Get ready for dragons and demons and Kung-fu and BAAAAAAAACK STORY! Ne Zha 2 will hit you with a flurry of info. I assume it helps to have seen Ne Zha — you know, the first movie. But that’s not what I did. And I assume from ticket sales that’s not what a lot of people did.
Ne Zha earned $726 million worldwide after its 2019 opening. Ne Zha 2 earned $2.15 billion this year — to become the highest-earning animated film ever made. Why did it bomb in the U.S.?
The answer is not complicated. The plot is complicated. Ne Zha 2 delivers a roundhouse kick of an info dump right off the top. Then a thrust punch of a character introduction. Then a sweeping punch of a conflict shifts. Then you’re hammered with another thrust punch of new characters. More twists. More characters. More twists. More characters. And then a devastating five-point palm exploding heart strike of a plot twist that should knock you off your feet. For some reason it stabilizes you.
Once you’re settled in, you start to see the appeal. Every character seems to have a complex backstory. Every scene is a build up of conflict. Every frame is covered in swirling, exploding, astounding imagery.
The art style is called donghua — often referred to as Chinese anime (though there are differences). Donghua is a mix of 3D CG animation and traditional Chinese art. The stories have a similar mix of modern aesthetic and historical reference.
A.I. played a role in the production of Ne Zha 2 — though it appears to be on the backside of production. Not the art. Not the design. The rendering of images.
If that doesn’t bother you, maybe the gross-out jokes will. You’ll see sight gags about chewed food, mucus, pee, farts, dirty bandaids, vomit, and boogers. It’s a sharp contrast to the seriousness of the fantasy, sometimes violent fights, and emotional memories.
Some emotional moments don’t feel earned. But you have to grade on a curve. Have you seen the original film? No? Then they might not hit the same. The thing is, the big moments do pay off in the end — even if this is your introduction to the Ne Zha universe.
I can’t tell you how or why the film comes together. I guess with a runtime of almost 2.5 hours, there’s plenty of time to detangle the convoluted backstory and mentally organize the character dumps.
If you want to let the colorful action wash over you, pour a Báijiǔ and enjoy. If you want to understand what’s happening in the first half of Ne Zha 2, see the first. It’s a spectacle that you and your kids will enjoy, especially if they’re into Pokémon and other anime.
🎬🎬🎬
Where to watch
Dub: English (Mandarin original)
Rating: PG-13 (Me: 8+)
Director: Yang Yu aka Jiaozi
Starring: Crystal Lee, Aleks Le, Michelle Yeoh
Run time: 2h 23m
Post-credits scenes: A long mid-credits scene setting up a potential next film.
Sequel? Nothing official. But…I think you know the answer.
If you liked Ne Zha 2, check out these films:
- Ne Zha (2019) (8+)
- Jiang Ziya: Legend of Deification (2020) (8+)
- Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) (5+)
- Monkey King: Hero Is Back (2015) (8+)
- Princess Iron Fan (1941) (7+)
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Find this title on the Family Film Recommendations list
