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Netflix recently released a fantasy animated action comedy film titled The Monkey King. Directed by Anthony Stacchi, the film is based on "the Monkey King", a prominent character from the 16th-century Chinese novel titled Journey to the West. This iconic character has been the subject of numerous films and television shows throughout history, each with its own unique interpretation.
This Netflix project was unique in its own way. While it was very close to the source material, some characters did not receive the development they deserved. Even though it had a run time of just 96 minutes but it managed to narrate a wholesome story with a possible hint of a sequel.
The official synopsis of The Monkey King reads:
"Inspired by an epic Chinese tale, The Monkey King is an action-packed family comedy that follows a rebellious and charismatic Monkey and his magical fighting Stick on an epic quest for victory over 100 demons, an eccentric Dragon King, and Monkey’s greatest foe of all —his own ego! Along the way, a young village girl challenges his self-centered attitude and shows him that even the smallest pebble can have a big effect on the world."
The Monkey King review: One of the best retentions of the Chinese folklore
Chinese folklore and mythology-inspired films and television series are not a recent trend. Stories from Journey to the West have been depicted in media since as early as the 1920s. One of the most recent examples was the Disney+ show, American Born Chinese. Created by Kelvin Yu, that show too had a prominent character called Monkey King.
With that being said, Netflix's The Monkey King is one of the finest animated films released in 2023. Its message is simple but the beauty lay in the way it has been put across. Themes of friendship, sacrifice, loneliness, pride, and ego are abundant throughout the movie.
Its main character is The Monkey King, voiced by Jimmy O. Yang. He is born out of a rock and obtained supernatural powers as he grew up. He is strong and brave but often felt lonely.
All his life he saw monkeys around him with families and he never had anyone to look after him. He is so lonely that he once even made a fake family with fruits. However, one day he met a peasant girl name, Lin. Together they went on an epic journey and forever changed the course of history.
At first glance, the film looked awfully similar to those late 90s, early 2000s, Chinese action comedies. The movie had a character that resembles a lot from the 2004 film titled Kung Fu Hustle named The Landlady of Pigsty Alley. Given that Stephen Chow is one of its executive producers, this was not all that shocking.
One of the best things about the film is its high-quality animation. The technology has seen some groundbreaking advancements recently, as seen in Sony Pictures Animation released Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Although the animation in the new Netflix film fell short of that of the aforementioned Spider-Man film, it's still better than recent Disney/Pixar projects. The soundtrack was unexpectedly brilliant with a mix of rock and heavy metal music. The possibility of a sequel is also very high because it was hinted at at the very end.
The Monkey King is certainly enjoyable and easy to watch owing to its straightforward plot and loveable characters.
