The Hollywood Reporter called the film "an innovative take on a well-known work of classical Chinese mythology," while the Los Angeles Times found it even more praiseworthy -- "Residing just beneath all the visual razzle dazzle is a stirring message of empowerment."
When asked by Xinhua what she thought of the film's message that one can decide one's own fate, audience member, Joy Liu, replied, "Wow, that's a big question."
It's no wonder the film is so popular in China. The film serves as an anthem of self-determination for China's ambitious, young millennials determined to chart their own course in a culture still heavily bound by tradition and family and societal fealty.
"This is a good story for my parents to see, because they always told us we need to follow them..." said documentary filmmaker, Dora Wu.
"But, for our generation, we need to choose our own fate," she affirmed.
Asked if he thought the concept of choosing one's own fate was a modern idea, Zichen "Wolf" Tang, a cinematographer living in Glendale, responded, "It may sound like a modern idea, but some of the traditional legends about ancient Chinese heroes reflect similar ideas. But China is definitely changing," he acknowledged.
American Scott M., a psych major at University of Southern California (USC), told Xinhua, "It's a universal story. Kids anywhere in the world feel like they're misunderstood and want to lash out. The psychology behind it rings true and, besides that, it's a lot of fun."
Ne Zha sets the bar for China's rapidly-improving animation chops. Enlight's Chairman, Wang Changtian, said previously, "I believe the improvement in the quality of domestic flicks will give us a Chinese answer to Pixar."
