A Film Directed by Jiao Zi (AKA Nezha: Mo tong nao hai or 哪吒之魔童闹海)

I will always admit that I am not well-versed in the Chinese animated film industry right now, but if Ne Zha 2 is any indication, I really need to keep an eye out for upcoming releases that make their way here. Despite a few flaws, this movie was technically impressive and far exceeded the expectations I had going in blind. My son and I wanted something different after seeing most of the other big summer hits, so we decided to check this one out. It was either this or seeing Jaws in the theater, and I think I chose wisely.

I knew beforehand that Ne Zha 2 had become nothing short of a global phenomenon, smashing records to become the highest-grossing animated film in history and one of the top five highest-grossing films of all time. At this point, it has earned well over two billion dollars, and while I doubt the U.S. release will gain much traction and may even flop, I am glad we were able to see it.

Going into this, I had not even seen the first film from 2019 (which is on Netflix), but I was slightly familiar with the lore thanks to my Chinese history classes last year, as the book this was based on appeared a few times in my textbooks. As shown in the film’s opening flashbacks, the story picks up where the first Ne Zha left off, with Ne Zha and Ao Bing trying to regain their physical forms after sacrificing themselves in that previous film. With the help of Taiyi Zhenren and his mastery of a magical Seven-Colored Lotus, Ne Zha is restored, but Ao Bing fails at first and his soul ends up sharing Ne Zha’s body. This creates an interesting dynamic and allows both characters to grow while preparing to face the threat of the Dragon King, Ao Guang.

For its English-language release, handled by A24, the film features a strong voice cast that helps carry the story to new audiences. Crystal Lee and Griffin Puatu voice Ne Zha at different stages of life, Aleks Le voices Ao Bing, Michelle Yeoh brings gravitas to Lady Yin, and Vincent Rodriguez III takes on the role of Li Jing. The supporting cast includes Rick Zeiff as Taiyi Zhenren, William Utay as Master Wuliang, and Christopher Swindle as Ao Guang, the Dragon King.

What makes Ne Zha 2 stand out is its breathtaking animation, far surpassing anything Japan has done with CGI basically EVER (as they insist on making “intentionally” bad CGI and will never change) and most of what the U.S. has produced in recent years. Honestly, if it is not nominated for Best Animated Film at the Academy Awards, it will be a huge oversight, if not sheer ignorance.

The film operates on a whole different level than the first Ne Zha, which often looked cheap, leaned heavily on humor, and was clearly aimed at children. Ne Zha 2, while still including some comedy (especially gross-out humor), focuses on nonstop action and a weightiness I was not prepared for. There is real peril here, characters die, and the film can be surprisingly brutal. The story is crammed with dazzling set pieces and an epic scale usually reserved for high-fantasy blockbusters. The final battle, featuring thousands of Taoist monks clashing with thousands of demons, was jaw-dropping and technically stunning.

If I were to offer a small criticism, it would be that the movie drags slightly at nearly two and a half hours. There is a lot of story to tell, with dense mythological material that may feel overwhelming to Western audiences unfamiliar with it. My meager, and very basic, background in Chinese history classes helped me follow along with some overall themes Chinese literature generally employs, but others may struggle. I also think releasing this exclusively in English was a questionable decision. A24 may have been hoping to replicate some of the film’s staggering success in China, but time will tell if this approach works or if a limited subtitled release through something like Fathom Events would have been smarter.

If you are a fan of animated action films or miss the sweeping spectacle of classic martial arts epics, Ne Zha 2 might be exactly what you are looking for. Do not be fooled by the marketing that makes it appear like just another kids’ movie. The goofy comedy takes a backseat to the real nature of this film: a massive blockbuster that has flown under the radar in the West when it deserves much more attention. I still need to go back and watch the first film, knowing it will not be on the same level, but I am already eager for part three. This may just be my biggest surprise of the summer.