Inspired by the beloved Chinese novel Journey to the West, this tells the origin of a powerful monkey born from a magical rock. Upon birth, he shoots light beams from his eyes into the palace of the Jade Emperor, lord of the immortals, who orders him eliminated. However, Buddha tells the emperor the monkey has an important destiny and should be allowed to find his way.
The wild monkey longs for the love of a mother and the acceptance of the monkey tribe. However, his attempts to belong backfire and he is shunned by the group. He learns to live alone and trains himself in martial arts. To help defend his tribe from demons, he searches for a weapon and finds a magic stick that has been waiting for a powerful rebel to use it. The monkey and weapon bond and become a powerful team. After getting rid of a demon that has been plaguing the monkey tribe, he is crowned the monkey king. He sets off on a mission to become immortal. Along the way, he meets a plucky and smart girl named Lin who joins his adventure.
This is highly entertaining and also somewhat informative for those not familiar with Chinese tales about immortals and demons. I, for one, didn't know that Buddha is considered higher in power and status than the immortal lord.
I normally get bored with movies/dramas that have a lot of action scenes, but this has other elements like defending weak mortals from demons and quest for immortality that held my interest. There is also something endearing about a powerful outsider who not only does not bear a grudge against those who shun him but even fights for them. This noble trait somehow makes his egocentricity bearable, though one can't help wondering whether he would gain humility thus become a real hero in every sense of the word. And that is a character development worth waiting for.
The wild monkey longs for the love of a mother and the acceptance of the monkey tribe. However, his attempts to belong backfire and he is shunned by the group. He learns to live alone and trains himself in martial arts. To help defend his tribe from demons, he searches for a weapon and finds a magic stick that has been waiting for a powerful rebel to use it. The monkey and weapon bond and become a powerful team. After getting rid of a demon that has been plaguing the monkey tribe, he is crowned the monkey king. He sets off on a mission to become immortal. Along the way, he meets a plucky and smart girl named Lin who joins his adventure.
This is highly entertaining and also somewhat informative for those not familiar with Chinese tales about immortals and demons. I, for one, didn't know that Buddha is considered higher in power and status than the immortal lord.
I normally get bored with movies/dramas that have a lot of action scenes, but this has other elements like defending weak mortals from demons and quest for immortality that held my interest. There is also something endearing about a powerful outsider who not only does not bear a grudge against those who shun him but even fights for them. This noble trait somehow makes his egocentricity bearable, though one can't help wondering whether he would gain humility thus become a real hero in every sense of the word. And that is a character development worth waiting for.