Some people are just built different. The same can be said for certain monkeys. Magical monkeys. Living in 600 A.D. But, as we find out in The Monkey King, that’s… not always a good thing. The animated feature, from actor and filmmaker Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle, Shaolin Soccer), follows one such primate, who’s an unlikely — and, at times, unwanted — hero.
Monkey, as he’s called, was birthed from a rock. But while the young lad was born with superpowers, he has no chill. In order to win over his fellow monkeys, he embarks on an action-packed journey to defeat all the demons in the land. But before he can prove once and for all that he’s the ultimate hero, he’ll have to battle against his greatest foe: his own massive ego.
Unlike the other monkeys who live nearby, Monkey is born from a large rock. He looks different from everyone else, and he is different from everyone else — he’s imbued with magical powers. Unfortunately for him, his brazenness in the face of danger causes him to be cast out by his elders and peers. Years later, as a quippy adolescent, Monkey is determined to become an immortal king — which involves stealing a magical weapon from the dangerous Dragon King and defeating dozens of demons of all shapes and sizes. During his epic quest, he meets a humble peasant named Lin, who challenges him to become the best version of himself.
Yes. It’s based on the classic novel Journey to the West, which was written in the 1600s during the Ming Dynasty. The novel, attributed to author and politician Wu Cheng’en, is a fantastical rendition of the real-life story of a seventh-century Buddhist monk called Xuanzang, who journeyed to India in search of sacred texts.
No. It’s based on the first part of Wu’s historical fiction, which tells the story of a monkey born from a stone who learns the art of Tao and becomes a god.
The Monkey King takes place in ancient China.
