WHAT’S IT ABOUT

A rebellious young boy, Ne Zha, is feared by the gods and born to mortal parents with wild, uncontrolled powers. Now that he’s faced with an ancient force intent on destroying humanity, he must grow up to become the hero the world needs.

MOVIESinMO REVIEW

I was blown away after seeing Ne Zha 2. It has gone on to become the highest grossing animated film of all time with earnings of more than two billion dollars. I get it now why it shattered so many records once the film was released globally. Director Yu Yang really made a movie that has both this massive and highly intimate vibe. The follow-up, going for almost two hours and a half, is actually a continuation right after the events of the first film. We still have Ne Zha, a demon kid with anger issues, and his best friend Ao Bing, a dragon prince who is quite different from him. After the last movie, both lost their bodies and are now souls trapped in a lotus flower while Ne Zha’s master, Taiyi, tries to bring them back. A plot twist happens when Ao Bing’s body doesn’t regenerate, so he has to share Ne Zha’s body. The only way out is to pass the tests in heaven, become immortal, and find a special elixir to restore Ao Bing’s body. In fact, it is quite far from straightforward. They battle dragons of the most dangerous kind, corrupt gods, demons of the underworld, and a conspiracy that threatens to wipe out the human race. The stakes couldn’t be higher. The great thing about Ne Zha 2 is that it doesn’t imitate Hollywood. The film is not compromised for American viewers. It is a movie that draws a lot from Chinese culture and mythology, particularly the sixteenth century novel The Investiture of the Gods. However, you are not required to know that story or Chinese folklore to understand what is going on. The plot is very fast-paced, characters and magical places are brought to the screen one after the other, but the film always keeps its emotional side. The animation is one of a kind. Yu Yang and his team did a great job by mixing cartoonish characters with more realistic adults, and the result is great. The details are great. Water looks like water, fire and lava are very hot, and the scenes of the heavenly palace are beautiful. Some shots made me forget that I was watching animation. Also, the film does an excellent job of world building. We see the destruction of Ne Zha’s village, get to the beautiful Yu Xu Palace, and watch a fight take place inside a huge cauldron. Each location is made to feel like it matters, even though the film is moving at a quick pace. The action scenes are very intense, so the movie is rated PG-13. It is not a film for children only, even though Ne Zha looks cute. The fights are very quick and sometimes quite violent. There is a scene with a destroyed village and petrified bodies that is very upsetting. The movie does not hide the consequences of violence, which makes the tragic moments more powerful. The tone shifts can be jarring. At times, the film resorts to bathroom humor, while other times, it features grand emotional scenes about sacrifice and destiny. Such shifts might feel off to Western viewers, but I like that the film is authentic to itself. The movie is basically about Ne Zha’s journey. He is initially an immature demon who can’t control his anger and is ashamed of being different. People are scared of him, but he tries to make good. After undergoing hardships, he comes to accept himself, and his development is believable. Ne Zha and Ao Bing’s friendship is what the story is most about. They are totally different, fire and ice, rebellion and discipline, but also best friends who support each other. Being forced to share a body makes them cooperate, which is getting to be the film’s most lovely moments. There is a scene between Ne Zha and his mother that is especially touching. The supporting characters become the film’s richness without dominating. Taiyi, Ne Zha’s master, is humorous and insightful. Shen Gongbao, the antagonist in the first movie, turns into a sad, deeply misunderstood character. Ne Zha’s parents, Lady Yin and Li Jing, demonstrate the strength of family and self-sacrifice. What is most remarkable is how Ne Zha 2 defies Hollywood’s dominance of the animated movies market. For a long time, American studios were seen as the benchmark, but this movie is proof that other countries can create equally good films and still be loyal to their culture. The combination of grand storytelling, stunning visuals, and relatable themes is what makes it accessible to everyone without the loss of its Chinese origin. The film is not flawless. The second act has some fight scenes that are repeated, thus dragging the pace, and the ending is crowded and therefore lacks emotion. It might be approximately fifteen minutes too long. These issues are still minor only when contrasted with the successes that the film has. Ne Zha 2 is, essentially, a landmark for animated films. It demonstrates that viewers crave such stories that do not conform to American formulas and rather explore new myths and styles. Its enormous success in China is indicative of a large audience for non-Hollywood blockbusters. Now, with a new English dub featuring Michelle Yeoh, a greater number of people can find out what the Chinese viewers have been enjoying. This is a bold, heartfelt film that often goes beyond with its ambition. It is stunning visually, strong emotionally, and is very authentic from its culture, yet, at the same time, it is understandable to anyone. If you normally find the typical animated movies boring, then Ne Zha 2 is different; it is not boring. It’s not flawless, but you definitely won’t forget it.

OUR RATING – A RULE-BREAKING 8