Movie Digest
In this realm, demons and humans coexist, and in classic fantasy fashion, our protagonist Qing Ming is half-human and half-demon. He journeys to the Imperial City, but along the way, he meets hot-headed guardian Bo Ya, who despises demons but takes an interest in Qing Ming. A murder inside the palace pushes them to work together to find the murderer and defeat the wicked snake before it’s too late.
The Feel-Good Part
This film is a true aesthetic delight because of a good eye for color and some excellent special effects.
The Disappointing Factor
The portrayal of dramatic moments is not adequate, resulting in misplaced and fairly lengthy melodrama for the most part, which the film could do without the majority of their long duration.
In-Depth Analysis
This film is adapted from the novel Onmyoji by Baku Yumemakura. The film used the basic idea of the Chinese fantasy epic. The master-student connection at its heart forms the essence of the film’s message, which promotes friendship, real love, protection, and sacrifice as vital qualities. The story isn’t very memorable, but the unique setting, intriguing imagery, and a couple of original fantasy themes are enough to make up for any storyline flaws. The delicious blend of murder mystery and blatant fantasy epic works very well. While it does seem like falling apart at the seams on a few occasions, there’s enough bombastic action and recognizable story elements to keep this one humming along till the finish. The action scenes are where this one shines, and the eclectic blend of magic and hand-to-hand combat keeps things feeling fresh and consistently entertaining. It also helps that the battle choreography is similarly outstanding.
Star Power
Mark Chao (Qing Ming) has a sophisticated and charming character. While Allen Deng (Bo Ya) portrays a minimalist value with a stern demeanor, they make a great pair.
Overall Opinion
The film can be a little dragging as you watch, but it has a lot of captivating fun visuals. It is a good one-time watch movie.
