I so wanted to love this.. different characters that are on par with each other end up at odds, representing and protecting alternate positions in their godly society. Growth and loss, arcs and godly confrontations.
The cast is great, and Eddie Peng is one of my favorite leads in the last few years! His look as a more human Monkey King is unforgettable (even though he looked like Tom Cruise at times). The rest of the cast's is great and the production value is top notch, dialogue (and lack of in most scenes, because watchers can tell stories from expressions and visuals), and story structure. There's a lot to like!! Gods and their existence has always been one of my favorite topics when done well...
...but the pace slows down A LOT on the second act. There's a lack of clarity in objectives and rules. And while the final act reminded me of Asura's Wrath, it didn't go there all the way, which is a shame. Still, I'll take the first 40 minutes over nothing memorable, which are more than enough to imagine a better story.
For giving me hope of watching something exciting with a beautiful animated introduction to the story, for it's world building and mythical lore, and good structure.. I'll respect it.
While I'm disappointed, I leave with more than I expected. Maybe the upcoming game "Black Myth: Wukong" will make it justice.
