Ne Zha 2 (2025) has earned over 1.3 billion dollars in China alone, making it one of the world’s highest-grossing films. The franchise is inspired by Ne Zha, a protection deity and the Third Lotus Prince in Chinese Mythology.
Ne Zha (2019) introduces us to the gremlin that is Ne Zha. He’s a little scamp, but the judgment from those around him sends him on a downward spiral. Fortunately, by the end of the first film, he learns to accept himself and not let those around him put him in a box.
Ne Zha 2 picks up where the first film ended. At the end of Ne Zha and Ao Bing’s fight against heavenly lightning, the pair find themselves without bodies. As Taiyi Zhenren crafts the duo’s new bodies, Shen Gongbao colludes with Ao Guang and the imprisoned Four Dragon Kings to avenge the assumed dead Ao Bing. The Four Dragon Kings attack them, but the recently reborn Ao Bing defends Ne Zha’s still-forming body. After taking the attack, Ao Bing becomes a ghost again.
To prevent him from dying, Ne Zha allows Ao Bing to cohabit his body as they make their way to Master Wuliang and take part in his ascension challenges to obtain an elixir that will allow Taiyi to forge Ao Bing a new body. The journey soon becomes complicated, and the duo find themselves in the middle of chaos.
Perfect for the Entire Family
Great comedy, amazing action sequences, a good story, and beautiful animation makes Ne Zha 2 a great film for everyone in the family.
The comedy is a mix of slapstick, sarcasm, and some cringe. Jiaozi and his team have a gift for flowing between comedy and action during fight scenes. One moment Ne Zha could be in the middle of an intense fight, next thing I know he’s puking his guts out in a cauldron of soup before going back into the fight. The dialogue is full of sarcasm, especially from Taiyi who is a pleasure to see on screen.
When the action shifts from comedic to high-stakes, we get dramatic shots and intense action with music to match. There’s no time for jokes. Everything is on the line, and the way the fights are choreographed is almost like you’re watching gods fight amongst each other.
Great Story, But A Lot to Keep Up With
During Ne Zha and Ao Bing’s body-switching adventure, we’re introduced to a lot of new characters. Ne Zha 2 does a good job of introducing minor characters by listing their names when they pop up on the screen.
The first chunk of the film does throw a lot of information at viewers and becomes a little hard to grasp. Fortunately, this chunk is where a lot of the body-swapping comedy is at, so it’s entertaining. However, once you figure out the key players in the film it’s easy to see how everything connects to create this rich story.
Grief and Vengeance
A running theme in the film is how grief can blind people and cause bigger issues. Ao Guang, Ne Zha, and Shen Gongbao all deal with grief in different ways throughout the film. While Ao Guang and Shen Gongbao deal with their grief in different ways, Ne Zha’s grief is the most visceral. He’s kicking, screaming, crying, and throwing up throughout the film. This poor boy cannot catch a break as he has to deal with multiple losses while trying to save his friend. At the end of this adventure, he’s no longer the same Ne Zha from the beginning.
Ne Zha 2 will be available in 60 IMAX theaters across 30 North American cities for a limited time starting February 14, 2025.
