Immortal Demon Slayer (2017)

Immortal Demon Slayer makes Sun Wukong feel less like a familiar legend and more like a living storm—furious, funny, wounded, and impossible to ignore—set against a heavenly realm that looks like it was carved from fire and cloud. Derek Kwok stages the action with a painter’s eye and a brawler’s rhythm, delivering CGI-driven set pieces that are genuinely dazzling while still giving Eddie Peng room to make Wukong’s defiance feel personal rather than just loud. The vibe is mythic and operatic, equal parts swagger and sorrow, with Ni Ni and Shawn Yue adding emotional counterweight to the spectacle. It is intense and often violent, so it’s not the pick for a gentle family night, but if you want a fantasy adventure that swings big and actually lands its feelings, this one earns your attention.

Immortal Demon Slayer wants to be a slick, rebellious reimagining of Sun Wukong—part mythic origin story, part vengeance-fueled fantasy spectacle—and you can feel the ambition in its big swings and moody visuals. The problem is it often trades coherence for style: the plot makes abrupt leaps, the second act can feel sluggish and confusing, and the emotional beats don’t always land because the narrative keeps slipping out of focus. Action fans may also be put off by how heavily the fights lean on CGI, which can look busy rather than exciting, and the violence is more intense than the “family” label suggests. Still, Eddie Peng brings committed energy and there are flashes of striking world-building, so if you’re happy to ride the vibe and don’t need a clean, tightly told story, you may get more out of it than most.