Legendary Lotus Boy blossoms into a global box office marvel
Not that many years ago, a blockbuster at Chinese cinemas meant an imported flick from Hollywood. No longer. Today's megahits in movie houses at home and abroad may well be Made in China.
The 3D animated film "Ne Zha 2" has soared to the top of box office charts, drawing large audiences everywhere from Asia to North America, in a landmark moment for the domestic film industry and for Chinese national pride.
Since its release on January 29, the film has taken in 13 billion yuan (US$1.79 billion) at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing animated film ever in the world and eighth in all-time revenue. Overseas reviews have been laudatory.
Directed by Yang Yu, the film has introduced foreign moviegoers to Ne Zha, the mythological Lotus Boy. His exploits are an old, familiar tale in Chinese legend.
"Ne Zha 2" has become the most profitable animation movie all-time in the world, captivating overseas viewers with its plot and special effects.
In the original story, Ne Zha is the reincarnation of a spirit bead of heaven – a powerful yet naughty boy who absentmindedly kills the Dragon Prince Ao Bing. When the Dragon King seeks revenge, Ne Zha decides to commit suicide to atone for his deeds and free his family from the Dragon King's wrath. The boy is later resurrected by a mentor who makes a body for him out of lotus roots.
The story as recounted in the movie reworks the plot. Ne Zha, who was destined to be reincarnated from the spirit pearl to be a hero, instead turned into a monster needing elimination due to the demon pill. Meanwhile, the spirit pearl was taken away and led to the birth of Ao Bing.
The two subsequently become friends, and Ne Zha's Taoist section is the real villain behind a series of conspiracies instead of the benevolent gods deeply rooted in the popular lore of China.
Although overseas viewers might not appreciate that the plot has been modified, they still seem to find the legend appealing.
Matthew Michaels, a 42-year-old man who lives in Los Angeles, said his whole family enjoyed the movie as well as its prequel, and he found the quality of the film on par with traditional animation giants like Disney, Pixar or DreamWorks.
"I heard about 'Ne Zha 2' in the news because of how successful it had become, and I didn't want to miss the opportunity to see it," he told Shanghai Daily by e-mail. "I have been very impressed with Chinese productions in recent years, having loved 'Black Myth Wukong,' 'the Wandering Earth' and 'Three Body Problem.'"
Michaels said that his favorite thing about these movies is that they teach deep philosophical lessons that are timeless and universal. A person is the master of their own fate, and the circumstances of one's birth can be overcome by the influence and guidance of the people around you.
He said that his favorite character in the latest film is Ne Zha's mother, who is very caring and brave despite her son's being difficult at times. As a parent himself, Michaels said he can identify with her.
A retelling of the well-known Chinese legend of the Lotus Boy conveys the universal concept of overturning one's destiny by bonding with family and friends.
Michaels' opinion is shared by many viewers around the world.
On movie website IMDb, "Ne Zha 2" has received more than 4,800 reviews and a rating of 8.3 out of 10. It has also become widely discussed on social media.
"The visuals are absolutely jaw-dropping," commented user "Any_Dream_1502" on Reddit. "The animation is next-level, with explosive action sequences and stunning details that fill every frame. It's one of those rare films where you feel like you're getting your money's worth."
He added, "The story is equally impressive. There were moments that had the entire theater laughing out loud, and others that genuinely tugged at the heartstrings. It's a fantastic family film, but it doesn't shy away from deeper themes like identity, destiny and family bonds."
To be sure, not every one was so enchanted.
A netizen called "health-jeffery" on IMDb said the movie is "overly-animated" and too many dazzling effects steal the thunder of the plot.
"It feels like at some point the storyteller lost influence with the director, and the animation team took over, jamming in as many effects as they could," he wrote. "The tiring end battle is where it really takes over, though it's hard to express just how overdone it is. It really does detract from what seems a solid family cartoon at its core."
Despite all the current hoopla over "Ne Zha 2," it should be noted that the film is far from the most popular Chinese movie with foreign audiences. To date, almost 98 percent of its stunning box office receipts have been generated on the Chinese mainland.
The premieres of "Ne Zha 2" in Sydney (above) and Los Angeles (below)
According to Maoyan, a box office statistics platform, the top three Chinese blockbusters to date overseas are "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000), with a gross of US$213 million; "Hero" (2002), at US$149 million; and "House of Flying Daggers" (2004), US$80 million. "Ne Zha 2" currently ranks 18th on the chart.
One reason may be that the movie has not been screened in as many movie theaters as expected. In the United States, the movie was shown in 770 theaters when it was first released, the most for Chinese movies in two decades, yet it occupied only about 7 percent of the entire movie market. In Australia, the first weekend saw only 91 theaters showing the movie.
"Ne Zha 2" is solely distributed overseas by CMC Pictures based in Beijing, making it relatively difficult to compete with movies distributed by traditional Hollywood studios, such as Columbia Pictures for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and Miramax for "Hero."
In addition, "Ne Zha 2" is not screened with English dubbing, leaving non Mandarin-speakers with subtitles full of Chinese cultural idiosyncrasies that might not resonate easily with those viewers.
Chinese cinematographers have certainly made stunning progress over the years in catching up with Hollywood, but they still have lessons to learn in how to develop a film franchise in markets different from those at home.
Because of different cultural backgrounds, some details and nuances may be lost in translation even if the core value of stories – free will, family bonding and friendship in this case – is universal.
In some cases, viewers captivated by fantasy films may be curious enough to delve deeper into the Chinese mythology and legends behind them.
In fact, Michaels told Shanghai Daily that he watched "Ne Zha 2" movie twice to try to figure out if the antagonists were somehow a metaphor for US foreign policy.
"It's refreshing and extremely validating to see my own opinions reflected back to me in this way, and I appreciate the diversity of views that this film represents," he said.
