In the Chinese martial arts/fantasy opus Monkey War: New Pilgrims to the West - a sequel to the original Monkey War - the brave Monkey King launches out on a quest to build a new life for himself. But as he marches westward, he encounters a series of nearly insurmountable foes (including a pig demon and a horde of angry demonic spirits who attempt to eat his monastic tutor) and trials that he must overcome to reach a state of tranquility. (Rotten Tomatoes)
Practical Effects
Demon costumes that look like rejected Sesame Street nightmares
Stunts
Wire-fu so ambitious it probably injured twelve people
Direction
Two directors somehow making one coherent fever dream
Director
Chen Chun-Liang
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This is actually a Taiwanese-Korean co-production, explaining the slightly disorienting cultural mashup of demon designs.
The 'New Pilgrims' subtitle was added to distance it from the 1960s Shaw Brothers adaptation, though fans still debate canonical continuity. The Monkey King's specific quest for personal peace rather than scripture retrieval is a notable departure from traditional Journey to the West retellings.
TW
KR
