Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

2013, Adventure/Comedy, 1h 50m

35 Reviews 2,500+ Ratings

What to know

critics consensus

As sweet, silly, action-packed and ridiculous as director Steven Chow's best work, Journey to the West serves up dazzling action sequences while playing its disparate elements against each other with thrilling abandon. Read critic reviews

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Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons Photos

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Movie Info

A Buddhist disciple (Zhang Wen) battles demons by using a book of nursery rhymes to appeal to their inherent goodness.
  • Rating:
    PG-13 (Partial Nudity|Fantasy Violence|Bloody Images|Some Sexual Content)
  • Genre:
    Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
  • Original Language:
    Chinese
  • Director:
    Stephen Chow, Chi-kin Kwok
  • Producer:
    Ivy Kong, Zhonglei Wang, Dajun Zhang
  • Writer:
    Stephen Chow, Chi-kin Kwok, Yun Wang, Xin Huo
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     limited
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $17.7K
  • Runtime:
  • Distributor:
    Magnet Releasing

Cast & Crew

Shu Qi
Miss Duan
Zhang Wen
Xuan Zang
Bo Huang
Sun Wukong
Yu Xing
Fist of the North Star
Show Luo
Prince Important
Shing-Cheung Lee
Sand Monk
Bingqiang Chen
KL Hog
Sihan Cheng
Master Nameless
Stephen Chow
Director
Chi-kin Kwok
Director
Stephen Chow
Screenwriter
Chi-kin Kwok
Screenwriter
Yun Wang
Screenwriter
Xin Huo
Screenwriter
Stephen Chow
Executive Producer
Ping Dong
Executive Producer
Sanping Han
Executive Producer
Ellen Eliasoph
Executive Producer
Ivy Kong
Producer
Zhonglei Wang
Producer
Dajun Zhang
Producer
Ying-Wah Wong
Original Music
Choi Sung-fai
Cinematographer
Chi Wai Chan
Film Editing
Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

All Critics (35) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (33) | Rotten (2)
Full Review… Ronnie Scheib Variety Full Review… Grady Hendrix Film Comment Magazine Full Review… Richard Brody New Yorker Full Review… Bilge Ebiri New York Magazine/Vulture Full Review… Kristy Puchko CinemaBlend Full Review… Christy Lemire RogerEbert.com Full Review… Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com Full Review… Grant Watson Fiction Machine Full Review… Shelly Kraicer Cinema Scope Full Review… Edmund Lee Screen International Full Review… Rob Gonsalves eFilmCritic.com Full Review… Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
View All Critic Reviews (35)

Audience Reviews for Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

  • Apr 17, 2017
    Well written, well directed, well acted. Exceptional.
    Morris N Super Reviewer
  • Mar 06, 2016
    There was one scene that made me lmao and one scene that made me cry, but otherwise this is a bastardisation of a prequel of the real Journey to the West story.
    Letitia L Super Reviewer
  • Jan 03, 2016
    A much better version of the Monkey King story than the other outing with Donnie Yen made the same year.
    Anthony V Super Reviewer
  • Jul 04, 2014
    A Buddhist demon hunter who tries to redeem evil spirits clashes with a powerful mercenary huntress who keeps killing his potential converts; she also falls in love with him, despite his vow of chastity, and together they seek the Monkey King's help to defeat a powerful boar demon. The special effects aren't up to Hollywood standards and the Chinese comedy tropes are unfamiliar, but only the most unimaginative and parochial Westerner could fail to be charmed by this endlessly inventive and surprising fantasy/comedy/romance from Stephen (KUNG FU HUSTLE) Chow.
    Greg S Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

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