Director Zhao Xiaoding’s lavish adaptation of a best-selling fantasy novel was released in 2017, but its eye-popping visuals appear brand new. The story follows a young goddess from the Heavenly Realms who travels to Earth on her quest to become a High Goddess. Once there, she encounters a man who believes she is his reincarnated wife, leading to romantic entanglements as she tries to complete her mission.
Buy Once Upon a Time from MovieZyngIf you’re familiar with Chinese fantasy films, it should come as no surprise that the story and acting are underwhelming. The basic plot is barely conveyed, as Zhao moves his underdeveloped characters from one stunning set piece to the next, further hampered by scattershot editing that impedes attempts to derive a better understanding of the story. The bland young leads seem selected more for their aesthetic beauty than their dramatic skills, failing to make any emotional impact. A recurring little CG critter sidekick is an annoyance rather than a perk, and even the dastardly baddies can’t generate any sizzle. And yet, the film commands full attention due to the towering visual achievement of its artists and Zhao, the Oscar-nominated cinematographer (House of Flying Daggers) also making his directorial debut.
The film is an absolute visual showcase complete with a rich spectrum of vibrant colors, frames fully stuffed with detailed backgrounds, and amazing costumes. It’s obvious that the whole film was shot on green screen soundstages, giving it a sterile, claustrophobic feel, but the visual artists excel at proving just how stunningly vast the insular world can appear. Scenes overflow with CGI splendor, at times veering close to looking like slick TV-advertising campaigns, but always achieving far more impressive results. The film deserves a 4K release to truly maximize its obvious HDR potential, but the Blu-ray does a fine job of displaying the wonders of its imagery. Blu-ray sound is also excellent, with its 5.1 HD surround sound encoded for both DTS:X object-based sound and Dolby Digital.
Buy Once Upon a Time from AmazonBy the end, I still didn’t really understand what I had watched, but I had a great time savoring the lush imagery along the way. While I couldn’t help wishing for veteran, recognizable acting talent to enhance the plot, eagle-eyed fans may note that the goddess lead, Yifei Liu, went on to star in Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan. Much like that misfire, the net result is a fumbled fairy tale, but here the pictures are so pretty that the story is entirely secondary.
