Jiang Ziya (film)

Jiang Ziya (Chinese: 姜子牙; pinyin: Jiāng Zǐyá, sometimes spelt as Jiang Zi Ya)[3] is a 2020 Chinese computer-animated fantasy adventure film directed by Cheng Teng and Li Wei. Featuring the mythological and fictional version of the popular Chinese figure Jiang Ziya, the plot is loosely based on the novel Investiture of the Gods by Xu Zhonglin.[4] It is a follow-up to 2019's Ne Zha and the second installment of the Fengshen Cinematic Universe.[5][6]

Jiang Ziya
Theatrical release poster
Chinese姜子牙
Hanyu PinyinJiāng Zǐyá
Directed by
  • Cheng Teng
  • Li Wei
Screenplay byXie Xiying
Based onInvestiture of the Gods
by Xu Zhonglin
Produced by
  • Wang Jing
  • Gao Weihua
Starring
Music byRaymond Wong
Production
companies
Beijing Enlight Pictures
Coloroom Pictures
Zhongchuan Hedao
Cocoa beans Animation
Distributed byBeijing Enlight Pictures
Release date
  • October 1, 2020 (2020-10-01)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryChina
LanguageMandarin[1]
Box office$243.8 million[2]

The film was initially scheduled for release in China on 25 January 2020,[7] but following the COVID-19 pandemic all Chinese New Year releases were cancelled. The new release date was on 1 October 2020.[8] The film's official English title in China is Legend of Deification, and it is released as Jiang Ziya: Legend of Deification in the United Kingdom,[9] Australia, New Zealand,[10] and Singapore.[11]

Plot

After a Fox spirit causes the downfall of the Shang dynasty, A war is waged across the three realms. Eventually, the Fox spirit is captured. Jiang Ziya, a mortal who has gained renown via the war, is given the job of executing it. During the execution, the fox spirit shows Jiang Ziya that there is a young girl inside of her, and that going through with the execution would kill the girl as well. Jiang Ziya hesitates to continue the process but seemingly kills the fox spirit after it tries to escape. Unwilling to accept that the girl was supposedly an illusion created by the fox spirit, Jiang Ziya is stripped of his powers and banished to the North Sea until he can correct his mind.

Jiang spends ten years on earth despondent with his friend Shen Gongbao and his pet, Si Bu Xiang. Jiang encounters Xiao Jiu, an amnesiac young fox spirit who resembles the girl he saw during the fox spirit's execution. After a scuffle over a map, Jiang Ziya decides to accompany her to Youdu Mountain, where she believes her father is waiting for her, trailed by Shen Gongbao. During the journey, Jiang Ziya fights numerous dark demons- both evil fox spirits and the souls of the lost. At Youdu mountain, Xiao Jiu encounters the King of Zhou, who explains that she is tied to the original fox spirit and must be killed in order to fully defeat the former. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ziya attempts to kill her but inadvertently summons the fox spirit. She explains that the girl was Su Daji and was abandoned by her father to be given as a concubine.

Jiang Ziya along with Shen Gongbao manage to fight off the fox spirit together, at the cost of the death of Si Bu Xiang. Shen Gongbao decides to sacrifice some of his power to spirit Jiang to the heavens, so he may speak to the Master, Yuanshi Tianzun. The Master explains that Jiang Ziya wasn't denied Godhood because he didn't kill the fox clan leader but because he was willing to risk the fate of the world to save the girl. Jiang Ziya convinces the Master to let him guide the girl to reincarnation, which would kill the fox spirit.

Jiang Ziya takes Xiao Jiu to the Gate of Reincarnation, the fox spirit being held back by Shen Gongbao- however, the fox spirit manages to get past him and attack the gate. As the fox spirit regains her power, she explains to Jiang Ziya that originally, she had been promised Godhood but had instead been turned into a scapegoat to fight against to unite the three realms. Jiang Ziya attempts to save the girl, while the Master sends a guillotine to kill her. Jiang Ziya realises his true powers come from his self-confidence and not the will of heaven, and manages to seemingly save the girl, only for her to be killed by the guillotine. The Heavens applaud Jiang Ziya for killing the fox spirit and once again ask him to ascend to godhood. Realizing how corrupt heaven truly is, Jiang Ziya destroys the bridge between the human and heavenly realms, severing the hold between the two.

Years later, Shen Gongbao tells the story of Jiang Ziya to a disciple, framing him as a true hero above all others. A young girl and a dog, reincarnations of Xiao Jiu and Si Bu Xiang respectively, play together.

In a Mid-credits scene, three gods are posted to guard a heavenly prison. In another, Jiang Ziya has dinner with Nezha.

Cast

Production

Inspiration

The film tells the story of the mythological and fictional literary version of Jiang Ziya from the Investiture of the Gods, a gargantuan Ming-dynasty (1368–1644) shenmo novel that is traditionally attributed to Xu Zhonglin, and incorporates various existing myths into a wider narrative.[12] Jiang Ziya is traditionally depicted in Chinese fiction as a Taoist adept in Chinese folk religion and Taoism. In this film, Jiang Ziya is portrayed as a middle-aged man who insists on following his heart despite having a complex past.

Release

On 12 December 2019, the producers released their first trailer.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film's mainland Chinese release date was changed from 25 January 2020 to 1 October 2020.

The film was released on that date simultaneously in China,[1] the United States, Canada,[6] the United Kingdom,[9][3] Australia, New Zealand,[13] and Singapore.[11]

Reception

Box office

In China, pre-sale tickets totaled up to 90 million yuan (US$13.3 million).[14] In just eight hours since its release, the film has grossed a total of 297 million yuan (US$43.7 million). The film surpassed its predecessor, Ne Zha (144 million yuan, or US$21.2 million) to become the highest grossing animated film opening day in China (308 million yuan, US$45.4 million).[15] the film legged out fairly well, dropping to $303 million CNY on its second day, and $115 million CNY by its fifth, ending up with $1.037 billion CNY by the end of its first week. The film ended up with $1.6 billion CNY ($240 million USD), making it the second highest-grossing Chinese animated film ever, and the highest grossing animated film of 2020.

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 83% based on six reviews, with an average rating of 6.3/10.[16]

The film holds a 6.6 and an 8.3 out of 10 on aggregator sites Douban and Maoyan respectively.[17][18]

References
  1. "姜子牙 (豆瓣)" (in Simplified Chinese). Douban. 2020. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  2. "Jiang Ziya (2020) - Financial Information". Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  3. "Past, present and future releases to Past, Present and Future Releases | UK Recent and Upcoming Movie". Film Distributors' Association. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  4. "New Chinese animated film Legend of Deification to hit theaters in January". Xinhua News. Xinhua News Agency. 25 September 2019. Archived from the original on 27 September 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  5. 《姜子牙》春节档上映，封神宇宙诞生，网友这份电影名单令人期待 (in Simplified Chinese). Tencent QQ. 13 December 2019. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  6. "JIANG ZIYA (2020) – Official Movie Site – Coming in 2020". Well Go USA Entertainment. 2020. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  7. "Chinese mythology series Jiangziya relay Nezha at the beginning of the new year". jqknews. 25 September 2019. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  8. 苏姗, ed. (16 August 2020). 国漫力作《姜子牙》10月1日国庆上映. Xinhua News (in Chinese). Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 1 September 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  9. "姜子牙 Jiang Ziya | Chinalion Film 北美华狮电影 – Theatrical Release". Chinalion Film Distribution. 2020. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  10. "LEGEND OF DEIFICATION | ANZ FINAL TRAILER | 30 JAN". YouTube. 17 January 2020. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  11. "Jiang Ziya: Legend Of Deification (2020) Showtimes, Movie Tickets and Reviews". Popcorn. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  12. "New movie Legend of Deification to hit Chinese cinemas". MENAFN. 26 September 2019. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  13. "China Lion Film 澳洲华狮电影". China Lion Film Distribution. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020. In Cinemas OCT 01
  14. "《姜子牙》年冠稳了？首日票房将突破3亿，延续了《哪吒》的辉煌 – 娱乐资讯(存满娱乐网)". www.cunman.com. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  15. 旅行指路人 (1 October 2020). "上映8小时票房狂收2.97亿,《姜子牙》打破动画片纪录,片方赚翻". Sina Corp. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  16. "Jiang Ziya". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  17. "姜子牙". Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  18. "猫眼电影Pc端". Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
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