Having watched a number of big budget movies from China on Netflix, I have noticed a common problem with a significant portion of them that probably explains why these movies haven't really caught on. "Legend of the Naga Pearls" has another example of this ultimately fatal problem. Yes, there are some good things to say about the movie despite having this big problem. Visually, the movie look gorgeous, with good cinematography, good sets and costumes, and some good special effects. The cast is charming and game. There is some exciting action. And the world that this movie is set in really feels like a new world and not derived from other previous fantasy movies.
So what's the problem? Well, to put it bluntly, the movie makes little sense. Although I got a little idea of what was going on, most of the time the movie moves from scene to scene without answering for the most part some really big questions that keep coming up. For example, how did the hero manage to get the three dragons before the climatic sequence? I don't think the incoherent story is due to translation problems, nor do I think you have to know Chinese history or culture to understand the story. The story simply doesn't go into enough detail about the characters and the various plot threads. As a result, you can't get involved with what happens.
This is not the worst Chinese blockbuster I have seen, and I admit it is better than some American blockbusters. But I would say skip it, even if you have interest in Chinese cinema.
So what's the problem? Well, to put it bluntly, the movie makes little sense. Although I got a little idea of what was going on, most of the time the movie moves from scene to scene without answering for the most part some really big questions that keep coming up. For example, how did the hero manage to get the three dragons before the climatic sequence? I don't think the incoherent story is due to translation problems, nor do I think you have to know Chinese history or culture to understand the story. The story simply doesn't go into enough detail about the characters and the various plot threads. As a result, you can't get involved with what happens.
This is not the worst Chinese blockbuster I have seen, and I admit it is better than some American blockbusters. But I would say skip it, even if you have interest in Chinese cinema.