dorMancyx

Hot take, it's not that bad, and certainly the best thing Marvel's served since GoG3 and D&W. Do the fights look choreographed? Sure. Does Gus look like he got thrown in there cuz of bad internal preview? Absolutely. Is is worth the more than $300 million production cost? Hell no. But at least I see Marvel's attempt to better and salvage what's on the table, which is a puddle of diarrhea called the Marvels. There is an attempt to mimic Captain America 2&3's structure, an attempt to bring back the iconic intertextuality, and an attempt to touch base with real-life conspiracy theories and social implications --- not saying they're successful, but at least there's an attempt. What I see is a movie with a captivating enough storyline, a refreshing enough villain, some entertaining enough fight scenes, and overall enough effort. Also, I recognize Anthony Mackie's Captain America for now, but I swear to God do not make him the Captain of the new Avengers.

I don't know maybe I'm too desensitized by crappy superhero movies that I'm now easily satiated by an average production.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to China's new all-time cinematic box office champion (top 10 worldwide as I write) with a staggering $1.6 billion generated mostly from Chinese theaters within a span of 17 days and still rising as it reaches international audiences, Ne Zha 2. As overhyped as I was before watching the movie due to the milestone it signifies, I was still pleasantly not disappointed.

My biggest complaint it that the film gives too much of everything: too much comedy, too much suspense, and too much action that we rarely have time for substantive emotional development. Besides that, the movie is a roller coaster of heightened emotion that free falls nonstop through toe-clenching fight sequences, mesmerizing world building, and countless intricate and diversely driven characters. Individualistic heroism proves very much futile in this society of hidden rules and unspoken bigotry, as every being lives to avenge their own justice. Thus the world of Ne Zha is horrifyingly realistic and incredibly engaging.

The aesthetics of the film also stands apart, taking modern adaptations of classical characters, designs, costumes, settings, and stories overall. Fusion of kung-fu and naturalistic sceneries with anime-like choreographs and cinematic shots makes the combat sequences truly blood-boiling. Based on videos I watched analyzing the movie's artistry, the amount of attention to detail the production gives in portraying the traditional artifacts, needlework, and weaponeering is impeccable.

Overall, Ne Zha 2 represents more than an outstanding animation and more than an industrial miracle.