Per Aspera Ad Astra (2026)

The film is worth watching and rewatching

In this sci-fi blockbuster, Dylan Wang plays an astronaut named Xu Tianbiao. The plot revolves around a virtual dream system called "Sweet Dreams," which allows people to create their own worlds, but it's fraught with danger. Dylan takes on over 15 different roles in these dreams, from a warrior to a gangster. The film is captivating in its cinematic dynamism, and Dylan has an excellent sense of camerawork. In scenes where reality around him collapses or changes color (like a kaleidoscope), his movements make the action believable, even if it's purely visual. The contrast between "image" and pain is palpable, as you see an incredibly beautiful background, but Dylan's face reflects rage or despair. This dissonance compels you to keep watching, wanting to understand why the hero feels so miserable in such a beautiful world. When he fights in a space where there is no up or down, it looks like an expensive art object. The sheer scale of the film is a joy in itself. Dylan conveyed his character's loneliness through his facial expressions as digital reality crumbles around him. The scene where the character realizes he's just code in the system was the most emotional, revealing his soul, not just his face. With a cold, almost lifeless gaze, Dylan managed to convey his natural charisma and warmth, becoming a frighteningly beautiful instrument of the system. The actor demonstrated his ability to play abstract states.
The film is worth watching and rewatching for its fantastical narrative, beautiful visuals, music, acting, and thought-provoking content.

Read More

A fun watch with a traditional Chinese ending

Go see this movie!

This movie was in enjoyable to watch. The story starts very creatively and it’s really nice to see how creative they were with the different dreamworld. Lots of computer generated action and events, but to a high-quality the actors all do a great job the characters have realistic, chemistry, and good character development. It is a gripping story that starts out fun and it becomes very serious. The traditional Chinese ending is not bad, but I felt undercuts the creativity of the earlier part of the story. The end is very good, very well acted and emotional. As a long time movie watcher though. I give more points for not falling into tropes.

Go see this morning and enjoy the Chinese industry. I keep making creative movies like this.

Read More