The Monkey King | Review by: Stefano Bove

 

The self-proclaimed Monkey King is on a personal mission to be a god and rid the world of all Demons but the biggest demon he must overcome, is his own ego. While hunting a demon, he befriends a little girl named Lin who joins him on his quest for power after The Monkey King saves her town from destruction. 

The Monkey King has to be one of the fastest paced films I have ever watched. I understand people's attention spans are very short but I felt completely overwhelmed to try and keep up at the start of the film. Things do slow down towards the second half and that's really when the film starts finding its way. Once we are introduced to the characters, the lore, and the gods, the film slows down and develops its characters.

One other area the film does succeed is with its voice cast, especially with its two leads played by Jimmy Yang and Jolie Hoang- Rappaport. Both actors bring an incredible energy to their roles with great chemistry as The Monkey King and Lin. 

The Monkey King is not a likeable character but grows on you; similar to Pinocchio, he is born with an ego that is beyond his human forms comprehension. He sometimes causes more harm than good for his own personal gain and must learn how to handle his god like powers without creating more chaos to the people around him. Lin and The Monkey King are both in this for personal gain and as their bond grows, they struggle with the decisions to help themselves or each other. The Monkey King starts off a bit chaotic but ends on a high note with its character struggling to put aside his ego, trust in others and work together for a greater cause. 

The Monkey King is now playing in theatres and 

Available on Netflix August 18th.

3/5

Review by: Stefano Bove

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