Monkey King: Hero Is Back

So I just finished watching this on Netflix and have to say I am greatly disappointed. After doing a little research I can see why, obviously the version available on Netflix is the worse possible version to watch as it is neither the original or the US version. It is in fact an American dubbed version where not only is the script terrible for the dubbing but the voice acting is equally as bad. It's frustrating because the animation itself is impressive but honestly if you were thinking of giving this film a go don't watch it on Netflix you would be better off watching the original with English subtitles.

The animation is kind of clunky and the characterization leaves a lot to be desired, but the scenery and battles are epic, and there's something touching about the bond between the monkey king and the persistent boy monk. And it's interesting that the great jade king was cast down from heaven and became a great, corpulent, cowardly pig. My 6-year old son Sebastian particularly liked this movie.

I truly recommend this movie for all! I have long been disappointed of Chinese animated pictures. But now they have got talents, great animators. Great "new thinking" plot on a well exploited story, great characters with real emotions as motivation for character development, great camera-work, great character design, great action and so on! But there is still one thing almost all Chinese animation lack, including this one, and that is good sound effects. The movie feels unintuitive and unnatural at times, because the sound doesn't match what's happening in the screen.

In short, see this movie! If you want to see a great Chinese animated picture!

Storytelling is boring and simply misses the point. The main event was not written at all, so it was not a passing plot at all. This film is a great, international-quality picture. Fail because of the plot.

Vibrant. Colorful and fast, with some amazingly innovative, original animated images. Characters include an orphan taken in by an aged monk, an ugly obnoxious shape-changing pig, an enemy lord with his armies of kidnapping trolls, and the disgraced Monkey King who must defeat the evil lord to atone for past sins.