Movie Digest
In the city of Chang’an, there was a thick fog that spread during the Tang Dynasty. People started fleeing the region because of growing panic. However, Xiao Cheng stayed, guarding the weak prince and the other civilians waiting for the fog to disperse. Things didn’t go according to plan and the fog didn’t disperse, and all the people that walked into the mist never returned. The fog gradually disappeared, and the monster’s face was revealed.
The Feel-Good Part
The film is fast-paced, the monster’s face is revealed quite early on, wasting no time, and the action starts almost immediately. Since the run time of the movie is short, the pace makes sense. There’s an excellent atmospheric build-up at the beginning of the film that creates intrigue amongst viewers, which is a good way to keep them on the edge of their seats right from the start. The special effects are executed pretty well; the production team has optimized the use of whatever resources available to them. The production design is stunning; the elaborate attire of the Tang Dynasty does an excellent job of setting up the backdrop for the film to take place. Some of the characters in the film are quite interesting and are given time within the chaos to express their stories.
The Disappointing Factor
Since the monster reveals itself at the beginning of the film, there isn’t much curiosity for the audience to hold onto and much of a reason for them to stay till the end. There are some characters whose arcs are confusing as there wasn’t enough time to explain everything. This makes parts of the film distracting and lack cohesion. The end came off as lazy and unnecessary since it was open-ended. They could’ve resolved the conflict in a more straightforward and effective way. The ending does not work because there are confusing elements of the film that breaks the flow of the story. Instead of clearing all the uncertainty, it adds to the pile.
In-Depth Analysis
The movie is narratively pretty consistent, the characters develop over time, but more importantly, they learn to work together and use their respective strengths to overcome the situation thrown at them. This aspect of the film is almost as exciting as all the elaborate action sequences.
Star Power
The performances are more or less decent, there is chemistry between the characters, which drives the plot and makes the film enjoyable. Some of the performances may come across as over the top, but they don’t stand out too much amongst the chaos. Hence don’t prove to be too much of a problem.
Overall Opinion
Monster flicks are almost always fun to watch this, isn’t any different. The film may be a little confusing to watch, but once you stop taking it too seriously, it is competent enough to entertain you within a short time span.
