As an American who is not aware of the story with which this is based on, I had to evaluate it strictly as a movie. It is a bit of a mixed bag, but overall, I'm positive about the film, as the good stuff is really good.
The not-so-good: The first 20 minutes with the opening set-up scene is not very funny and drags on. Also, for American sensibilities, it's a little shocking to see a five year old girl get killed and swallowed up by a giant fish in what is ostensibly supposed to be a comedy. I also thought the last 10-15 minutes or so, with the battle with the Monkey King was also not as exciting as I think it was supposed to be.
The very good: About 20-25 minutes in, when the scene shifts to the restaurant/inn, the film becomes very funny, and wacky. It's definitely got the "Stephen Chow" signature look and humor. Wen Zhang does a very good job in what I would call the "Stephen Chow" role that he probably would have taken himself had he been younger. Seeing Chow in the behind-the-scenes with gray hair is indeed a bit shocking. Finally, Shu Qi, in an intentionally over-the-top comedic role as a rival demon hunter is sweet and surprisingly very funny. As she has gotten older, she has begun to transition well to other roles where she has to perform, and not rely solely on her stunning beauty when she was younger.
Journey to the West isn't as good as Chow's Shaolin Soccer, but I thought it was better than his Kung Fu Hustle. That might be blasphemous, seeing how many Chinese awards Kung Fu Hustle received, but I just thought this one was funnier and easier to follow.
The not-so-good: The first 20 minutes with the opening set-up scene is not very funny and drags on. Also, for American sensibilities, it's a little shocking to see a five year old girl get killed and swallowed up by a giant fish in what is ostensibly supposed to be a comedy. I also thought the last 10-15 minutes or so, with the battle with the Monkey King was also not as exciting as I think it was supposed to be.
The very good: About 20-25 minutes in, when the scene shifts to the restaurant/inn, the film becomes very funny, and wacky. It's definitely got the "Stephen Chow" signature look and humor. Wen Zhang does a very good job in what I would call the "Stephen Chow" role that he probably would have taken himself had he been younger. Seeing Chow in the behind-the-scenes with gray hair is indeed a bit shocking. Finally, Shu Qi, in an intentionally over-the-top comedic role as a rival demon hunter is sweet and surprisingly very funny. As she has gotten older, she has begun to transition well to other roles where she has to perform, and not rely solely on her stunning beauty when she was younger.
Journey to the West isn't as good as Chow's Shaolin Soccer, but I thought it was better than his Kung Fu Hustle. That might be blasphemous, seeing how many Chinese awards Kung Fu Hustle received, but I just thought this one was funnier and easier to follow.