Ne Zha

“So what if I was a demon?” — Ne Zha

First impressions define how people perceive you.

It is a universal rule to always leave the best first impression. No matter who you are, a person’s first impression defines how others will perceive you in the future. Even if you are the worst person in the world, as long as you seem nice and kind from the start, people will always remember that first moment of seeing you. Conversely, if you look like a fugitive on the run, people will naturally perceive you differently.

Ne Zha’s story illustrates how prejudice against a child hurts their mental state, leading to deep loneliness and depression.

Theme

I thought the story’s theme and message were extremely well done. This is a topic that everyone should be made aware of. Just because somebody may look rough or fit the clichés of a fugitive lookalike, it does not mean they are inherently bad. They may yearn to be accepted and loved by the people around them.

It is this prejudice against people with a certain appearance that drives them to become the very people they are perceived as in the first place. Those people are angry because they fear. Their fear becomes a reality when their longing for acceptance turns into anger and resentment.

Ne Zha’s Prejudice

Ne Zha is just a kid who wants to play with his friends and feel happy. He wants to do things that kids typically do, but nobody will ever do them with him. Behind that mischievous and naughty exterior is a little boy whose heart gets crushed every time the world turns away from him.

Even when his mother had the time to play with him, it was only in those brief moments that he felt happy. When she left, the feelings of emptiness and resentment struck again. He constantly has to find ways to distract himself so he doesn’t feel that way.

Only with Ao Bing’s arrival did he experience what friendship and normal human bonding feel like. There is finally someone who matches his strength and understands what he feels. Both are isolated and trapped in loneliness and prejudice, but now they can bond through their trauma and pain. That is why their connection feels so heartwarming. Friends forever without prejudice.

Climatic Resolution

All of that leads to a climax that breaks our hearts. Ne Zha’s whole world is turned upside down when he discovers that his entire life has been a lie. With that revelation, his emotions erupt into mindless anger, leading to a violent spree.

His best friend, Ao Bing, may have stopped him, but his world is forever changed. It is not until he learns of what his father sacrificed that he regains his morality and becomes the man his parents longed for.

Ao Bing faces the worst prejudice imaginable, leaving him with no choice but to betray his morals. What makes this even more heartbreaking is how painful it is for him to make this choice. He is such a kind and good person who ends up committing a massacre.

By the end, it is heartwarming to see how these characters learn their lessons. It delivers the important message of choosing our own destiny, regardless of what others may say. It is their own decisions that save the village. Choices that we must make for ourselves in life.

Flaw

The message and character development were great, but several aspects held this film back from reaching its full potential.

In terms of animation, it appears cheap and generic. It has the visual appeal of every other Chinese animated film. There was nothing innovative or interesting to look at.

The humor is overwhelming; there are numerous jokes, and sometimes it may be too much. I know Chinese movies tend to be either too serious or overly humorous. In this film, it veered into excessively humorous territory.

Side Characters

The other characters besides Ne Zha and Ao Bing could have been more developed.

Ne Zha’s parents were good enough for me to care about them. His master was a blubbering oaf who I found somewhat irritating. The villain could have been better. I like how he manipulates and deceives others to achieve his goals, but sometimes the film fails to treat him as the menacing force he should be. Some characters are introduced but are never utilized or developed in any meaningful way.

The world has potential, but we didn’t explore it beyond this village. It could have been interesting, but I suppose that is for a sequel.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ne Zha can be a fun and entertaining film with important lessons to learn along the way, but its budget constraints cause the film to feel cheap, and the story could have been improved in many ways. The sequel is a significant improvement, and I believe everything this film wanted to achieve was done right in that follow-up instead.

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Ne Zha is now streaming on IQYI