Movie guide for Spring Festival 2018
- By Zhang Rui
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E-mail China.org.cn, February 16, 2018
3. "The Monkey King 3"
"The Monkey King 3," directed by Cheang Pou-soi, with star-studded cast led by Aaron Kwok, Zhao Liying, Feng Shaofeng, Xiao Shenyang, Him Law, Lin Chi-ling, Gigi Leung, Pan Binlong and more, is the third installment of a film series based on the 16th-century Chinese fantasy classic, "Journey to the West."
In the film, Hong Kong megastar Aaron Kwok reprises his role of Monkey King while Feng Shaofeng again plays the monk. But the major attraction of the movie is actress Zhao Liying, starring as the ruler of an all-women nation.
"The Monkey King 3" is adapted by screen writer Wen Ning from a chapter in the original novel, depicting an exotic kingdom inhabited solely by women. The female ruler falls in love with the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) monk Xuanzang, who is on a mission from China to India with his three magical followers to collect Buddhist sutras.
Despite receiving mostly mixed and negative reviews, the previous two "Monkey King" episodes grossed more than 1 billion yuan (US$150 million) each at the box office during the prime Spring Festival season in 2014 and 2016.
As a tent-pole production, "The Monkey King 3" has a vast scope for production which lasted two years. A 1,000-strong cast and crew visited four provinces to shoot scenes while the production team has constructed massive outdoor sets covering 80,000 square meters as well as 11 indoor sets. Thousands of staff were also hired to work on post-production. The film's budget is reportedly 550 million yuan (US$87.34 million) and its creators have made full use of the fund to create a visual spectacle combining comedy, action and bittersweet romantic elements.
Out of all the rivals for the Spring Festival film season, "The Monkey King 3" is the only one which has treated a large audience and the media with an advanced screening on a giant screen, indicating the confidence of its producers. The audience and media critics' feedback after the screening is quite positive - clearly it is the best job that director Cheang Pou-soi has ever done.
"The Monkey King 3," due to its romantic theme, is the first running starter of the season as it will have a massive advanced screening on Valentine's Day.
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