
The one thing that truly never gets lost in translation in the language of cinema is the art and the power of the spectacle…
In this second installment, Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force certainly continues the scope and saga the franchise, it has moments that let itself down as well.
The narrative has a lot of layers that don’t always connect even during the occasions that the actors actually do. There’s no denying the art of the cinematic spectacle of these films generate and feel at least culturally like something that could best be compared to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force continues the epic Fengshen Trilogy adapted from the classic 16th century Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods. Jiang Ziya and Ji Fa, aided by the Kunlun immortals, lead Xiqi’s defense against the Shang Dynasty’s dark forces. As the battle for the Fengshen Bang intensifies, alliances shift and secrets emerge in this stunning clash of mortals, gods, and monsters.
From co-writer/director Wuershan, Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force has a cinematic flare to it that is undeniable there’s just a lot of narrative going on that may not perfectly translate to North American audiences as it blurs the line between over the top graphic novel fantasy and something that is steeped in a degree of historical lore.
The visual layout and tapestry of it all is very solid, even when the settings and the CGI lean into some more fantastical moments which makes a perfect movie to roll up to with a bucket of popcorn leaning up at the IMAX hoping for a good time. While there are some logic points and jumps that add to the generally overloaded layers of the narrative which require some good faith leaps of logic…and we mostly get there because we want to see what the giant three head demon or other creatures and characters that turn up decide to get into. The character work is mostly faceless but the leads allow us to get emotionally invested in the ultimate struggle of it all.
Ultimately freshening yourself up on Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms may not be a terrible idea if you haven’t seen the first installment (available to stream on Prime Video now) but when the dusts settles on it all this is still a sumptuous piece of action fantasy cinema with epic set pieces and staging that would make some Hollywood veterans jealous. Just be prepared for the occasional re-read on subtitles if you get a little lost in determining who is ultimately on whose side.
- Genre: Adaptation, Fantasy
- Release Date: 1/31/2025
- Directed by: Wuershan