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!
4 Stars out of 5
