By Tatiana Ho
The Monkey King, known for his playful demeanor, hits the big screen once again for the Monkey King 2 movie. Centered around the playful king, he is tasked by a gold crown to lead a travelling monk on his journey. Throughout the movie, the King displays his strengths, battling creatures such as a Siberian Tiger and even a dragon to ensure safe travels for himself and the monk. Although the monk’s and the Monkey King’s ideals clash throughout the story, the movie shows the development of an unbreakable bond between the two men.
The Monkey King 2 is a film adapted from the book “A Journey to the West” by author Wu Cheng’en. Only choosing a few chapters from the novel, the master and disciple bond form by the Monkey King and monk is used as a main plot for the opposing Bone Demon that is determined to become immortal. This is seen as the Bone Demon’s way of “cheating death” and avoiding reincarnation into another being. Using the book as a main guidance point, the Monkey King 2 brings to life the fun and mystical side of ancient Chinese legends in order to capture mainstream audiences.
Making use of cinematic drama, the Monkey King 2 presents itself with a major CGI production, mocking the dramatic fighting styles seen in older Asian films. The movie is not presented with realism, showing the playfulness of the film and the focus on the main storyline rather than the effects. For younger audiences, the film is enthralled with bright colors and stunning scenery to capture the eye. The monkey king himself spends the entirety of the film in a dramatically colored garb that comments on his personality. The Monkey King 2 hits the big screen in AMC 25 theaters on February 9th in celebration of the Lunar festival. Tickets and trailer information can be seen on https://www.amctheatres.com/movies/the-monkey-king-2.
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