Jue ji (2016)

An orphan becomes the disciple of a powerful sorcerer and is drawn into a larger conflict among the world's magical elite.

Director:

Jingming Guo

Writer:

Jingming Guo

Stars:

Bingbing Fan, Kris Wu, Cheney Chen

Cast

Credited cast:
Bingbing Fan	...	Guishan Lian Quan [Disciple to the Fifth Degree] (as Fan Bingbing)
Kris Wu	...	Yin Chen [Lord to the Seventh Degree]
Cheney Chen	...	Qi Ling [Disciple to the Seventh Degree / Lord to the Zeroth Degree]
William Wai-Ting Chan	...	You Ming [Lord to the Second Degree] (as William Chan)
Amber Kuo	...	Thalia [Lord to the Fourth Degree] (as Kuo Tsai Chieh)
Yun Lin	...	Tianshu You Hua [Disciple to the Sixth Degree] (as Jelly Lin)
Mi Yang	...	Shen Yin [Disciple to the Second Degree]
Roy Wang	...	Cang Bai Shao Nian
Yikuan Yan	...	Guishan Feng Hun [ Lord to the Fifth Degree] (as Kevin Yan)
Duo Wang	...	Qi La [Lord to the Third Degree] (as Tony)
Jingming Guo
Aarif Rahman	...	Ni Hong [Disciple to the Fourth Degree]
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alex Fong	...	Gilgamesh
Zhifei Wang
Emma Wu	...	Pale Girl

Storyline

An orphan becomes the disciple of a powerful sorcerer and is drawn into a larger conflict among the world's magical elite.

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Genres:

Animation | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Weibo

Country:

China Cambodia

Language:

Mandarin Khmer

Release Date:

30 September 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Critical

Company Credits

Production Co:

Le Vision Pictures, Shanghai Zui, Original Force

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

Zhi Dao Shi Jie Zhi You
Written by Ronald Ng
Performed by Alex Fong and TFBOYS

User Reviews

Far too rushed, but not bad

This could have made for a decent 45 episode drama, but in just two hours there are too many characters and concepts, too much world-building, for anyone's head not to spin. I have no trouble keeping the dozens of characters in lengthy dramas straight, but the dizzying speed of this movie was beyond my abilities to maintain.

If it were a TV series I'd probably be whining instead that the graphics are terrible. As it is, by turning the entire film into CGI they managed to make the monsters look natural to their environment, a decision for which the filmmakers do deserve credit. The scenes that ought to have captured the viewer's attention and imagination the most would have looked quite corny, no doubt, were this a live-action film, so I am willing to tolerate the animation. It does work quite well in this regard.

The film ends with two random characters whose role I only faintly understood discussing what just happened. This oughtn't have been necessary. The viewer ought to have known more or less what was going on as it happened, but at least we do discover the plot before the credits roll.

Probably one thing that most American viewers found refreshing is that this does not feel Chinese in the slightest. The architecture, the mannerisms, even the eyelids, seem rather European. I was expecting a more Oriental experience, something more like Fights Break Sphere or Tribes and Empires or Ever Night, but instead it seemed almost like I was watching a Disney movie.

In the end, the most redeeming quality of this film is that it is entertaining. There are far, far too few fantasy films being made to begin with, much less really good ones. This, while not particularly amazing like Lord of the Rings, is good and at least an entertaining option for the would-be fantasy viewer who is otherwise distraught by lack of choices.