WARNING: Spoilers within.
Like many of Stephen Chow's movies, "A Chinese Odyssey" generates an even mix between humor, martial arts and Chinese-style special effects. Lightly based on a classic Chinese mythology, it centers around the "journey" that a powerful yet misguided monkey 'king' (Chow) is forced to choose between - a life of complex emotions or abandoning it all to accompany the Longevity Monk's (Kar-Ying Law) journey towards the West.
The movie is divided into two parts: the first serves as a background on "Joker's" life as a human bandit; the second highlights his struggle and unravels some interesting secrets that reveals a long forgotten past. Throughout his journey, Joker encounters magic spells and mythical creatures while finding a way to cram in Chow's trademark slapstick humour.
One element that sets "A Chinese Odyssey" apart from Chow's standard fare, though, is its willingness to showcase raw emotions. Although his satirical humor in widely appreciated, few of Chow's films are known to put aside screen time which depicts its characters as emotionally relatable to.
Thankfully, "A Chinese Odyssey" serves as something of an anti-Chow project. It allows its viewers to sympathise with Joker's ordeal. It's a step away from the accident-prone heroes who are there for the single purpose of enticing a few chuckles. Demonstrating his humanity throughout the film, Joker nonetheless manages to deliver without sacrificing the fanfare that made Chow a household name.
Too often we're offered films which veer towards one extreme. They're either focused entirely on comedy or riddled with so much cheese, they appear lame instead of the tear-jerker promised. Not so "A Chinese Odyssey." It delivers with consistency and therefore appeals to fans of different genres.
Like many of Stephen Chow's movies, "A Chinese Odyssey" generates an even mix between humor, martial arts and Chinese-style special effects. Lightly based on a classic Chinese mythology, it centers around the "journey" that a powerful yet misguided monkey 'king' (Chow) is forced to choose between - a life of complex emotions or abandoning it all to accompany the Longevity Monk's (Kar-Ying Law) journey towards the West.
The movie is divided into two parts: the first serves as a background on "Joker's" life as a human bandit; the second highlights his struggle and unravels some interesting secrets that reveals a long forgotten past. Throughout his journey, Joker encounters magic spells and mythical creatures while finding a way to cram in Chow's trademark slapstick humour.
One element that sets "A Chinese Odyssey" apart from Chow's standard fare, though, is its willingness to showcase raw emotions. Although his satirical humor in widely appreciated, few of Chow's films are known to put aside screen time which depicts its characters as emotionally relatable to.
Thankfully, "A Chinese Odyssey" serves as something of an anti-Chow project. It allows its viewers to sympathise with Joker's ordeal. It's a step away from the accident-prone heroes who are there for the single purpose of enticing a few chuckles. Demonstrating his humanity throughout the film, Joker nonetheless manages to deliver without sacrificing the fanfare that made Chow a household name.
Too often we're offered films which veer towards one extreme. They're either focused entirely on comedy or riddled with so much cheese, they appear lame instead of the tear-jerker promised. Not so "A Chinese Odyssey." It delivers with consistency and therefore appeals to fans of different genres.