"Reflections on the Second Part of Fengshen - Discussing What Makes a Good Movie in My Eyes"
Spoilers ahead.
In a time when there aren't many good movies, I strongly support the decent works in domestic cinema—this may be somewhat subjective, but I still consider myself an objective person. I am inherently emotional, yet logically very rational. Even during arguments in a relationship, I try to calmly point out that the other person's accusations are not entirely correct, listing out several points. I have also faced superiors who were trembling with anger, and I candidly told them, "What I’m saying is just the truth"—of course, it’s no surprise that I left to pursue a billionaire lifestyle.
The following is an evaluation of the movie from an objective perspective, and the above content also serves to prevent those who do not wish to be spoiled from being inadvertently spoiled.
The second part of Fengshen lacks the layers and depth of the first part, leaning more towards a popcorn movie: it features a lot of special effects and fighting, to the extent that the depth of characters and story is insufficient. I will first discuss the positives, then the negatives, focusing on the characters.
- Special Effects
Overall impressive, but major flaws detract from it.
First, regarding the special effects, the Qingyun Sword at the beginning is quite cool, providing a thrill similar to the first time watching the space elevator in The Wandering Earth. There are many other highlights, such as the scenes on Jin'ao Island and the oppressive yet shocking parts with the Tongtian Jiao Master (PS: Shen Gongbao is one of the few actors who maintained their performance from the first part), along with the treasures of other heavenly kings.
Although I want to defend the prince's special effects, they resemble the jutsu used by Naruto to enlarge his body, and after transforming, he doesn't look cool anymore. In a live-action movie, this feels somewhat out of place—this is a significant difference from good movies that often leave a lasting impression, as I even find it hard to revisit.
The issue here is that the director seems to have forgotten that in a good movie, special effects should play a supporting role, while characters should take center stage. Many great stories do not rely on special effects to become classics; however, almost no movie earns praise solely based on special effects.
- Characters
Character depth was already showcased by the director in the first part, indicating that there is potential, but in this part, it seems to have been completely overlooked.
In the first part, characters like Ji Fa, Daji, the prince, Ziya, and the old lord were all memorable. Some had very few lines but still shone, whether it was the old lord or the brief moments of father-son relationships portrayed by other lords in their palaces, which were still poignant.
In this installment, the main highlight is solely on General Deng (indicating that the director and internal promoters also realized there weren't many highlights in this film). General Deng's proud crossing of the bridge and his swift horse chase left a strong impression, leading to a sense of "I would agree to have him in the harem." Although the subsequent twist was somewhat sudden, I understand it was to cater to both younger and older audiences during the Spring Festival release. After all, I noticed that both elderly ladies and young people in the cinema chuckled at this part of the transition—this was a segment they could understand, which is not a big issue. In contrast, segments that left novice viewers confused, like the complex persistence and madness in The Dark Knight, were not as accessible.
While some balance and compromises are understandable, certain segments clearly prioritized special effects at the expense of character development.
For instance, Yang Jian continues to be a courier, showcasing various evasion techniques, which is quite cool, but perhaps having watched too many Marvel or X-Men films, where characters like Quicksilver or The Flash save people, I was not particularly impressed. Yang Jian is inherently a cool character, and as Erlang Shen, he has a solid fan base, yet he only plays a supporting role, mainly showcasing some spells—what a pity.
Nezha had character development in the first part, such as his impulsiveness, but in this part, he mainly showcased magical artifacts, which is unfortunate.
There doesn't seem to be much else to say, such as about the unnamed general or the named general I can't remember, who is very cool and powerful but lacks a strong impression, or Wen Taishi's resignation and return, which also felt unremarkable.
It is particularly worth mentioning the character Daji. To portray her sacrifices leading to physical changes, the script has no issues, but it loses the stunning impact of the first part. In the first part, Daji's ethereal and enchanting appearance in blue and her passionate dance in red during the rain left a deep impression. However, in the second part, there is little space for the female lead's performance, which killed my initial excitement to see Daji—just to clarify, I am not King Zhou.
- Others
From the director's perspective, I feel there are too many elements to juggle, and too many things to present, while also being constrained by the original text, which makes it difficult to execute well.
Therefore, if I were to make a movie in the future, I would aim to do a few things:
First, focus on character development. People are the most complex and interesting; simply defining good and bad characters is outdated. I hope to create works where both protagonists and supporting characters are complex, outstanding, and memorable. A standard for evaluating whether this goal is achieved should be whether I can remember many characters and lines from the movie after watching it.
The game "Black Myth: Wukong" is actually a great example. Many characters have very few lines, and their backgrounds are depicted through text, yet they leave a strong impression. For instance, Huang Feng Dasheng, who once roared to help those in need, later becomes fearful after witnessing the tragic death of the Great Sage, seizing the holy object and training frantically just to avoid being slaughtered. At this point, the lines become: "Where there is a saint, there are thieves; where there are high mountains, there are deep abysses; where there is the cycle of heaven and earth, there is blood and gore. I cannot escape, nor can you."
From a righteous hero, a demon with a heart for good, he transforms into a madman, driven solely by the will to survive. The lines are brief but deeply moving.
Second, consider the plot setting. It should not only cater to box office success by focusing solely on younger audiences, nor should it pander to critics with meaningless complaints. The story needs to have a certain depth while ensuring a smooth plot. Many classic works have achieved a good balance, such as Inception, Interstellar, Youth, The Wandering Earth, Brotherhood of Blades, and Jin Yong's novels.
Speaking of the importance of the script, I am reminded of the story in "The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone." The visuals may seem unremarkable today, but they do not detract from the story's emotional impact, leading players to become deeply engrossed and torn over whether to take the rose. I will include a montage of this part, and everyone will understand upon seeing it.
Third, consider the casting of actors.
First, it should serve the complex character portrayals, as being able to portray complexity is crucial, and this aspect should partly depend on the director's skill.
Second, it should serve the plot; suitability is the most important factor.
Lastly, consider the charm of the characters. This aspect is actually hard to describe; the level of charm is not necessarily related to a character's appearance. However, I believe that the charm of most characters is related to their inner depth—of course, external factors are also very important, but overall, inner depth is key.
A person with depth, principles, and distinct characteristics often has a charm index ten times greater than someone without depth, principles, or notable traits. This is difficult to express in words, but I believe you have encountered very charming people in life, as well as many who lack charm. Of course, recognizing charm also depends on one's own level; the lower the level, the more one tends to focus on the surface; the higher the level, the more one can see the inner qualities.
PS: I will continue to accumulate ideas and enrich my material library (as I planned years ago). When I can no longer suppress my ideas in the future, I will start filming my first movie.
The video is a montage of "The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone," originally created by Bilibili user Ah Tian Taylor.
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Vz4y197sb
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