Wu Cheng En Archives

The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven (1965)

Rating: ★★★½

Oct 25, 2012Chinese Animation/Journey to the West Adaptation

3D restoration of a classic Chinese animated adaptation of Journey to the West, filled with psychedelically eye-popping animation and amazing action scenes

Director: Wan Laiming

Category: Fantasy

25 October 201230 September 2026 by Roog

The Monkey King (2001)

Rating: ★½

Dec 22, 2005Epic Chinese Legend

A tv mini-series adaptation of the Chinese legend Journey to the West made Hallmark Entertainment. The story remains stolidly earthbound and the meta-fictional contortions added are bizarre

Director: Peter MacDonald

Actors: Thomas Gibson, Bai Ling, Russell Wong, Eddie Marsan, …

Category: Fantasy

22 December 200530 September 2026 by Roog

The Monkey King (2014)

Rating: ★★½

Sep 8, 2014Epic Chinese Legend

Enjoyably colourful retelling of the classic Chinese legend. This leaps aboard the CGI and 3D bandwagon to create a fantastical airbrushed world that resembles a flying swordsman film by way of Avatar

Director: Soi Cheang

Actors: Donnie Yen, Chow Yun Fat, Aaron Kwok, Peter Ho, Xia Zitong, …

Category: Fantasy

8 September 201430 September 2026 by Roog

The Monkey King 2 (2016)

Rating: ★★★

Aug 5, 2016Epic Chinese Legend

Sequel to The Monkey King and an altogether better film. The first film was prelude, this sets out on the journey to the west. Directed with an immensely assured command of the live-action and CGi elements

Director: Soi Cheang

Actors: Aaron Kwok, Gong Li, William Feng, Xiao Shen Yang, Him Law, …

Category: Fantasy

5 August 201630 September 2026 by Roog