THE MONKEY KING: HAVOC IN HEAVEN’S PALACE (review)

Review by Frankie Thirteen

At the center of The Monkey King: Havoc in Heaven’s Palace is a performance by Donnie Yen as the title character that is so committed and lunatic that it defies belief.

The action superstar has been defined for decades by the contrast between his calm, subdued exterior and the violence he deals at a moment’s notice, so it’s a surprise to see him prancing and mugging as Sun Wukong, hidden under layers of makeup.  It’s a convincing performance, but so irritating at times that it’s hard to appreciate.

The movie around him follows the latter note.

It’s 100 minutes of puerile humor, bite-sized philosophy and CGI onslaught, though it feels longer.

Based on the first several chapters of the novel, the movie basically functions as Sun Wukong’s origin story, beginning with his birth following a protracted battle between the forces of gods and demons. It’s table setting that goes on for an unforgivably long time before the benevolent Jade Emperor (Chow Yun Fat) banishes the Bull Demon King (Aaron Kwok) to a hellish CGI landscape for all eternity. Wukong is born from the aftermath of that battle, and the Demon King quickly recognizes him as a pawn to be used to force his way to heaven and overthrow the gods.

Journey to the West is one of the most adapted works in Chinese culture, spawning numerous interpretations of Sun Wukong. The problem with the The Monkey King is that Yen’s version is a grating, juvenile take aimed mainly at children.

Sure, the story is largely followed, but there’s no depth or soul. Yen is one of the only two actors really trying here; the other is Peter Ho as Erlang Shen, a heavenly general who schemes for his own benefit. When Yen and Ho clash, the movie comes to life, albeit briefly. Everyone else seems to be there to stand against CGI backdrops and collect a check. (It’s especially dispiriting to consider that the wooden Kwok is set to play Wukong in the upcoming sequel.)

The CGI is the other problem.

Fans of modern day wuxia films have a certain amount of tolerance for dodgy computer graphics, but there is so much here that the movie becomes an interminable slog, especially in the bloated final action sequence. It isn’t just that the CGI terribly fake, but also that it’s not particularly polished, for instance, when the frame rates show noticeable slowdown.

Still, it’s Donnie Yen who provides the movie’s only source of actual life, and when his Wukong isn’t childishly shrill, he’s every bit as magnetic as he can be. It really is amazing to watch this martial arts icon transform himself entirely, and he provides the spark that makes this movie watchable. Little kids will probably find it an entertaining diversion, but older audiences–even Yen superfans–will likely find it exhausting.