IN an era of reboots under the banner of “live action”, Yu Yang’s Ne Zha 2 was validation for cinephiles that good cinema is not on the brink of extinction.
The saga, inspired by a recurring character in Taoist mythology, Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West, continues the story of “demon” boy Ne Zha as he learns more about his powers, dynamics of the spirit and demon pearls, and the truth about his destiny in the second instalment.
The first movie follows anti-protagonist Ne Zha, who absorbs the Chaos pearl before being born, in a retribution journey as he tries to gain the love and kindness of Chentang’s villagers.
The movie closes with him and Ao Bing, the dragon prince, learning the truth about their births as they gave up their lives (read: mortal forms) to defeat the heavenly lightning that was meant to end Ne Zha, losing their mortal flesh in the process.
The second movie opens with them trying to recover their physical forms with the help of Taiyi Zhenren and the villagers, using the seven-coloured lotus.
It is learnt from the post-credits of the first movie that Dragon King Ao Guang only knows about his son’s death as told by Chengbao who failed to mention that Ao Bing’s sacrifice was voluntary.
Blinded by heartbreak, Ao Guang launches war against Chentang Pass. This only disrupts his son’s recovery as his invasion leads to the destruction of the incubator lotuses made from fire and water – Ne Zha and Ao Bing core elements, respectively.
The movie then follows the journey of Ne Zha, who goes on a mission to retrieve an elixir from the Heavens to revive their lotuses as he temporarily harbours Ao Bing’s spirit within him. Meanwhile, Ao Guang leaves Chengbao in-charge of holding Chentang Pass hostage until the completion of the mission.
Chinese cinema brilliance
What Ne Zha 2 does well, apart from its visually stunning animation, is it does not try hard to be different.
While conglomerate Disney seems to be at its wits’ end trying to stay politically correct by rehashing classic characters, Ne Zha narrates a straightforward tale of a rebellious deity who made all the wrong moves to make one right choice.
The movie puts the brilliance of Oriental storytelling on blast, showing Chinese filmmakers are not afraid of their roots and are not seeking Hollywood’s validation.
From lengthy fight scenes, snappy dialogues to slapstick comedy that is reminiscent of Old Master Q (Lao Fu Zi), the movie uses the same formula that Chinese period dramas and cartoons have employed for decades but on a larger scale.
Another charm of Ne Zha is that it manages to stay current by referencing the real world such as the screaming beaver meme, facial recognition and touch authentication methods. This may have been an attempt to connect with younger audiences that resonate with meme culture and technology.
Ne Zha 2 does not try to challenge the staid and overdone formula of the hero battling intense emotions, messing up and ultimately, saving the day. On the contrary, the film embraces it.
By not fussing over complexity, the film stands out by allowing the story to grow organically alongside its characters.
Morally-grey characters
One of the major reasons Ne Zha has quickly shaped up to be a formidable contender to the output of giants such as Sony, Pixar and Dreamworks is its strong, layered characters.
The film took existing personalities from Taoist mythology and did not “sanitise” them for the younger audience.
In the first movie, we saw Ne Zha battling his inner demons and overcoming fate by crafting his own destiny. The second instalment delves deeper into Ne Zha’s psyche as a “hero” still figuring out his moral bearings.
As he battles his impulsive nature that is often disastrous, the dynamics of Ne Zha and other characters such as Ao Bing and newly introduced Immortal Wuliang amps up the film’s intricacy as it tackles real-world themes – loss, grief, revenge, familial bonds and good versus evil. These are basic themes that were excellently explored through morally ambiguous characters.
Ne Zha 2 still keeps it lighthearted but peels back layers of its characters to reveal a deeper perspective. Their flawed nature mirrors mankind and humanises them, allowing the audience to empathise through glimpses into their backstories – such as Chengbao, who is initially portrayed as cunning and conniving.
The equivocal characters in Ne Zha 2 is a microscopic lens into reality and humanity. It reinforces the idea that everyone harbours an ulterior motive – whether good or bad.
While the film adds depth to its existing characters, the newly introduced ones – even with their polarising physical portrayals, such as Wuliang and the Chen clan – remain at core, one-dimensional, which is greedy people in power (the typical embodiment of evil).
Only time will tell if Ne Zha 3 will humanise these characters or double down on their villainy.
Tradition-inspired art
The Chinese film fraternity has never been behind in CGI-animation. With films such as Green Snake and Jiang Ziya under its belt, Ne Zha is just another proof of the industry’s prowess.
The film’s creator revolutionised animation by blending two unalike disciplines – physics and art – through the integration of fluid dynamics and particle visual effects to enhance dynamism and realism, as evident in the Dragon Place of Four Seas scene.
Amid the science versus art tug-of-war, Ne Zha proves that both can coexist without taking one out.
Breaking its own boundaries and championing traditional Chinese aesthetics, its creator had a new canvas to work on that did not rely on Hollywood’s animation standards.
Using the ink wash rendering technique, the film’s art direction was heavily influenced by the ancient Chinese art philosophy liu bai, which means leaving space, further emphasising the film’s Eastern roots.
With ancient Dunhuang Flying Apsara murals as inspiration, Ne Zha has a dream-like quality that visually represents Chinese mythologies. Whether through its vibrant colour grading or stunning visuals, Ne Zha 2 is a brilliant product of five years’ labour!
While Western animation studios are busy serving re-heated nachos to fulfil their capitalist agenda, the East is serving up fresh dim sum straight off their bamboo steamers. Ne Zha 2 is not just another animated movie. Instead, it is a cultural mirror that opens a fresh chapter in global animation by reaffirming the power of authentic storytelling.
Director: Yu Yang
Cast: Yanting Lu, Han Mo, Joseph
E-Value: 8
Acting: 6
Plot: 6
