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The Monkey King 3
Monkeying around with 16th-century Chinese literary classic “Journey to the West” yet again, Hong Kong action veteran Soi Cheang’s third installment in the hit Monkey King franchise ventures into a kingdom populated exclusively by women. And yet, while its femme-focused premise suggests rich opportunities to challenge traditional Chinese gender roles, “The Monkey King 3” disappointingly resists the chance to reinvent female identity. Though the gaudy production pales in comparison to the previous installment on nearly every artistic level, a visible improvement in 3D effects, combined with the film’s family-friendly subject and a day-and-date release in the U.S., should make it a cinch to surpass the previous film’s record opening two years ago.
Back in 2014, when Cheang’s original “The Monkey King” earned a whopping $15.5 million, the film swiftly evolved from a clever one-off into a lucrative Chinese New Year’s franchise — easy to do, given the infinite stories suggested by its epic source material. With “The Monkey King 2,” Cheang found his groove, transcending mere popcorn entertainment by introducing a charismatic and poignantly layered villain in the form of Gong Li’s White-Boned Demon. Though he and screenwriter Elvis Man slip back into shallow, showy mode again here, production company Filmko’s plan to roll out five more installments seems unstoppable.
Views: 723
Director: Soi Cheang
Actors: Aaron Kwok, Him Law, Lin Chi-Ling, William Feng, Xiao Shenyang, Zhao Liying
