CREATION OF THE GODS II: DEMON FORCE Review: Wuershan’s Propulsive Franchise Continuation
Creation Of The Gods 2: Demon Force is now playing in select theaters and IMAX from Well Go USA
I’m strongly considering reviewing Wuershan’s Creation Of The Gods: Kingdom Of Storms. It’s the first installment of a major studio trilogy, and it certainly feels like a necessary adaptation for today’s audience of moviegoers. For this, the film’s evident sequel, Creation Of The Gods 2: Demon Force, is now playing in theaters from Well Go USA, host to a mix of returning characters along with new additions chronicling the epic saga of a royal family caught in a whirlwind of militarized might and celestial upheaval.
Following the events of the first film, Ji Fa (Yu Shi) is on a mission to stop the Shang army, led by King Yin Shou (Kris Phillips), who is still pursuant of the Fengshen Bang scroll, and still very much bewitched by the Fox Demon possessing the body of concubine, Su Daji (Narana Erdyneeva). With his eyes now focused on conquering the state of Xiqi, Yin Shou, currently joined by sorceror Shang Gongbao (Xia Yu), enlists the help of his three-eyed Grand Perceptor, Wen Zhong (Wu Hsing-kuo), legendary warrioress, Deng Chanyu (Nashi), and the giant four Mo brothers to get the job done.
Meanwhile, things begin unfolding following the reincarnation of Yin Jiao (Luke Chen), the late Crown Prince who is killed in the first film. Prophesized for greatness by the monk Jiang Ziya (Huang Bo) as the protector of mankind, Yin Jiao is mired in loss and a need for vengeance, an aspect that could prove to be the undoing of Jiang Ziya’s predictions. With Yin Shou and Wen Zhong closing in Xiqi however, Yin Jiao must rediscover his newfound purpose, as Ji Fa prepares for an all-out attack on the vulnerable citizens of Xiqi by an relentless army at Wen Zhong’s command.
Big scale visuals and set pieces are on the menu for Creation Of The Gods 2: Demon Force, diving deeper into the tall tale inspired in Xu Zhonglin’s ancient literary tales. Explosive battles between warriors, creatures, and giants are big cherries-on-top spotlighting the goods of Wuershan’s follow-up.
Some of the biggest highlights I enjoyed were the burgeoning connections between Ji Fa and Deng Chanyu, initially battling each other as warring opponents before ultimately warming up to one another in a mild twist of sorts. Deng is also a sight to see when it battle, whether it’s on foot or horseback, with a sword or just her own limbs. She can also whip out and manipulate an orb that can immobilize her opponents on command. Wen Zhong’s entry into the arena shows us an antagonist who, by his own design, goes from non-combatant to supreme villain as a character who can be just as perfidious to his own mannerisms at the right price.
Ci Sha and Wu Yafan return respectively in the roles of Jiang Ziya’s immortal disciples from Mount Kunlun, Yang Jian, and the rambunctious but noble Ne Zha; It strikes me that in light of Yu Yang’s animated take on the later, young actor Wu would be a prime pick to play the role in a live adaptation in which he breathes absolute life into the character. I love his energy and I can’t wait to see more of him in the next installment, and the same goes for Han Swanson who reprises his role as Li Zhenzi, the winged green demon nutured on Mount Kunlun who befriends the people of Xiqi.
The movie sets up a lot of placeholders for what’s to come in the third film both before and even after the credits. A caption alerts the audience from the start of the end credit roll to stick around for a trio of post-credit scenes that allude to the next installment. If you’re a completist in for the long haul, then you’re gonna wanna stick around for these moments, as crucial as they are to several of the characters we already know. Case in point: Jiang Ziya’s prophecy as noted by the gods of Mount Kunlun from the start of the film, and the mild foreshadowing later on in a scene after Ji Fa and Yin Jiao are reunited. If you thought the stakes were high in the first film, know that they only get higher in Creation Of The Gods 2: Demon Force.
Come to think of it, I may just revisit the first film to give it a mention on my Instagram page in case I can’t do a traditional review on this site. At any rate, Chinese New Year cinephiles are in good company with a Lord Of The Rings-sized franchise like what Wuershan is accomplishing these days. Creation Of The Gods 2: Demon Force has stunning visuals and storytelling ambition to match, with action sequences that satisfy as well as one might as expect. Bring the family to the cinemas, or bring this one home on disc when the time comes!
