotional material ready yet, but if that work is supposed to be coming out this year, the publicity team better start hyping these films up next month!
Ne Zha 2
At long last, a sequel to the 2019 film is coming! In the first instalment, this spunky demigod child had a lot to learn about whom to trust. It was an adventure I really loved (movie review) and wished a sequel would come sooner than later. After six long years, this continuation is finally getting made, but as for the plans of continuing the Fengshen Cinematic Universe, it may have been dropped when the pandemic changed the rules. Certain industries got hit hard, and Horgos Caitiaowu Picture, who helped produced this series of films, may have decided to change direction.
What’s offered here is a brief taste of Fantasia’s Short Film programs. There’s 17 different collections that’s still continuing to play. They may well appear at your local film festival next!
As Montreal’s most beloved genre film festival enters its last week of celebrating an eclectic range of genre cinema, Fantasia’s short film celebration will have me keeping an eye out on these up-and-coming talents! Although I didn’t view everything in this category, what I saw so far is a great way to see what may get dreamed up to become feature length works in the future!
These filmmakers have come up with some fairly cool concepts. The following reviews do not make up a top five list, but are a sampler of what is there. I’m thankful to those who provided me with a screener, and I wish them all the best.
The True Shape of a Daisy
George MacDonald‘s narrative, “The Day Boy and the Night Girl,” provides the foundation for the cinematic The True Shape of a Daisy, and I’m fairly sure no one has ever compiled this tale into a book. This short story is available online.
What’s presented is a faithful adaptation, where we meet a witch named Watho, who would shape Photogen and Nycteris’ environments. True to their namesakes, one would live in perpetual daylight and the other at night. They don’t get to meet until later, and in this anime, they don’t live in enormous rooms. Instead, they are from a world of contrasts. The girl is from a beautiful forest, and the boy lived most of his life in a dark dungeon.
As an anime by Naoki Arata, I hope what she produced is more than just a tease, but an examination of how opposites can get along.
Spoiler Alert
When first contact goes horribly wrong, it’ll be up to the wrong people to save the world. That’s the hope in Crazy Alien. This Chinese film came out in 2019 during 
Nie Xiaoqian: A Chinese Ghost Story has a new release date, and according to 
As Montreal’s most beloved genre film festival enters its last week of celebrating an eclectic range of genre cinema, 