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At The Movies From classic mythology to modern animation, the sequel lives up to the hype
The Straits Times
|March 13, 2025
In this sequel to the Chinese box-office animation hit Ne Zha (2019), the rebellious child deity Ne Zha (voiced by Lu Yanting) and his ally, the dragon deity Ao Bing (Han Mo), have become spirits.
The story: Without physical bodies, they face annihilation. The Taoist Immortal, Master Taiyi (Zhang Jiaming), volunteers his Seven-Coloured Precious Lotus, a life-giving device. The rejuvenation process works, but complications arise after Ne Zha's home is attacked by the Dragon Kings.
This movie is a lot to take in. It is a surreal blast to the brain, a set of epic battles that crosses heaven and earth, punctuated by jokes about pee.
It is also a study of fate versus free will, filled with flawed gods and mortals with godlike powers, to the point where the line between the two is blurred. Some characters are noble but villainous, while the demonic, monstrous ones turn out to be on the side of good.
This story is from the March 13, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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