The Wandering Earth 2 Review

I still remember my excitement as the credits rolled at the end of the first Wandering Earth movie in 2019. It was groundbreaking in so many ways, with great casting and acting, phenomenal cinematography, and twists and turns that avoided any tired tropes. It was an exciting moment for sci-fi movies in China, which had previously been overshadowed by the big-budget films of Hollywood. The stunning debut of The Wandering Earth was a gift to audiences at home and abroad.

Understandably, expectations for the second installment were through the roof. Unfortunately, The Wandering Earth 2 didn't quite live up to those expectations. Despite some highlights, such as Andy Lau's performance as the traumatized father Hengyu, the movie fell short in many other aspects.

One of the biggest problems was the three parallel storylines, which made the plot feel disjointed and distracted from the film's overall impact. While Hengyu's story was compelling, the other two plotlines failed to engage me as much. In Liu Peiqiang's storyline, he was tasked with placing nuclear bombs on the moon before being forced to return to the space station. While the scenes were impressive, the story itself felt anticlimactic. The third story centered around a seasoned Chinese diplomat who remained true to his beliefs in humanity and his country's pride, but the character felt forced and hollow.

Still, I appreciated the film's exploration of a philosophical question about the definition of human existence. The movie's ending, in which Hengyu's consciousness was uploaded onto a thumb drive, highlighted the potential for technological advancements in the future.

Another aspect of the movie that stood out to me was the impressive visual effects. The film's portrayal of space and the Earth's destruction was vivid and breathtaking, with incredible attention to detail. The Wandering Earth 2 continued the first movie's tradition of pushing the boundaries of Chinese sci-fi filmmaking. However, the movie's pacing was a major issue. At three hours long, it felt unnecessarily drawn out and left me checking my watch several times throughout. This was exacerbated by the disjointed nature of the storylines, which made it difficult to fully engage with the characters and the film's overarching message.

The Verdict

While The Wandering Earth 2 had some impressive moments, it ultimately fell short in comparison to the first film. Nonetheless, the movie still made strides in the realm of Chinese sci-fi and posed some thought-provoking questions about the future of humanity. The impressive visual effects and Andy Lau's standout performance are worth mentioning, but the movie's pacing and disjointed plotlines left much to be desired. Overall, The Wandering Earth 2 was a disappointment, but one that still had some redeeming qualities. (5/10)