What does a creature made of water, an animated piece of paper, and people turning into stone have in common? Nothing, except they all end up in this mess of a movie. The production team, in all their wisdom, decides to take some “cool CGIs” and build an entire story around it.
The story ends up making no sense. The theme is supposedly about sacrificing romance for the greater good. The problem is that the movie never spend any time showing us what that greater good is, and why it is worth the sacrifice. So the poignancy is lost as we waste our time watching pointless scenes (e.g. the Monkey and Co chasing this one piece of paper).
The Women’s Kingdom is one of most intriguing fictional land in classical literature. Yet that never translates onto the big screen. Besides being all female, this place does not have a distinctive look or culture of its own. Even their clothing flashes between xianxia, Tang-era, and Chinese ethnic styling. The costume department and set designer couldn’t agree on one cohesive vision, just as the writers couldn't settle on a clear plotline.
Actors, no matter how talented, cannot save a bad movie. CGIs, no matter how awesome, cannot replace a good story.
The story ends up making no sense. The theme is supposedly about sacrificing romance for the greater good. The problem is that the movie never spend any time showing us what that greater good is, and why it is worth the sacrifice. So the poignancy is lost as we waste our time watching pointless scenes (e.g. the Monkey and Co chasing this one piece of paper).
The Women’s Kingdom is one of most intriguing fictional land in classical literature. Yet that never translates onto the big screen. Besides being all female, this place does not have a distinctive look or culture of its own. Even their clothing flashes between xianxia, Tang-era, and Chinese ethnic styling. The costume department and set designer couldn’t agree on one cohesive vision, just as the writers couldn't settle on a clear plotline.
Actors, no matter how talented, cannot save a bad movie. CGIs, no matter how awesome, cannot replace a good story.
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