On a lark, Zibin and I decided to watch The Forbidden Kingdom today. The trailers seemed to promise some decent entertainment, and we had been having too many “Jackie Chan vs Jet Li” debates to resist watching a film where they finally ‘face-off’ on screen. (Bet you can guess who I support right?)
It was a good thing that we went to watch on a lark, because that’s all the film was. It was corny too… and entertaining if you like to see all the 1990’s gongfu flick clichés rolled into one film. In fact, there were so many times where Zibin and I were laughing out loud for the wrong reasons that I’m surprised we didn’t get any glares or kicks.
BUT. I have one MAJOR grievance about the film. It’s an insult to the first idol I ever had in my life: SUN WUKONG (a.k.a. Monkey God). In the film, it’s implied that Sun Wukong’s powers come from his magic staff (which, by the way, any Tom, Dick or Harry was able to pick up with ease… from an untrained American teenager to a hobbling old monk instead of the 6,750kg treasure that only Wukong could wield). AND, Sun Wukong actually lost in a pathetic manner to a weasly 1980’s style eye-shadow wearing ‘Jade Warlord’ whose only skill is to muster up magical balls of ‘qi’ to throw at his opponent. *blink* HOW COULD THAT BE POSSIBLE?!?!?!??!?!
Ok, so I exaggerated about how peeved I am. :P But I’m not kidding about being miffed at Sun Wukong being thus irreverently represented. And as much as I love Jet Li (there u have it, I’m a Jet fan over Jackie), he does a terrible Monkey God impersonation.
On the MRT ride back home, Zibin was so amused at my passionate defence of Sun Wukong’s ‘real’ prowess (72 transformations, 108,000 li sommersault, ‘fiery’ vision etc etc) that I was suddenly reminded of how much I adored Sun Wukong.
He was my very first idol (I was 3 yrs old). I was passionately in love with all his stories, and when John became a Wukong fan as well, we had a jolly good time talking about him for hours on end. And I still say… Sun Wukong can whip any Marvel Comic Superhero’s ass anytime, and have a cheekily good time doing so! :P
Journey of the Heart 
Hi dear,
JF and I went to watch the show too, also, in your words, ‘went on a lark’. :) We didn’t like it a lot too. And some parts were just.. weird… haha… :) Anyway..
There is another show I want to watch, ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’. I don’t know if it will be disappointing haha… But well, I don’t know if I have the time :) We went to watch ‘Forbidden Kingdom’ at 10plus at night, and I was super tired by the time I got home :)
me love love sun wukong!!! hahaha…my mom said last time when i was a kid, as long as she put the original sun wukong (with liu xiao ling tong) into the VCR, i can just sit there and watch for one whole day :P and then she’ll be free to go and do her own stuff hehee….
To Sherry:
Yes, I remember the conversation we had about Sun Wukong. Ha ha… liu xiao ling tong was BRILLIANT. I LOOOOOVE that series. That was the series that made my brother crazy about Sun Wukong! I cried when Wukong was banished for ‘killing’ Bai Gu Jing 3 times ok and I was sooo mad at Zhu Ba Jie and Tang San Zhang! :P
Lol… lucky I didn’t go and watch it yet…. eh.. where they get such weird ideas one?
Yah… if u curious just wait for dvd rental lah. Save ur $$$ for better films!
oh yah we did!!!!! yes..dont u just hate tang san zhang? me no likey him.
the xi you ji with liu xiao ling tong is the best!! i cannt stand any other versions after that :P *spoilt by the best* hehe…