The Monkey King(2023) Is Surprisingly Bad!!!

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[@disneyfanlover905]

Like seriously, how in the hell did Netflix go from a surprisingly good animated Non Disney musical about a girl traveling to the moon to meet Chang'e the moon goddess to a mediocre animated Monkey King movie with good animation and great fight scenes but rushed pacing and awful characters?

[@serperiorandtheanimator9216]

It’s easy- it wasn’t made by the same people.

[@iosefaiese6029]

Man I’m so happy I’m not the only one who loved the animation and action so much to the point where I forgot how the story was mid. Buy no seriously there were some badass action sequences in here.

[@disneyfanlover905]

@@iosefaiese6029 The funny thing is this could've been just as good as Nimona, a great Netflix movie mind you. But no. Have it be mean spirited and cliched and crap. That's totally a new thing to do.

[@iosefaiese6029]

@@disneyfanlover905 facts the potential for this movie was a shame. Nimona was dope

[@Kobey20021]

​@@iosefaiese6029the show was good the back story was good You just hate it bc if u were make a movie it will be trash

[@skysiren4113]

It feels like this movie was trying to make Sun Wukong their own version of Kuzco from The Emperor's New Groove, but they completely missed the point on why Kuzco's character worked Kuzco in my opinion is the best written jerk protagonist in any piece of media. The reason why he works where many others fail is that not only is he actually funny with how far they push his selfishness and childishness with the help of the movies witty writing and David Spade's performance, but he actually goes through a genuine arc with him learning to be more humble with the help of Pacha, even when he tries to backstab Pacha in the bridge scene, not only is he called out and gets punished for it, but at the end of the scene he actually saves Pacha's life from falling, showing that he's growing as a person and makes his change of heart at the end more believable But for Sun Wukong in this movie they completely missed the point, not only is he more annoying then funny, making it so all the shitty things he does not be funny at all, but because of how the story is paced there's no believability in his arc of becoming a more humble person or his growing friendship with Lin like how Kuzco's arc and relationship with Pacha was In general the movie is trying to have a tone similar to The Emperor's New Groove with it being full of jokes and fast paced, but The Emperor's New Groove was able to do it without being obnoxious (which is incredibly hard to do) and allowed its characters to have moments where they just sit down and talk, even though it's a comedy it doesn't try and dumb itself down cause it knows that not only would the jokes not work, but that kids aren't dumb and can handle a slower moment

[@Dr.Oofers]

It’s possible corporate execs kept stepping and demanding changes be made because something is too “risky” or “possibly too scary for younger audiences”. Also, not entirely familiar with how credit systems work. However, I think if you worked on a project for some time and then left development, you can still be credited. It’s possible Rita could have left during development of both movies, or was forced to alter or tone down scenes based on requests of executives/producers.

[@kennethsatria6607]

I kinda wanna rewatch emperor's new groove again now

[@tanishambrowne1137]

I agree 100%

[@PrincessMavenKittyDarkholme]

Rise Leo and Puss in Boots are well written jerks

[@DanGamingFan2406]

As someone who usually loves every version of _Journey to the West,_ they really dropped the ball with everything but the fight scenes and animation. Not totally unwatchable, but it comes close. It's definitely one of those kid's films that feels like it was made with a corporate checklist.

[@disneyfanlover905]

That I agree. I'm sure I'm aware of the impact the Journey to the West story had over the years, but the fact that Netflix decided to waste the good animation and great fight scenes with mean spirited characters (notably the Monkey King himself and the less said about the Dragon King the better), and rushed pacing is so f***ing criminal.

[@hybridvenom9]

And also there maybe will be a lego monkey kid movie it could not happen because of a dumb shrike or it's not real like at all and someone just lying

[@woahbeashooder8671]

Second time. Last one was the animat review, I see

[@jasminkrieger8464]

Actually this movie here is a Reboot of a older liva action wu kong movie with a little girl but in the older version the girl died for wukong

[@jasminkrieger8464]

Means the older live action version is better were is aswell a movie about pigsy the six eared macaque and wu kongs staff in human form they all had families and loved once so sun wu kong

[@FunFilmFare]

This movie would’ve been much better without… *WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW* Lin secretly working for the Dragon King. It overly complicated the movie and felt like a Disney “Hercules” rip-off. You know what would be better? If after days of Monkey King mistreating Lin and her finally realizing he’s a jerk…THEN Dragon King would ask her to betray the Monkey King. Given her bad experience with Monkey King she’d be much more willing to betray him, and possibly more conflicted about it later. It would also mean Lin having a bigger character arc.

[@mannythegrandfather2291]

True but I don't really think this takes away from the point of the movie.

[@jasminebrown7683]

I personally think that this plot was the more entertaining plot of the movie. Her having to choose over egotistical monkey or the Yassified Dragon should have been the main plot. Rather than the Ego Monkey trying to fight All of the Yassified gods at once. (Am I the only one who felt like this movie was a gay rave party in disguise as a kids movie?)

[@TeeJayDesastron]

Well, if you do enjoy the general story of the Monkey King there is a movie you absolutely want to watch if you haven't done so yet. It's title is "Monkey King Hero is Back". That one is pretty amazing in my opinion.

[@AlejandroRodriguez-cy8ee]

isn't that a game??

[@benjaminmuratore9341]

​@@AlejandroRodriguez-cy8ee Yes, but the game is actually based on the movie.

[@AlejandroRodriguez-cy8ee]

@@benjaminmuratore9341 ahhh i thought it was an onimusha moment where they put all the cutscenes from the game and published it on Netflix

[@kennethsatria6607]

Friggin loved that one, its basically a stripped down version of the Journey that centers around the classic team as a foumd family sort of situation. The comedy doesnt always hit but the emotional ones worked. Shame it didnt have Sha Wujing though.

[@timiking5237]

I like that version of Monkey King, instead of him magically becoming a good person, he had to learn and reflect on his actions

[@kronk2.094]

Ever since Over the Moon's success, Netflix invested a lot in chinese animation. It's a shame that every single one of the following movies so far didn't live up to Over the Moon's standards (this one being no exception)...

[@johnnygallagher5718]

What about Wish Dragon I thought it was pretty good.

[@kronk2.094]

@@johnnygallagher5718 I always thought of it as a cheap Aladdin rip-off, unfortunately... 😅

[@hybridvenom9]

The also need rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles the movie that has like the best tod animation that still holds up even though deleted scenes look cool no idea what else to talk about

[@GreatSageGoku]

​@@kronk2.094 Nah. If anything, Hercules would be a better comparison as they're both based on myths than Aladdin.

[@kronk2.094]

@@GreatSageGoku the thing is, if you think about it: - An asiatic setting (also, Aladdin's story was originally set in China) - A magical, demential friend granting wishes and yearning for freedom - A poor main character wishing to be more to impress the girl he likes - Her father being such a big shot And I'm pretty sure there's much more that I can't remember right now (it's already been a year since I saw it)... but still, it really reminds me a lot of Aladdin.

[@leonardolopez888]

It’s sad to hear how bad the story is because one of the writers of the movie is Rita Hsiao. She previously wrote Mulan (1998), and Toy Story 2. These are 2 expertly written movies that prove that she is a highly talented writer. She did also write My Little Pony: The Movie (2017), and while I thought that movie was absolute crap, there were some parts of the writing in that film that I thought were pretty good, including Twilight trying to steal the pearl from the sea ponies, and everything involving Tempest Shadow. These plot points are definitely the work of Rita, and it’s too bad that she was confined to the structure of the show it was based on, because if she had more creative freedom, she could’ve made that movie really special. That seems to be the case with The Monkey King here. Raisor mentions that the idea of the monkey king becoming a potential villain could’ve worked, and I am convinced that this potentially good idea was the work of Rita. This movie was also written by the 2 guys who wrote Chicken Little and Open Season, so it’s very much a case of 2 not-so talented writers dragging down the good ideas of a great writer. I hope that the next movie that Rita Hsaio writes will have her be paired with other talented writers. That I will pay money to see.

[@johnnygallagher5718]

If I wanna watch an animated Chinese movie done by Netflix I would rather watch Over the Moon and Wish Dragon.

[@chilathecreativefox9098]

Which the latter is an Aladdin rip-off.

[@danielgudinojuarez6729]

Agreed, at least Over the moon was heart warming and Wish Dragon is actually enjoyable!!!

[@Itariatan]

Or that Nezha reborn movie

[@brianlevine871]

I've yet to see this film, but since you said this version of Sun Wukong is practically a villain, all I could think of was how "Jackie Chan Adventures" depicted the Monkey King as an evil trickster. At least the latter was intended to be a bad guy and was fairly entertaining. And speaking of tv shows, hopefully I'll get around to seeing that "Monkie Kid" series some day. And speaking of other shows, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the rest of "Kid Cosmic."

[@dr.mixer8930]

I mean....wasn't monkey king was supposed to be an asshole and isn't him being the villain in the end, technically is in the original story before he had his journey to the west and this was meant to be monkey king earlier day before the journey to the west

[@kukuandkookie]

I’ll have to be honest as a person of Chinese descent, who already really likes the Monkey King and his many adaptations (my favourite being the 1999 cartoon, although the 1969 animated movie and 1980s live-action show are all really iconic too), I’m…not a huge fan of the direction this movie took?? The main characters come across as quite obnoxious, which is part of who Sun Wukong is, but he’s also supposed to have _charm_ to his obnoxious nature. My friend and I, who are Taiwanese and Chinese respectively, couldn’t help lamenting the bizarre choices taken and how loud and fast-paced and thus almost childish the movie felt. Also Sun Wukong _is_ an outcast, but he’s never that with his own monkeys, and even if he was, he wouldn’t likely care that much. He demands to be viewed as a hero and is annoyed that Heaven doesn’t, but he’s more chaotic neutral in the original story. Also actually, Sun Wukong fighting back against Heaven isn’t an idea original to this film. It’s part of the original legend; he arrives in Heaven after causing so much chaos they try to stop him, and then they fail to stop his chaos even more, even offending him when they refuse to give him the title and reputation and attention he demanded. In fact, Sun Wukong names himself Great Sage Equal to the Heavens to get back at Heaven, but it’s just an empty title he makes up that Heaven eventually acknowledges to get him out of his hair. Cue the fight where he kicks their ass and Budda has to stop him by putting him under the mountain… So it’s all there in the original myth and in this movie, but it’s still…not adapted right. In some ways this film is accurate, but it just gets it really wrong. They took his character and clearly messed it up by making him into an unlikeable loudmouth without any other complexity to him. I’m not usually a stickler for an accurate adaptation, especially of the Monkey King, who’s had _countless_ renditions to him now, but this just…doesn’t feel right. I mean, the fact you completely slam it but also the way you spent a quarter of this video discussing and mostly just praising _Lego Monkie Kid_ is really telling (on that front, I do like _Monkie Kid,_ but man I wish the Chinese dub was easier to find x’D). For example, the fact the dragon king’s villain origin story is due to having a dermatology disorder? It feels almost _too_ childish and simplistic and-as mentioned-obnoxious, when _Journey to the West_ has always been more complex. And I realize that writing it out like this seems incredibly harsh, especially with so many younger people voicing their love for the film, but as someone who grew up with Sun Wukong, this didn’t feel right to me. It just didn’t feel like Sun Wukong. Which is really hard to do considering he especially is so flexible as a character, but Chinese myths often are in general (eg with the animated films by Light Chaser Animation Studios and Beijing Enlight Pictures recently: _Yang Jian_ and _Nezha_ 2019 and _Jiang Ziya_ etc). I’m glad other people enjoyed it though. Clearly, this was meant to be a new take, and while I’m personally not a fan…hey, it’s always nice to see more JttW content, especially when it’s made with love from the west, since China’s already mastered retelling their own stories. And on that front, I would recommend Chinese animation, by the way. You mentioned _Lego Monkie Kid_ and _Dragon Ball_ as good examples of _Journey to the West_ adaptations, which definitely works, but they’re not the only ones that deserve love. China has so many, and there’s also a lot of really amazing animated films from China now of their other myths and legends, and I feel like they deserve more love from the west. So despite this western movie not getting a Chinese story quite right, there’s so much more out there to explore! And I’ll always hope more people get to enjoy more Chinese animation and stories in the future. ^^

[@Itariatan]

Hey this is a really cool and thorough breakdown :D I really agree with you that they adapted the best parts of the story well but still messed up Sun Wukong as a character lol, that's so strange. But I guess it is a product for kids more than anything. Hey also you mention Chinese adaptations of Jttw, movies and such. Do you have any movie recommendations? I've put together a list of movie adaptations, and I think I've got a good number, but I'd like to hear which ones you find more interesting. If you want to, of course.

[@kukuandkookie]

@@Itariatan I’m glad you enjoyed the breakdown. As for them messing up, I guess it happens sometimes when people want to try something _really_ new with well-known classics; it might’ve worked better here if the characters at least kept some part of their core selves (and that way, it’d feel less like they’re shitting on a beloved, famous character by making him such an asshole). 😅 But yeah I’d be happy to provide some donghua recommendations! I actually have a full list with images, summaries, links on where to watch, and everything, and…well, it’s 200+ pages now, so you’ll have plenty of content to choose from haha. For movies specifically, you’ll see there’s a section near the bottom of the list that recommends some films. ^^ I’ll include it in a second reply though since sometimes if you include non-KZbin links, Google will eat the comment and it’ll be automatically deleted for potentially being spam.

[@kukuandkookie]

@@Itariatan Donghua and Manhua Recommendations List: docs.google.com/document/d/15X1BHRvBJMH6UHaqKzgipLGiF_ycMGaPQinszRRvEHA/edit

[@faithbundu3787]

​@@kukuandkookie just a comment so I'll get notified for the list👍👀

[@junnynyx1009]

Can you talk more about monkie kid? it’s my favorite show and it is NOT talked about as much as it choice be

[@kofiZayn777]

Ikr

[@Zero-hopper]

Ninjago too

[@a.t.m873]

Netflix is a jerk to animation. Happy Niroma, and Pinocchio got to shine. I heard bad things about this movie, and thanks for another warning to avoid another bad film.

[@gemmamunozperez5424]

¿¡what the fuck do you guys mean and why the fuck do you people say that about netflix!?

[@DryptosaurusDavid]

You mean to say it IS a jerk to animation.

[@gemmamunozperez5424]

@@DryptosaurusDavid ¿¡Why the fuck do you even say that Why!?

[@PrincessMavenKittyDarkholme]

Over the Moon

[@gemmamunozperez5424]

@@PrincessMavenKittyDarkholme ¿Yeah and?

[@SiSiWritesFanfics0927]

I'm still livid over the Bone cancellation as that was one of my favorite graphic novel series of all time. I still have the 9-in-one collection at my dad's house

[@srslydoatm9251]

I remember reading Bone in 6th grade. Shit was 🔥

[@alexisdogbo7958]

@@srslydoatm9251same. It really sucks that we won’t get a series.

[@SiSiWritesFanfics0927]

It was amazing@@srslydoatm9251

[@Dr.Oofers]

Don’t forget the Wings of Fire series was also canned at some point (idk if it’s true that it was ever in production but I swear I heard something about it).

[@-OneofManyNames]

I have some if those books, such a good book series

[@Zero-hopper]

I want lego monkey king to meet this monkey king And just bully him with his homie and adopt lin and give her better childhood then this monke

[@cyborgparrot1996]

For me, Monkey (the TV show, also known as Monkey Magic) will always be my favourite adaptation of Journey to the West (along with the video game Enslaved: Odyessy to the West), the British English dub is hilarious.

[@DCF-dc14f]

JP version ? Cringe . CN cctv version the best one and it got widely love in CN Mainland

[@Theravingranter]

* Spoilers for Over the moon * Over the moon, another Netflix Chinese fantasy movie inspired by Chinese legend/lore and well worth watching, was also bright, colorful, funny, and had a lot of songs. Heck even a rap battle between a literal moon goddess and a child while they played PING PONG. And yet despite all this, despite having overly cutesy characters, despite having sidekicks meant to be annoying comedic relief, it is incredibly accurate to Chinas customs, beliefs, structure, and culture starring Phillpa Soo as the moon goddess the woman who played the wife of Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton. Despite all odds that movie still tackled heavy subject matter, death, afterlife, grief, sorrow, and the ability to move on from tragedy while respecting the legend it’s based on. This shows it is entirely possible to be “kiddy” while also being “adult”, that fragile line Ghibli walks on with grace. There was a reference to the Monkey King in the anime Inuyasha, in which I’m pretty sure their Monkey King was actually called Son Goku, and that ONE episode showed more faith and respect than this did and the characters were treated like jokes!

[@maurycyoseka1057]

5:04 - In my defense, i pretty much find "Take the World By Storm" pretty catchy if you will ignore the moment where Lungwang literally inflates himself like on DeviantArt and think about Ursula from Little Mermaid instead.

[@Plexxis_SugarPom]

Honestly, what got me into JTTW was the Lego Monkie Kid show, and that enamored me, becoming my fav show OF ALL TIME. I got myself a version of JTTW to read, learning about the characters and the og story made me love the show more because of how much of a passion project it was, practically a love letter to one of the iconic Chinese legends I watched the hour long documentary on youtube about the making and business as well as the pressure that the team had to really nail the first 40 minute pilot of the show, and how they nailed the set designs and the test audiences loved them. And, from the way you've talked about Monkie King's character, it sounds like they dropped the ball(i havent watched the netflix film yet btw) its kinda hilarious. Monkie King is a great character in media because he's usually a chaotic neutral person who's likable. You can see where he comes from, and that helps, but he's the type of person you'd wanna spend time at a festival with but not invite him to a business lunch. To hear that he's just unlikable and cold to others is a little disheartening, because the og JTTW Monkey King was a people's person, and absolutely advocated for his kingdom. Sure, he'd kick a child, but in his defence, the child said his eyes looked funny after being put in a smoker for 51 day/years. And then the Great Monk Tang Sangzang (is he in the film at all?) Wojld just start shouting "DUDE YOU CANT KEEP DOING THIS." (Just phrase the sentence how you think ye old china would phrase it) So, moral of the story, watch the lego Monkie Kid show, need help finding it? Literally look up the show on TikTok and ask people because they will tell you. Or look at the Monkie Kid Central Twitter(or X idgaf) because they update the accessibility of the show and share it with us fans.

[@daryatislenko4651]

Yo, your story of introduction to the Monkey King and JTTW is exactly how I got introduced to it all and bought the novels too😊 Also got a cheaper rip-off of lego set The Flower Fruit Mountain😅

[@Plexxis_SugarPom]

@@daryatislenko4651 oh heck yeah you also got into JTTW via Monkie kid??!

[@Itariatan]

It's kinda weird how the movie pretty much gets SWK's character spot on from the books, but then tries to say that he's got like a conscience or whatever, which isn't a thing in the story lmao. Monkey King literally has to get his ass beat by Buddha, imprisoned for 5000~ years and go on the journey for the scriptures to learn even a semblance of respect.

[@pedroafonsopinheiro9874]

If they had really committed to make him a asshole and be somewhat the antagonist of the story, could have been interesting since Wukong has been "Herofied" in the recent decades

[@Itariatan]

@@pedroafonsopinheiro9874 Even Lego Monkie Kid, a show for children essentially, makes him a super morally gray character. Even managing to place the appropriate amount of blame for his actions, and showing him as what he really is.

[@creatorperson3755]

Tbh i loved this Mainly because i love protagonist that arent really protagonist My only complaint is that everything happened to fast

[@chaotix8237]

As someone who has watched all of LEGO: Monkie Kid as a teenager, this movie sucks. In the show they made Sun Wukong arrogant and maybe a little bit annoying but it works. He has genuine moments where he is shown to care and feel emotions. You don’t see him as a bad guy unless the story wants you too. In my personal opinion, I think Monkie Kid is a great representation of Sun Wukong’s character and story. As for the movie, I got barely 20 minutes in before stopping and screaming into a pillow. And that was with me constantly pressing the skip button. I hate the characters, I quit the minute Lin showed up. This movie dropped the bomb.

[@joshuamercado6885]

Huh I appreciate the Hilarious opinion

[@shayc8423]

WE STAN LEGO SUN WUKONG

[@Merdicano]

Well, I guess I'm in the minority then 😂, because I really loved this movie, heck even way more than I did having watching it twice. And personally, at my 23 years of age, I did not found it the slightest childish as you say, but its fine. Highly enjoyed its animation and visuals, the character designs for Monkey King and the gods, and maybe I think of it from a different point of view, but I found Monkey King's character very well-constructed. Okay, him falling from a rock, without no explanation whatsoever its odd, but we do get to see in his youth how alone and isolated he becomes, and that his first fight against the spirit tiger that kidnap the baby monkey, not only does he want to save it because its the right thing, but to prove himself he's more than outcast. And him ending up alone in his youth and craving for attention was what made him a jerk in the end. And again, I'm in the minority, but I saw it coming that he would have become insane seeking all the power from the gods because how outcasted he got from the rejection of the other monkeys. In turn, making Monkey King egotistical and mean-spirited. Maybe if they do make the sequel, that being its adaptation of Journey To The West, could improve on the aspects of the story. But I highly enjoyed it for what it was. Then again, I totally respect your opinion and review completely 👍🏻👍🏻

[@nelsonguerrero1952]

Oh thank i'm not alone! Every KZbinr so far's been trashing this film and giving it the lowest of scores. With the exception of The Mythology Guy, who gave the film a much positive more take on it, then most who did not enjoy the film as much as those that loved it. Everything about Sun Wokong for this film's exactly how he's been described in the myths.

[@Merdicano]

@@nelsonguerrero1952 Hmm, interesting on that last part. I'd make sure to check out Mythology Guy 👍🏻 But yeah, at least for me I was highly invested on Monkey King as a character, because I really like the type of jerk-like and ego protagonists, something that at least for me, I've found really refreshing to see (which is why I adored Spider-Punk in ATSV 😅). However, I do agree that Lin's backstory was underdeveloped, even though it was a pretty neat twist that she ended up being the Dragon King's spy. And I found it really fascinating and distinctive the metaphor of a hand being distant ways of the universe, and indeed, how one is a small pebble in that hand. I really enjoyed it way more than I thought I would 😂

[@wobblezapper2374]

True I found the movie really fun to watch. The whole thing is eye candy. I think the could’ve gone more in-depth with the Monkey King character, idk he just felt a little flat for me. Nonetheless, it doesn’t change the fact he’s a really fun character. The only other critique I’d give is that they could’ve made Lin’s design more memorable, it’s quite bland.

[@Merdicano]

@@wobblezapper2374 Hmm. That last part about Lin is true. While she serves a purpose to the story, she's really underdeveloped. Though MK, as I mentioned, I do hope there can be a future sequel hopefully, in that way, now exploring him in more depth. Because I did found him really well-made, and distinctive from other animated protagonists. And yes, the animation and visuals were wonderful. Brought a strong vibrancy to the movie and tone

[@Connux]

THANK YOU! I loved this movie too and I dont get why some people are trashing it. The characters designs, uniqueness, fun, and creativity makes this such a great film. And I love the monkey king's character, his confident personality works so good because you can tell he has the ambition and conviction to ascend the ranks and become an immortal. Like yea, this also makes him cocky and egotistical, but its necessary for him to surpass the gods/demons. And, he has the strength to back up his words. But honestly I never got felt any resentment towards him for being egotistical, in fact the thought never really croseed my mind. By the sounds of it, I'm guessing other people didn't like him for that though? However, I think maybe the reason I like his character so much is because it reminds me of Monkey D Luffy from One Piece, if you've read it. His character is similar in that if they want something, they simply "take it" and dont let anyone tell them otherwise. (oh, and also btw I've never even heard of "the monkey king" or "sun wukong" before, so thats also probably why I liked it so much).

[@iwantedtobethatanomaly2270]

What made the movie so incredibly unwatchable for me was the Monkey's character. He was so unlikeable. It's the fact that he seems to have no redeeming qualities to his flaws. And due to this each time I thought he'd die in the movie, I was rolling my eyes so hard when he was brought back to life again. Here's the thing, you CAN have a character that is selfish, but you can ALSO make them a likeable character. The thing about Monkey is that there were absolutely 0 consequences to his selfishness, there was no moment in the movie where Monkey realized his mistakes and selfishness and nothing too serious ever happened to him and due to that there was no real consequences. It would have made it better if he, for example learned throughout the story how his selfishness causes everyone to despise him and how terrible loneliness feels, and with that he would gradually start to learn the gift of generosity. But nope, he never got any character developement. Also the fast phasing, confusing character developement and sloppy flow of the story didn't make the movie any better.

[@DemiRurge]

For me personally, the way you described the character of the Monkey King in this movie really reminds me of Blitzo from Helluva Boss. An obnoxious piece of turd that the writers try so hard to make relatable and sympathetic, but fail to do as he is just so toxic.

[@wiwitutsu2175]

True but blitzo is more a annoying with his constant sex jokes

[@DemiRurge]

@@wiwitutsu2175 yeah, I forgot about those. Honestly, his dumb jokes are the least of the character's problem

[@serperiorandtheanimator9216]

Nah I don’t think blitzo is supposed to be sympathetic, I think he’s supposed to be like bojack horseman where you just watch him tear people’s relationships and cause himself to self destruct, and the whole point is to see how much damage he can do. At the very least he’s intriguing because you want to know “what the hell did he do to these people that make them hate him so much when they were so close to him before”?

[@DemiRurge]

@@serperiorandtheanimator9216 Yeah, but with Bojack you at least want to see him succeed. Yes, he can be a jerk, but he is at least a grounded jerk, still showing some redeeming qualities. With Blitzo 98 per cent of the time we spend with him we just look at him shout, act like a total prick with everyone around him and overall just begs to be punched in the face. Sure, you want to see how he ruined his relationships, but not because you care about him, it is just out of sheer curiosity

[@serperiorandtheanimator9216]

@@DemiRurge well yeah but sheer curiosity still drives me lmao

[@milestrombley1466]

Lego Monkey King looks better.

[@jasminkrieger8464]

Other versions indeed are better hust dicky cheung monkey king quest for the sutra hust stephen chow chinese odysee monkey king hust monkey kid monkey king hust wu kong 2017 hust korean odysee

[@jasminkrieger8464]

Or jet li monkey king

[@jasminkrieger8464]

Zitao monkey king

[@jasminkrieger8464]

Of course people clmaoare were are many versions of the monkey king

[@blueflare3848]

For real. That animation looks amazing.

[@antonissa8345]

Ýou ARE aware that this is pretty accurate adaptation of his personality prior to his imprisonment

[@mannythegrandfather2291]

@emptyglass7867 So, what exactly about this movie isn't good?

[@noobmasterruben5167]

​@emptyglass7867 ​ Heck yeah, if Disney decided to be accurate of how Zeus is to the legends. The story would not work

[@shayleekirkman7730]

My words exactly! Why can’t people understand this? Some character’s development takes longer!

[@bemiatto67]

​@@shayleekirkman7730feels like an empty experience to get a movie that's deliberately left incomplete

[@shayleekirkman7730]

@@bemiatto67 True true. But I’m all about cliff hangers that are incomplete. (Like Spiderverse part 1) Next movie will be fire, I feel it.

[@greatsageamane1984]

Honestly, I actually enjoyed this movie. That is all I'm gonna say.

[@GreatSageGoku]

For me, I find it a little entertaining as an abridged film of the Monkey King before he embarks on his journey. But I'm pretty sure Sun Wukong ≠ Monkey King. These names don't mean the same thing. The name Sun Wukong (孫悟空) means "monkey awakened to emptiness" and Monkey King is a part of his "Handsome Monkey King" title or Mei Hou Wang (美猴王). Secondly, he got his name when he was trained under Patriarch Subhuti, which they didn't show in the film, and that was before he got the Ruyi Jingu Bang from the Dragon King of the East Sea after looking for a weapon suited for him. I watched the film in Cantonese first time before seeing it again in English, mind you. And another thing, Wukong is an arrogant kind of monkey. Of course, he's gonna be like that. Think of him with Vegeta's superiority complex as Goku bared his moniker and mischief. Dragon Ball did start as a parody of the story while LEGO Monkie Kid adapted the events many years after the journey, both of which I do enjoy watching. I'd think of this as Netflix's version of somewhat Disney's Hercules. Think about it. Especially when they both have "comic relief" minions in blue and pink.

[@hamishthehero6872]

THIS FILM GOES FROM BAD TO GOOD SEVERAL TIMES. My best description of it is the animation team were trying so hard but whoever was writing this movie was just taking those blood everlasting peaches from the stupid orchard while writing it. I MEAN IN THE FIRST TEN MINTUES OF IT, A MONKEY HATCHES FROM AN EGG, SHOOTS LASERS INTO HEAVEN, ANNOYS GOD, TRIES TO REPLACE ANOTHER MONKEYS CHILD, GETS TOLD HE IS A PEBBLE, SUMMONS A DEMON FROM A WATERFALL WHICH KIDNAPS A MONKEY.

[@StarShinerProductions]

After watching Lego Monkie Kid (which I absolutely LOVE), I was going to take a look at this movie out of curiosity, but unfortunately couldn't because I couldn't log onto Netflix. Now I feel like I've dodged a bullet XD

[@infiniteoctopaw]

As a huge all things jttw fan. I feel this is harsh. Its a sweet little film. Loved Wukong in this. Also, the book does have a mean spirited cartoonish tone. Its loud obnoxious and DEEPLY silly. Its a satire. Plus im a sucker for how soft and sweet the ending was. Even in the book Wukong has a heart in him that is desperate for redemption and praise and love. Monkie kid is another show that handles that part of Wukong super well. Idk. I thought it was cute and fun.

[@fohb7291]

Why are you getting mad at wukong being a selfish dick? That's his entire character in the book. You should know this. his arc doesn't conclude until after the actual journey to the west, and this movie obviously takes place BEFORE that

[@raisorblade]

You just admitted to not watching the video my guy...

[@Rose-Love-Cafe]

They skipped a lot of things, who gave him, his name! Who taught him, like, Sun Wukong had a teacher, before trying to destroy heaven! Plus, monkey king wanted to be seen as an equal to heaven, and by the end of it, wreaked havoc over heaven! That's when Buddha put a stop to it! Oh did I mention that's Sun wukong had friends!? And that when he first appeared from the rock, the other monkeys didn't really hate him, they saw him as another monkey! (At least from my memory!) To be honest, I don't understand why they put a little girl in, with Sun Wukong.... but I didn't think it was necessary. Like, there is a lot I don't mind about this movie, but the story isn't my favorite... I don't mind if Wukong starts out as an arrogant jerk! In the story, there were lots of characters, Sun wukong really cared about!! And pretty much lost all of then, when he got trapped under that mountain! If that isn't a little bit humbling, then like... what is!?

[@gasterthemaster6490]

I thought it was fine. It's, for me, in the same vein as movies like Astro Boy or Harry Potter 1, where they're cute and inoffensive, but also not even close to being great. It's got good animation, the fights are cool, many scenes are fun, but many feel generic and would be way worse if it weren’t for how good looking this movie is. It's very flawed, but is not that horrible. I give it a 6/10.

[@mistical404]

Just here to say that I would love it if you did a video or two on Lego Monkie Kid, it's got great animation, immense amounts of lore, amazing charcter arcs and season 3 and 4 had brilliant plot. I actually think that alongside The Owl House and Lego Ninjago, it may be my favourite TV show for "kids".

[@megabulbasaur1243]

I hate to be that guy but Sun Wukong was already an asshole he caused chaos in hell after being brought there, after being given the job as the horse manager he thru a fit ran back home and demanded to be called the Great sage equal to heaven, after being given the more important job of watching the peaches of immortality he ate them all, after learning he was not invited to a party he paralyze the 7 people shapeshifted into a guy who was invited and drank all the booze, then he ate a lot of pills of immortality and after he realized what he did he ran back to flower fruit mountain to escape the his punishment later on during the journey to the west after learning that the son of the a man who's place they were staying at was a bandit killed him and cut of his head to give to the old man even tho he said that he didn't want to loss his only son also prior to this he disrespected two guys he killed just because they couldn't go to any god to get revenge on because the majority of the gods are afraid of him or were not powerful enough to fight him besides the Buddha.

[@eeveestarburst4991]

Ok personally I did kind of enjoy the whole colourful and flashy aspect of this movie, I just think the whole thing is pretty good visually!! But the thing that did actually annoy me about it was how out of order it was😭 Obviously they wouldn't be able to fit the entire journey to the west into a single movie, at least while also doing it justice, but the 7 chapters of wukong's backstory shouldnt be that much of a challenge. But they ended up adding a lot of things that happened DURING the journey into this, like the white bone spirit + the other demons in that one sequence, red girl, the king of havoc, etc etc. I mean that's all kind of a nitpick ig, and they did need stuff to happen in the movie, but the monkey king's backstory is so interesting on its own. The movie just ended up feeling a bit jumbled to me cause of that. The stuff with Lin was cool though she's silly :3

[@wahoo8683]

This still Raya And The Magic Dragon and even Turning Red look like Puss In Boot: The Wish by comparison!

[@tyholland3101]

Monkey king was actually way worse than I expected it to be. Which is unfortunate cause I kinda had optimistic hopes for it.

[@silvertrees6421]

If you wanted watch a Monkey King adaption with good animation and GOOD characterization of Wukong, your go to would be Lego Monkie Kid as you said, specially when it comes to Wukong sharing screentime, since he’s not specifically the main character. However it’s still balanced and he’s still a good character, unlike this garbage. I can’t stress it enough, watch Lego Monkie Kid.

[@DCF-dc14f]

The Monkey king created by Dota and League of Legend is accepted in Mainland China not this one who based himself on Latin America origin

[@blueflare3848]

What is it even available on?

[@Jangobadass]

I get that Sukong was an arrogant a-hole before being imprisoned (even after Tripitaki frees him, he's still a jerk most of the time), but...DANG! The sad part is that it wouldn't taken much to make him more appealing. Like have him bond with Lin better, or do things in the name of oppressed monkeys everywhere. But nope, he's just a total egomaniac who becomes a REAL maniac. I especially don't get why they decided to make the Dragon King of all people the villain kzbin.infogaming/emoji/7ff574f2/emoji_u1f635_200d_1f4ab.png

[@benjaminmuratore9341]

While I haven't watched it, I'm sure the similar 2015 film, "Monkey King: Hero Is Back", is superior to this. At least we got a fun looking video game out of it. Also, I know this is unrelated, but do you plan on reviewing the new Tmnt movie at all?

[@usuallyangry]

Movies like this don't understand that writing jerkass characters is actually a _very_ delicate science. Unless you're doing a comedy where the jerkass consistently hangs himself by his own petard, or the world around him also sucks, nobody wants to watch a selfish and terrible person hurt everyone around him. Alternatively, realize where the line is and keep the jerk from crossing that line. Kuzco is a massive jackass but the worst thing he does is PLAN to rip down a village. If he actually went ahead and ruined all those homes, you wouldn't give a flying fuck whether or not he returned to the throne. The line was set and Kuzco was kept from crossing it. So it's satisfying to see him become for generous at the end.

[@soullessshoes...]

The lego version is better

[@blitzi.m.p5927]

Now that you mention it what's your thoughts on the other animated film's before this one? Monkey king: Hero is Back (2016) And The Monkey king: Reborn (2021)

[@joshuamercado6885]

Oh you know these movies

[@blitzi.m.p5927]

@@joshuamercado6885 yeah i do I even played the hero is back game on my plastation

[@sharkygames7021]

(haven't really read journey to the west so apologies if i get some things wrong) this movie isn't really my favorite when it comes to the stuff from Netflix, but i feel like the creators where trying to make sun wukong exactly how he is in the movie. from what I've seen in it, he basically gets no discipline, and then when he does (for example being hit by a bunch of coconuts) he takes it as a challenge cause he probably believes the way to get love and appreciation is to save others. yes it's a benefit for himself, but it's still pretty interesting to think about. i feel like the only thing that really did make me upset throughout the movie was the fact every one kept calling the staff a stick soo, ya-

[@lifeiscats1337]

Wagmu: “There are worse fates than death!” Me: “Yeah, like watching this movie.”

[@lupitaruiz7605]

The lego one is better.

[@josephnewsome2935]

0:43 how did so many good shows get cancelled while riverdale managed to get 7 seasons?

[@noobmasterruben5167]

Thats because CW shows can last longer and are just cheaper to make than Netflix shows.

[@Feral_Ratzzz]

What could’ve really helped this movie ( give it moments to breathe) but the most important is when Sun Wukong gets into a fight but is getting beaten and the villain is getting to him emotionally and barely escapes the fight have an emotional argument with Lin turns away, sits down, picks up a pebble and says quietly “ They were all right… I am just a small pebble in the universe” then throw the pebble in a river. THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE EMOTIONALLY IMPACTFUL AND RELATABLE!!!!

[@lifeiscats1337]

The movie was a dumpster fire but the final battle was prettttyy cool ngl. It’s just funny how he just fucking disposes of Dragon King, Wagmu, Yama, and the Jade Emperor. Wagmu, Yama, and Jade Emperor being all powerful immortals. 💀

[@guyytp]

About the song. I wouldn't call it sudden. Just that you literally forgot he was gonna do it. He mentioned that he was gonna sing before he took over the world earlier already but due to everything that happened we forgot 💀. So it isn't sudden, it was called earlier and came back to hit us

[@dexstewart862]

A fun old version of Monkey King is Alakazam the Great. Names are changed all over in the english dub but its really good. The Shaw Brothers movies are good, and i also liked Forbidden Kingdom alot.

[@GreatSageGoku]

I do like Alakazam the Great (dub), but most definitely with the original Saiyuki (sub). I believe I added both versions to my playlist to rewatch them both. Funny how they had the voice of Winnie the Pooh/Kaa as the narrator in the dub.

[@jeremyusreevu237]

The only reason I even heard of this movie was because Isaccarthy announced he was going to review it at the end of his Meg 2 review.

[@txwtw]

I’m surprised that the internet didn’t dunk on this movie when it came out.

[@homecruz7743]

This looks like a poor man's Kung Fu Panda

[@disneyfanlover905]

I blame Paws of Fury: Legend of Hank for that actually.

[@MarioAlbertoMatamorosMoraga]

Thank you for introducing me to 2 great shows anyway (TMNT Rise and Monkie Kid)

[@BlitzDemonGamer3032]

0:44 I'm still pissed at Netflix for canceling Inside Job and it was a really great show

[@gemmamunozperez5424]

¿¡what the fuck do you guys mean and why the fuck do you people say that about netflix!?

[@jasminkrieger8464]

Dark crystal age of resistance season 2 cancelled by netflix

[@jasminkrieger8464]

So well

[@gemmamunozperez5424]

@@jasminkrieger8464 ¿Yeah so?

[@gemmamunozperez5424]

@@jasminkrieger8464 ¿So?

[@Ay_Qin]

No one called Monkey King by his name, because he gets that name from Tripitaka. But the movie sucks anyway. 3:59 just 🤣

[@danielgudinojuarez6729]

Considering it was directed by Anthony Stacchi who directed Open season 1, I knew it was gonna be a disaster and it did. I'll give it this, the visuals and actions scenes are cool to watch but it belongs in a better movie. 😤😤😤

[@03mbc]

Honestly in my opinion the Dragon King was the best part of the flim

[@Nabnab_TheTwistedOne]

True

[@CosmicRin]

At least one good thing came out of this movie: I've been convinced to read Journey to the West.

[@Itariatan]

Godspeed and good luck.

[@shayleekirkman7730]

I actually loved the movie as a 21 year old lol. I write and draw animations and thought this was a very different movie (I had never heard of monkey king) but! I went back and watched all the ones before and I see y’all’s point of view and why y’all are upset. I still like the 2023 one, it’s actually in my top 5. I love primates and hope to work with them one day, so all of these monkey king movies are literally amazing! Kind of reminds me of planet of the apes a bit

[@prestonblancas2959]

6:21 it’s a magic fairy tale idk why u expecting some scientific explanation lol

[@Theagentofchaos-r5q]

I think he didn’t like it because they never explain it and is mostly pretty vague

[@optimascrime5235]

In terms of animated Netflix content, we were all just waiting for chicken run 2 😅

[@geardog24]

“I don’t care about the Dragon King and how he’s a lamer more g@y version of Jafar.” Well that’s just insulting Jafar isn’t it.

[@joshuamercado6885]

Well he is similar to all the sassy Disney movies

[@georgemiser]

If you want a classic adaption, find the English dub of the 70s show Monkey.

[@platinumpowerranger7941]

I mainly just saw it because I found out the voice for Kai from Lego Ninjago voiced Wukong in this film. But I do admit that I felt pretty annoyed when watching the movie.

[@usuallyangry]

I've seen anti gravity chambers that were less floaty than this movie's animation.

[@TheDataByteChannel]

Yeah, this movie was pretty much saying “just watch Dragon Ball or Monkie Kid, we ain’t trying to be good, we’re here to shut your kid up for an hour and a half”. Screw this stupid, stupid movie.

[@jasminkrieger8464]

Well its not stephen chow chinese odysee so you cant get a masterpiece

[@jasminkrieger8464]

We are judgemental since high hopes because its sun wu kong great sage equal to heaven and we already seen so much versions we compare we compare have high Standards

[@jasminkrieger8464]

My personal fav monkey king is dicky cheung defently monkey king 1996 and 1uest for the sutra ep after that stephen chow monkey king a legend

[@DryptosaurusDavid]

When I saw the article that confirmed season 7 of nine realms I was like “oh for god’s sake.” 😖😖😖😖 I’m actually starting to think that dragons the nine realms is gonna have nine seasons. Can that bad show be over now!

[@joshuamercado6885]

Don’t worry no show can’t beat any kind of bad show but velma

[@SlimThick-cv3td]

Im in college and my instructor and a graduate student worked on MK and they were treated like shit apparently didnt get credit bc the company got sold to a different one. the problem with the movie could be an internal one.

[@angelozenstories7080]

True Overly Sarcastic Production Journey to the west Story is way better then this And it only took 11 mins for Monkey King Origin Story and it was funny and interesting

[@serperiorandtheanimator9216]

I’m going to guess just by what you’re describing to me is that this movie probably went through production HELL. At least in the story writing department.

[@generalkenobi3601]

I have seen this movie and imo it was just kinda not that memorable, but not really what I would call bad Tho I am interested in what is your take on this movie

[@ogudemichael]

Ni Hao Kai Lan's portrayal of the MOnkey King is better than this movie.

[@Miksy51]

The mythology guy says this movie is good, this guy says it suck. Wich side should I be on!?! Jk, I'm with mythology guy

[@raisorblade]

With spelling like that, he can have you.

[@Miksy51]

@@raisorbladeEither you have a very nice sense of sarcasm, or I should edit this comment, so people don't become stroke casualties from reading my comment (in r/ihadastroke). Also another thing, your wisdom is appreciated, for thanks to you, I dodge bullets like "Four Realms". Thank you.

[@blueflare3848]

Just watch it for yourself and form your own opinion.

[@AncientWonder54]

The Webtoons that I’ve seen with him as well are at least like 5 leagues above this film. Not an insult to them, they’re great, but this is a movie! They had so much more potential with actual sounds and moving animation, but no, just like Raisorblade said, they screwed up just about everything.

[@pedroafonsopinheiro9874]

Which Webtoons are you talking about? Interested in giving it a look

[@AncientWonder54]

@@pedroafonsopinheiro9874 The advanced player of the tutorial tower & omniscient reader off of the top of my head.

[@lauravega9517]

Interesting fact Anthony stacci the co director of box trolls made the monkey king 2023

[@BrandonCroker]

Monkey madness is like a river flowing through you… I might be high….on banana beer.

[@warmachine9018]

Honestly the beginning was the only bad part about it but it was actually getting a little good but at the end was surprisingly better but a little weird as well idk why u don't like it but at least it's a good animated movie besides these other Netflix movies and actually inspired by a cool version of the monkey king

[@EmperorRadiationEmpire]

It is not super bad especially compared in todays entertainment industry standards. It had done a really job on following the original story of the Chinese folklore and the important characters involvement. All it had to do was to shorten or cut out the unnecessary scenes where it does not need to be explained or shown. For instance, the opening scene can be cut out or be used as a flash back scene. Or have a brief discussion by the characters so it can move on and focus more on the important parts of the story.

[@BlitzDemonGamer3032]

0:01 so DreamWorks Dragons the Nine Realms is coming back for Season 7 and I'm so excited to see what happens next (note my sarcasm) I Hate that show

[@jasminkrieger8464]

At least it aint teen titans go hmm thundercats roar or worse dingo pictures or animated Titanic movies

[@jasminkrieger8464]

I aswell dont like rescue riders

[@tylergamingshark8497]

I remember seeing Books of Bone. What was the Point of Canceling a Show for Bone and Replace It with One of, If Not THE Worst Movies on Netflix and I'm actually sad They cancelled an Animated Gorillaz Movie, It's One of my Favorite Bands growing up

[@joshuamercado6885]

Ok surprised the ceo of Netflix nat faxton fired yet

[@nykole1963]

Honestly, imo, the Monkey King's character portrayed on Jackie Chan Adventures is great. The whole show is such an underrated gem, and I hope you'll maybe talk about it one day.

[@sjmhadsock4586]

I would love to hear his opinions And yeah Jackie Chan adventures was my introduction to the monkey king

[@danielgudinojuarez6729]

Speaking of that show, James Sie who was Jackie has a voice role in the Monkey king as some elderly monkey in act 1. The voice cast deserved better material 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

[@blackstar044]

I like your outro, RaisorBlade.

[@jon2moniii]

I sense a HATERRRRRRRRRRRRR, YOU SHALL PAY FOR YOUR CRIMES AGAINST THE MONKEY KING YOU SINNER😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

[@jon2moniii]

Aside from the staff part, I don't understand why they kept calling it a stick😢

[@veronica3662]

He just spoke his opinion, saying that a film sucks isn't spreading hate, maybe you should stop screaming and crying your ass off over a KZbinr saying that a film is bad, and if anyone is a hater here it's you, my god, you even went as far as calling him a sinner for not liking a film, if you don't like it simply click off the video instead of spreading hate. (And maybe stop using emojis multiple times, it's cringe, mate.)

[@shilohmagic7173]

THEY CANCELED *BONE?*

[@carloseduardoleodorodemori3224]

AND FOR MARMADUKE OF ALL THINGS!

[@shilohmagic7173]

@@carloseduardoleodorodemori3224 YEAH, WHAT THE HECK?

[@HydragonofDeath]

Honestly pretty damn upsetting. I loved those graphic novels

[@sophiaromanamanuela]

I thought it was neat lol I liked it, yeah it was fast paced but I mean there's only so much story you can cramp into an hour and a half. They could've cut the musical scene and taken that time to put in some breathers- but I really liked it still lol. Maybe I just like monkeys a lot hahaha

[@aurorawizard7045]

I really want you to review Dragon Prince. The first three seasons are great, fourth is... pretty bad, and I haven't seen the fifth yet.

[@Howlabunga]

I guess the people behind the movie were just like "Hmmmm...Monke." and worked around it

[@BlitzDemonGamer3032]

I'm still pissed at Netflix for canceling Bone and gave us Marmaduke and that movie is DogShit

[@chilathecreativefox9098]

No pun intended.

[@Forsnoblown]

Nah I actually enjoyed this film and I hope they will make a sequel

[@BlitzDemonGamer3032]

12:41 at least Kid Cosmic is truly one of the more underrated shows on Netflix I'd wish there third season lasted longer

[@Frost_the_polarian_fox]

What do you mean it's surprisingly bad!? i found it funny!

[@zacharyroth3028]

Hey actually to any Sun wukong fans I would like to check out some adaptations of the character but I don’t know where to start can anyone help me?

[@genesismultiverse4896]

Really i liked it also it had a lot of pretty accurate scenes that were in the original myth Like the laser eyes and the territory on edge of universe aka hand of buddah

[@AnimationFanboy2k4]

Monkie Kid number one!

[@eeveestarburst4991]

MONKIE KID MENTIONED🔥🔥🔥🔥WHAT THE FUCK IS A BAD ADAPTATION