This new adaption of a well-known story in China differs from previous versions as it focuses not on mighty Taoist gods, but on Ji Fa, a nobleman’s son who struggles to find out who he really is and later grows into an earthly king.
The original story was inspired by the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel Investiture of the Gods, which narrates the history of the Shang (c.1600BC-1046BC) and Zhou (1046BC-771BC) dynasties intertwined with folklore, legends and mythical creatures.
Some young audiences saw their own struggles in the path Ji Fa walked and the hardship the young actors undertook during filming, while the long wait before the film hit theaters also inspired and encouraged many.
In the first installment, Ji Fa is one of the many hostages at the Shang court dreaming of becoming a hero under the command of Yin Shou, who considers the hostage boys his “sons.” After a series of power schemes, including the murder of Ji Fa’s beloved elder brother and framing of his father, the protagonist has to face up to the reality that Yin Shou, a battlefield warrior he admired, has become a greedy and tyrannical king after the killing of the former king and his own brother.
Ji Fa’s search for his own path after witnessing the collapse of his idol and struggles amid the political turbulence in the late Shang has resonated among many young moviegoers who are at their own junctures in life, perhaps needing to choose a college major, a career, or in which city to settle down.
Some of them obeyed their “tiger parents,” while others were more rebellious, but their sentiment of being “lost among choices” and the insecurity caused by an uncertain future has been relieved a bit by the words Ji Fa’s father – who your father is does not matter; what matters is who you are.
This has also been interpreted by some audiences and critics as a demonstration of the power of youth.
Feeling uncertain seems to be a shared sentiment for young people in their 20s, but focusing on what is at hand can ease that anxiety to a certain extent.
One can always benefit from unswerving persistence, as the casting, filming and long wait before the first installment could finally reach cinemas demonstrated.
Planning the trilogy and story writing started back in 2014. Casting started in 2017 and all the young actors and actresses received 6-8 months of tailored training before filming started in August 2018.
The young men and women, all new to acting, got up as early as 5 am for morning workout, courses on performance, dancing, horsemanship, archery and wrestling, as well as ancient history and etiquette.
A documentary about the trilogy also revealed how the production team strived to build real sets rather than abuse CGI, make better props and costumes, and look for the most appropriate music.
This approach constitutes a sheer contrast to prevalent “assembly line films” which copy the formula of an already successful work and make production as simple and cost effective as possible.
The film waited another three years to reach screens, reportedly because of issues with a major investor. But time, money and effort were finally rewarded this summer – three weeks after screening, The Kingdom of Storms is No.2 on the daily box-office charts, ranking only after a newly released anti-fraud film.
The first installment is far from perfect: the special effects in a few scenes are poor, there are some issues in the storytelling and the acting of the newcomers is sometimes jerky… but audiences have given the film mostly thumb-ups because they have seen the sincerity of the cast and crew to present a quality work and therefore are willing to accept these weak points and buy a ticket so they can see the sequels sooner.
