At the same time, he never forgets to capture Sun Wukong's cheeky attitude that made him one of the best Sun Wukong characters ever seen in Chinese cinema.ġ. Instead of rehashing Yen's largely playful performance, Kwok's version of Sun Wukong is decidedly more human. Thankfully, his Sun Wukong role managed to offset whatever shortcomings he had in the first movie. That performance, of course, was sadly underwritten.
#NIMBLE MONKEY KING MOVIE#
Ironically, Kwok has previously appeared in the first movie as the antagonist named Bull Demon King. While Donnie Yen chose not to return for the second time around, Aaron Kwok proved to be a worthy replacement as Sun Wukong in "The Monkey King 2". But two years later, Soi Cheang's follow-up is significantly improved over the erratic 2014 original. Lin Gengxin in "Journey To The West: The Demons Strike Back" (2017)Īaron Kwok plays a more mature Sun Wukong in "The Monkey King 2" (2016).ĭespite Donnie Yen's praiseworthy performance as Sun Wukong in "The Monkey King", Soi Cheang's first instalment of the "Journey to the West" saga was largely met with mixed results due to the haphazard plot, thinly-drawn supporting characters and average-looking CGI. Collin Chou sounds familiar, that is because they fought each other before in 1994's "The Bodyguard From Beijing".Ĥ. Although the highlight goes to Jackie Chan's Lu Yan and Jet Li's Silent Monk during their first encounter in the temple, it's also nice to see Jet Li's The Monkey King pitted against Collin Chou's Jade Warlord. Then, there's Jet Li, whose dual performances as Silent Monk and The Monkey King managed to display his usual playful charm and still-nimble martial arts showcase.
![nimble monkey king nimble monkey king](https://cdn.dribbble.com/users/1967053/screenshots/5663514/___3_3x___4x.png)
While the "Journey to the West"-inspired storyline is sadly reduced to a dumbed-down Americanised version, Yuen Woo-Ping's action choreography is a lifesaver here. Still, this Hollywood-China kung fu fantasy remains notable as the first action movie featuring two Chinese martial art legends sharing the same screen.
![nimble monkey king nimble monkey king](https://pm1.narvii.com/7361/db84988dcfbfa0e3609dbd44b7691a998070079ar1-2048-996v2_hq.jpg)
The Monkey King in "The Forbidden Kingdom" (2008).īy the time "The Forbidden Kingdom" arrived in 2008, both Jackie Chan and Jet Li have already passed their prime. One of Jet Li's dual roles as Sun Wukong a.k.a.