The animated adventure film “The Storm” is a little repetitive, but the animation is top-notch and the story takes a curveball turn. The ending is a bold move that won’t work for every viewer, but it’s unique among movies of this type. “The Storm” might have some similarities to Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 Oscar-winner “Spirited Away.” There are a few commonalities, but they’re different stories.
Set in an unspecified ancient time in China, “The Storm” (written and directed by Yang Zhigang aka Busifan) tells the tale of a poor drifting man named Daguzi who meets an about 8 or 9 year old boy Mantou when he sees him floating down a river. Mantou seems to have no family, so Daguzi takes him in and becomes his father figure.
Daguzi and Mantou have cute nicknames for each other. Mantou calls Daguzi Biggie. Daguz calls Mantou Bun. They become very close friends and develop the kind of emotional connection that exists between fathers and sons.
In order to get money because he’s desperate financially, Daguzi/Biggie does something illegal. He then becomes wanted by law enforcement authorities and has to go into hiding with Mantou/Bun. They end up at Great Dragon Bay.
On the bay is a mysterious black ship with an evil reputation: People who go on the ship tend to vanish mysteriously. When Daguzi/Biggie and Mantou/Bun get on the vessel, they find out there are white jellyfish-like creatures called jellieels which can transform people into jellieelsters after certain period of time passes.
As revealed in the trailer for “The Storm,” Daguzi/Biggie gets bitten by one of these jellieels. A devastated Mantou/Bun then goes on a race against time to find a turquoise magic mushroom that will prevent Daguzi/Biggie from turning into a jellieelster. Along the way, he gets help from an army leader named Commander Liu aka Miss and her relative known as Uncle Big Hat.
One of the best things about “The Storm” is how it creates a magical world that is often visually stunning and can be beautiful or dangerous at any given moment. The movie’s plot loses some steam when it shows Commander Liu and her troops’ military preoccupations. However, its storytelling succeeds when it focuses on Daguzi/Biggie and Mantou/Bun’s relationship. To appreciate this film, you need to watch it closely because some of the plot moves fast, since the two main characters don’t stay in one place for very long.
“The Storm” has overt and subliminal messages about confronting fears and what happens when children make major decisions without adult supervision. It also demonstrates how relatives (whether biological or chosen) can inspire loyalty and love like no other type of relationships can. It isn’t a flawless animated feature, but there are many things to enjoy about it.
There’s lots of action and tension, but “The Storm” really gets viewers invested in the characters’ fates, especially vulnerable yet brave Mantou/Bun’s. Most viewers won’t see the movie’s ending coming. Stick around for the epilogue at the end of the credits because it adds poignancy to this film’s conclusion.
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