Back in 2021, New Gods: Nezha Reborn arrived from China. The CGI animated film, attempted to update the tales of the Chinese Gods. The film dealt with Erlang (W
Director Ji Zhao (White Snake, New Gods: Nezha Reborn) and writer Mu Chuan return with New Gods: Yang Jian, a martial arts fantasy that references Cowboy Bebop and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon while pitting folklore figures against each other in epic battles. In theaters now.
As wish-fulfillment power fantasies go, finding out you’re secretly a reincarnated god seems like a pretty satisfying one. In Netflix’s imported 2021 Chinese feature
New Gods: Nezha Reborn, that revelation comes with a lot of benefits: the ability to survive lethal wounds, the sudden emergence of kick-ass martial-arts powers, the respect and interest of the local power-players, and above all, the ability to rain down fire on any disrespectful enemies. For a street kid trying to find his place in an oppressive city run by a greedy crime gang, those all seem like game-changing benefits, an infinite upside in a world where few people have the strength to resist the dominant order.