Zee Wong zedwong126@126.com THE long anticipated movie “The Yinyang Master,” directed by Li Weiran and co-produced by Chen Guofu and Zhang Jialu, did not do so well in the box office as compared to the blockbusters over the Spring Festival. Nonetheless, it tells a touching story. Adapted from the phenomenal RPG mobile game “Onmyoji,” the movie unfolds the struggle of the ex-Yinyang Master Qingming (Chen Kun), who was born half mortal half demon, in a search for his real identity. In the film, a demon became a “familiar,” when it established an unbreakable bond with a human, vowing to serve till death. “Every demon knows, as long as they have a master, and knows where home is, that it won’t turn evil.” This line by Baini (Zhou Xun) was the controlling idea of the film, making the contrast between Qingming and Cimu (William Chan) sharp and clear. Having grown up in the Yinyang Bureau, the three aspired to become yinyang masters, responsible for subduing demons and guarding the sealing chamber, in which dwelled the spirit of the Demon King in the form of a scaled stone. The Demon King awaited the opportunity to conquer the world after being resurrected by Qingming. Because of Qingming’s blood lineage and connection with the Demon King, he was sidelined by other pupils, leading to his anxiety of self-identity. Baini made an oath with Qingming by giving him a flower bracelet, which mimics the token used by humans and monsters to establish a master-familiar relationship. Owing allegiance to Baini, even though Qingming was half demon, he made a series of choices leading to positive outcomes, eventually overpowered the Demon King, and established his identity. In the quest for his true self, he saved the world from chaos. On the other hand, Cimu was completely enthralled by the demonic power when he got flung to the floor by Qingming, who was deeply disturbed by the Demon King. Despite that he was fully human, each one of his decisions drove him to a bottomless chasm. He demonized himself by absorbing the scaled stone, and attempted to rule over the human world and the monster realm. In the end, he was deserted by the Demon King. In his pursuit of power, he lost himself. Unfortunately, this storyline was greatly compromised by the setting of multi-protagonists. Many viewers complained that they thought Chen and Zhou were the main characters before entering the cinema, but found more scenes centered on the dual the capital guard Yuan Boya (Qu Chuxiao) and the witch Shenle (Shen Yue). The two acted as helpers and witnesses as Qingming fought to the end. Renowned screenwriter Robert McKee said the climax is supposed to be “the pinnacle and concentration for meaning and emotion, the fulfillment for which all else is preparation.” Possibly due to the multi-protagonists setting, the last 20 minutes of “The Yinyang Master” did not provide a fulfilling experience. The focus was torn between Qingming’s inner struggle with the Demon King and the fight against the demonized Cimu led by Yuan Boya. Though the sensuous set design beautifully complemented the atmospheric camerawork during Qingming’s struggle in the last act, his victory over the Demon King came too easy, and the reversal too abrupt, thus was unable to fulfill the expectation built up during the previous hour. Similarly, the defeat of Cimu was far from a gratifying climax. The movie’s producer Chen Guofu, also the director of “The Message” and producer of “The Ghouls,” is a seasoned player of the fantasy genre. Setting the obvious drawbacks aside, the film still constructed a fanciful world inhabited by humans and demons. That is evident in the CGI of the magical sealing chamber, Qingming’s vibrant courtyard, and the strange yet mysterious monster’s realm. Last but not least, Qingming and Baini’s chase scene was rather captivating. The employment of light and shadow brought the audience into a mystical realm, while the placement of Japanese sliding doors in between makes an appropriate metaphor of the hindrances to be overcome. The movie is now being screened in Shenzhen. | 