The film itself is boring, the effects are good, the photography and costumes are fantastically beautiful and colorful, the script is even round, it has some pretty boring and childish comic strips, it looks cool, but it's very boring and boring...

This film apparently takes place 500 years after the first film. The Monkey King is now played by Aaron Kwok and not Donnie Yen. Aaron played the Blue Demon in the first feature. Just go with it like the second Darrin in "Bewitched." A monk is tasked by the Mercy Goddess to obtain Buddhist scriptures in the west (Tibet?). Along the way he frees the Monkey King and also gets the help of two other "demons." They are confronted by Lady White or White Bone Spirit, an evil demon along with her minions. The sets looked surreal, a product of CG generation. The special effects were good and the real reason to watch the film as the plot was simple and the ending was not what I expected.

The film contains a multitude of fights, looking like an RPG. There is also humor, the dialogue is mostly light with Chinese sayings or their derivatives sprinkled in. The film is 2 hours long and it does start to weigh on you.

Guide: No swearing or sex. The female demons look almost nude. They appear to be wearing a nude colored body suit with ornate decorations in the right places. Yes, they looked sexy.

This is full length movie based on one of China's most famous legends, The Monkey King. It stars Aaron Kwok in the title role, tasked to escort a traveling monk, Tang Seng (Shaofeng Feng),to the west to fetch ancient Buddha scriptures while protecting him from the evil White-Bone Demon (Gong Li).

While the TV-series adaptation of the story has the Monkey King and his counterparts dealing a host of demons and monsters to protect the monk in each episode, this movie places emphasis on one demon, the White-Bone Demon, portrayed stunningly by Gong Li. She is a menacing force to be reckoned with, capable of spreading chaos and casualties to those dare to cross her - all the while maintaining her spellbinding beauty.

Kwok is excellent as the Monkey King, feisty and powerful in his own might. Xiao Shen-Yang did great as Zhu Bajie - a womanizer who provides much needed comic relief - and Chung Him Law gave an effective portrayal of Sha Seng - a character more on the sidelines but did a great battle with the skeleton monsters and showed the most concern for the master's well-being.

The movie was a little too high on the CGI in some parts, but it works well mostly, especially in the scenes involving the White Bone Demon as she floats around zapping her dark magic. The visual effects really captures the majesty of the kingdom and rich countryside, and the make-up and costumes brought the characters to life in very detail.

The plot was fast-paced from start to finish, full of suspense and adventure, and the dramatic elements of trust and second chances really make the film all the more interesting. An excellent adaptation of this epic journey!

Grade A