The Lost Empire
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Movie Reviews of The Lost Empire
Movie Review: A review with a quick history
Summary: 3 Stars
First of all there WAS people who were White in Asian before Europeans even started circumnavigating the globe. They've found mummies in China that appeared to be Caucasions (right done to the DNA testing that was done) that were there for nearly a millenium.
Going all long with that, the monk in the story that Thomas Gibson replaces was known as The White Monk. So its not a far stretch to have a White man who is a scholar searching to protect the text when The White Monk was the one in the original story who set The Monkey King free and was the one on the journey to take the texts from India to China so that China would have the Buddist texts.
Gods and Goddesses in every religion vary in the way they act. They are not forbidden from any act because they are above us mortals. They can do what they want because they have more ability. Mara, the God who become the Buddist version of Lucifer, tries to tempt everyone including tempting Buddha with women. A god can do things, but they would have to deal with the kharma.
Yes they are some gross misrepresentations of the story. But you have to realize that it is a Western version of a story. Eastern version's of Western stories have serious flaws, but we still accept them if they are well done as a story.
If anything we should be complaining that this story did a better representation than Dragon Ball.
Overall this is a decent movie, not the best but I've seen worse representation of "The Journey to The West" in films that were made in China. so considering the culture gap it was well done.
Its worth getting for less than $12, anything more is a joke for any DVD.
Movie Review: Kids loved it
Summary: 3 Stars
If you are at all familiar with Chinese fantasy stories this was right in line with that genre: Huge monsters, forbidden places, animal-men who kick martial art (...).
Was this A Chinese Ghost Story I, II or III? No.
But it was still fun to watch and a lot more kid oriented then the Chinese Ghost story movies or many of the Chinese fantasy movies made. Not to mention it is in English so you don't have to read subtitles or hear a bad dub.
I think the biggest downer of this movie was the main protagonist (played by Thomas Gibson) just isn't a good actor. The rest of the cast was just fine. Does Russell Wong ever age?
This movie not up to par with the direction or story telling as the Hallmark verion of Gulliver's Travels or The Odyssey, which in my opinion are more serious stories made for adults anyway.
My kids thought Piggsy (the pig-man) kicking martial arts (...) with a rake was hilarious. They didn't get the love story aspect of the movie, nor was it directed well so you felt a connection with the story and actors. They loved when Monkey was flying in the sky and how cool he was. Overall it was a satisfying family movie that my four small kids and I enjoyed together.
Movie Review: What a fun movie!
Summary: 3 Stars
Chinese mythology, campy modernism, a bit of "stretching", an interesting story line and some not-bad acting combine to make this a movie that the whole family can enjoy. A favorite in our family for many years, we were pleased to be able to add it to our CD collection.Movie Review: program's unfortunate lack of cultural respect
Summary: 1 Stars
despite the participation of david henry hwang, there were many miscalculated, unfortunate, misguided and tragic mistakes made in the production of this good-intentioned attempted. a commentary seen in the l.a. times review describes more eloquently and directly my thoughts.----
"The Lost Empire" provides a touchstone for looking at ways that anti-Asian sentiments are practiced. I say "sentiments" because at this point I am somewhat reluctant to label the movie "racist," at least until a fuller definition of the term is operative.
TYPICALLY, we might think of racism as discriminatory exclusionor discriminatory selection that is institutionally enforced: people of color not matriculating into higher education at proportionate rates to whites, not being promoted to upper-level management, racial profiling, etc. "The Lost Empire" turned this "history of exclusion" on its head, but in a way that is no less offensive to many Asians. The production accomplished this by injecting a white, male romantic lead into a Chinese myth where none before existed.
WHAT'S PARTICULARLY DISTURBING about "The Lost Empire" is that the inclusion of the white man was mandated to screenwriter David Henry Hwang. Further, it was made clear that this character was to serve as the romantic interest of the female Asian lead.
IN A STORY in The LA Times ("Ancient Mysteries," by Susan King, March 11), director Peter MacDonald said that producer Robert Halmi "wanted the romance between Orton [the white male] and Kwan Ying [the Asian female] to be the most important element in the adventure."That's a far cry from an ancient Chinese myth where whites weren't even present. Indeed, can you imagine the reaction if Asian filmmakers decided to tell the American myth of Paul Bunyan with an Asian actor as the lead?
TRYING TO PIN DOWN motivation for the inclusion of whites in ethnic films is an endeavor best left to another essay. For now, let us simply include "The Lost Empire" with other films in Hollywood's history that have, for their own reasons, placed white males in lead roles in otherwise Asian stories. Films that come to mind are "Come See the Paradise" (1990), which placed a white, romantic male lead squarely in the story of the Japanese American internment, and "Year of the Dragon" (1985), which placed a white, romantic male lead in New York's Chinatown. A more recent example is "Snow Falling on Cedars" (1999), which also dealt with World War II internment. And then there's the hit Broadway play "Miss Saigon." In each case, the white male was the romantic lead to an Asian woman.
ASIANS and other groups underrepresented on television, such as racial minorities, gays, lesbians and the physically and mentally challenged, deserve the same level of respect as the mainstream. But they need to make their voices heard. And network and studio executives must listen.
THE FRAMEWORK FOR IMPROVED RELATIONS is in place: Underrepresented groups have advocacy organizations that can be consulted, and the networks, as a result of the NAACP-led protests in 1999, have vice presidents for diversity. Now everyone involved must make two-way communication the norm. One thing is clear: Unless meaningful, ongoing dialogue is established during the script development process, the door to more cultural insults such as "The Lost Empire" will remain open.
Movie Review: The thousand injuries of Fortunado
Summary: 1 Stars
First, this piece of trash is based on The Journey To The West about as much as Raiders of the Lost Ark is based on the Bible. There are some characters common to both Lost Empire and Journey. Well, common in name. That said let's get to the real problem with this film. It is astoundingly insulting to Chinese religious traditions. Imagine for a moment some non-Christian producing a film in which: the God Jehova no longer cares what happens to humanity and just gives us over to Satan; Jesus gives up on that sacrifice stuff and is now focused purely on the personal acquisition of wealth and power; and the Virgin Mary comes to earth for a hot night at the singles bars. Sound offensive? It is. And this film is equally insulting to Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism (the three big ones in China).
Confucius, a man revered these past 2500 years for his uncompromising moral standards appears in Lost Empire as a lecherous,traitorous,lying,cowardly weasel.
The Jade Emperor,Taoism's chief God, is shown as a despondent,apathetic slob who no longer cares about the earthly or celestial realms.
Kuan Yin, one of the Bodhisattvas, is shown in Lost Empire falling in romantic and physical love with a man. That is as likely as the Virgin Mary turning tricks on a street corner.
If some religious bigot wanted to disguise a piece of anti-Chinese propaganda as a clever adventure-fantasy they could not easily do better than The Lost Empire. It makes me wonder if the insult was intended.