- Director : Frant Gwo
- Actors : Andy Lau, Wu Jing, Li Xuejian, Ning Li, Wang Zhi
- Dubbed: : English
- Language : English (DTS 5.1)
- Studio : Well Go Usa
- MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated)
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
- Media Format : Widescreen, Subtitled
- Run time : 2 hours and 53 minutes
- Release date : December 19, 2023
When the epic Chinese blockbuster The Wandering
Earth was released in 2019, it felt like a response to mindless Hollywood
disaster films like Armageddon or Moonfall, complete with an
emphasis on visual effects and goofy comedic relief. While the storyline seemed
primed for a sequel, The Wandering Earth II made the questionable
decision to focus on the events before the first film, making it a prequel
despite the confusion of the title.
Given the fact that this means the
audience has an awareness of where the story is headed, I mistakenly assumed
this would water down much of the film’s tension. Along with ambitiously increasing
the scale of filmmaking for the follow-up film, The Wandering Earth II
also grounds the narrative with slightly more realistic action and emotional storylines
which invest in the characters as much as the improved visuals. It is no
surprise that The Wandering Earth II was China’s official submission for
the 'Best International Feature Film' category of the 96th Academy Awards, even
though it has about as much chance getting a nomination as Moonfall.
Despite being filmed during the
pandemic, director and co-screenwriter Frant Gwo managed to expand the
narrative of The Wandering Earth II to include more of an international
presence. While the first film primarily focuses on the Chinese characters,
this one includes characters from multiple countries as the world prepares for
inevitable disaster as the sun begins to expand and threatens to destroy the
Earth. The United Nations has been renamed the United Earth Government (UEG)
and they are preparing to put a plan called the Moving Mountain Project into
action, essentially creating a way to move the planet into a new solar system.
Along with multiple obstacles getting
in the way of achieving this goal, there are also protestors who believe artificial
intelligence is the way to ensure humanity’s survival. While experts on Earth
search for ways to move the planet, others make efforts to separate the moon
from orbit, and obstacles in each of these missions lead to multiple potentially
disastrous situations which must be problem-solved. This also provides a greater
diversity of spectacle than the first film, with action sequences against both
terrorists and time as time runs out for humanity.
There are also obvious efforts to
insert the melodrama utilized in the first film, even showing us the decision that
separated the father and son at the center of the first film’s storyline (with Wu
Jing reprising his role as a younger Liu Peiqiang). At the same time, Andy Lau is
added to the cast as a computer scientist named Tu Hengyu who is struggling
with the grief of losing his wife and daughter while working on the project to
save Earth.
The Wandering Earth II is far from a perfect film, but it is
a vast improvement on the first installment in the franchise, building
anticipation for the third film set to be released by 2027. Those who enjoy
disaster epics are unlikely to find any as ambitious as this, even coming from
Hollywood. Even those who are indifferent to the sub-genre will likely find
something to enjoy in this highly watchable Chinese blockbuster, which was the eighth
most profitable film of 2023.
Although the ideal way to watch the
films in The Wandering Earth franchise is on the biggest screen
possible, those who missed it in theaters should not hesitate to seek the film
out on Blu-ray. Unfortunately, other than the high-definition presentation of
the film, there is nothing extra contained on the disc beyond a trailer and
optional English-language dubbing.
Entertainment Value:
8/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7.5/10
Historical
Significance: 7/10
Special Features: 1.5/10
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