Journey: To The West: Conquering The Demons Movie

The best example is the Pig Demon (originally Zhu Bajie). Before he was a lecherous pig-man comic relief, he was a betrayed husband who murdered his cheating wife and her lover. His rage is so pure that his demon form is unstoppable. When Xuanzang tries his "singing" routine, the Pig Demon doesn't pause—he charges, nearly killing our hero.

When you hear the words “Journey to the West,” most Western audiences picture the bright, acrobatic spectacle of the 1996 TV series or the goofy, martial arts-fueled chaos of The Forbidden Kingdom . But Stephen Chow—the Hong Kong maestro of Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle —has never been interested in a straightforward adaptation.

This isn't just a comedy about a bumbling monk. It’s a thesis statement on how to save the world: you have to be willing to break your own heart. Forget the serene, slightly effeminate Tripitaka of popular lore. Here, the monk is known as Xuanzang (Wen Zhang), and he is a disaster. He is an idealistic, penniless “demon hunter” with zero combat skills. His only weapons are a battered copy of The 300 Tang Poems and an unshakable belief in the "goodness" inside demons. journey to the west: conquering the demons movie

And then the film goes nuclear.

Only then—after losing her—does Xuanzang achieve enlightenment. He transcends his human pain. He picks up the Lotus Sutra and, with a single palm strike, defeats the Monkey King. The best example is the Pig Demon (originally Zhu Bajie)

Duan replies: "Then the grain of love in your heart right now... is it for me?"

9/10 Watch if you like: Kung Fu Hustle , Pan’s Labyrinth , Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Best scene: The Monkey King’s breakout / Duan’s death Have you seen Conquering the Demons ? Did the tonal whiplash work for you, or did it feel like two different movies stitched together? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. When Xuanzang tries his "singing" routine, the Pig

The moment the lotus flower breaks, the child morphs. The cute monkey explodes into a full-sized, armor-clad, crimson-eyed fiend (played by Huang Bo in a ferocious performance). The "cute monkey" was an act. A centuries-old manipulation.