The Forbidden Kingdom 4K 2008

Throughout history, the East has clashed with the West. There have been wars, conflicts, misunderstandings, what can you do - a different culture. However, this very, strange and incomprehensible Eastern culture has been actively gaining fans in the West since the 70s. Suffice it to remember the popularity of Bruce Lee.

So it turns out that for Western cinematography 'Forbidden Kingdom' is a kind of way to the East. Or a transposition for a more down-to-earth American viewer of the classic medieval novel by Wu Chengya about the adventures of a cunning monkey king.

The movie itself reminded me of the old productions of 'The Magic Portrait' and 'The Drunken Master'. Yes, that unforgettable 'Drunken Master' that started my love for Chinese cinema.

Asian faces are perceived badly by Europeans, to put it simply - they confuse them. That's why the characters in the movie are colorful and memorable. A very clever move on the part of the creators. Each character has its own manner of communication, fighting technique, its own specifics. That the movie only beautifies.

'Forbidden Kingdom' is not a deep movie. It's made for entertainment. No one can argue with that. But it's a movie you can't help but love. Even if we take into account the lack of deep ideas and subtext, the movie can be loved for the fact that it is beautiful to death.