The Monkey King (film) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Monkey King
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Cheang Pou-soi
Produced by	Kiefer Lyhrywgraiu Michael Wehrhahn Robert Harris
Screenplay by	Szeto Kam-Yuen Edmond Wong Lola Huo Dali Chen
Starring	Donnie Yen Chow Yun-fat Aaron Kwok Joe Chen Peter Ho Kelly Chen Zhang Zilin Gigi Leung Xia Zitong Louis Fan
Music by	Christopher Young
Cinematography	Arthur Wong Ardy Lam Yang Tao Daniel L. Symmes
Studio	(See Notes)
Distributed by	Aeon Pix Studios (India)
Release date(s)	25 January 2014 (2014-01-25) (Beijing premiere) 30 January 2014 (2014-01-30) (Hong Kong) 31 January 2014 (2014-01-31) (China)
Running time	120 minutes
Country	Hong Kong China
Language	Mandarin Cantonese
Budget	500 million yuan (82 million USD)
Money made	US $182.2 million

The Monkey King is a 2014 Hong Kong-Chinese action-fantasy film directed by Cheang Pou-soi and starring Donnie Yen as the titular protagonist Sun Wukong. Yen also serves as the film's action director. Production began in Beijing on 18 October 2010 and was filmed in 3D. The plot is based on an episode of Journey to the West, a 16th-century Chinese literary classic written in the Ming Dynasty by Wu Cheng'en. It was released on 31 January 2014. A sequel titled The Monkey King 2 was released in February 2016.

Plot

During an attack on Heaven, the Bull Demon King battles and loses against the Jade Emperor, the ruler of Heaven. The Emperor's sister and Bull Demon King's lover, Princess Iron Fan, convinces the Emperor to spare him and banishes him, Princess Iron Fan, and the rest of the demons to Flaming Mountain. The goddess Nüwa sacrifices her body to rebuild Heaven with crystals. The Jade Emperor appoints his nephew Erlang Shen to guard the Southern Gate, despite Shen's resentment of the task. One of the crystals falls to Mount Huaguo, taking the form of a monkey over time. A nine-tailed fox is scarred after touching the crystal and whisked away by a mysterious force.

Years later, the monkey is taken in and trained by Subhuti, naming him Sun Wukong. The Bull Demon King plans to invade heaven again by using Wukong and preying on Shen's anger towards the Jade Emperor. Shen agrees to help the Demon King in exchange for getting to kill his uncle and take Heaven's throne. The plan is kept secret from Princess Iron Fan, who is pregnant with the Demon King's child. Wukong travels to the palace of the Dragon King to find weapons for the Mount Huaguo monkeys. After defeating the Dragon King, Wukong becomes intrigued by a staff planted in the sea. He removes it, causing a violent storm. The Bull Demon King asks a young Vixen if she'd like to meet her old friend again. She is revealed to be the nine-tailed fox and the Demon King as the force that whisked her away, claiming to have saved her life. After the Dragon King informs Heaven of Wukong's destruction, Shen sends Nezha to arrest him.

The Vixen, who reveals her name to be Ruxue, reunites with her old friend, Wukong. He promises to make her immortal after learning she will die when she turns 200 years old. The pair are attacked by Nezha, but is killed by the Bull Demon King. Wukong befriends the Demon King, who appeals to Wukong's ego and tempts him with Heaven's treasures, including immortality. Wukong journeys to Heaven and learn the secret to immortality. The Demon King and Shen conspire further, revealing that if Wukong consumes the Emperor's elixir, it will increase his power.

Shen tries to convince the Jade Emperor that Wukong is a demon but Subhuti intervenes, explaining Wukong is not evil. Wukong meets the Emperor, and is given a position caring for the stables. Princess Iron Fan learns of the Demon King's plan, who justifies his attack as destiny. Wukong comes across a large kiln. Shen, disguised as a maiden, tempts him by revealing that the Emperor's elixir is made there. Wukong is restrained by Subhuti and told to leave but Shen challenges him to take the Elixir. Wukong consumes the elixir and battles Shen until he flees. Ashamed, Wukong leaves Heaven and returns to find Mount Huaguo destroyed and all his friends dead, including Ruxue who has a dark substance around her neck. Enraged, Wukong returns to Heaven after the Bull Demon King convinces him that they were responsible. Wukong attacks Heaven's armies and the Emperor.

Suhuti battles the Demon King but is defeated. Wukong notices the Demon King conjure the same dark substance he found on Ruxue and realizes he was the one that killed his friends. Wukong attacks the Demon King but is defeated. Through a vision, the goddess Guan Yin helps Wukong realize his mistakes. The Demon King defeats the Emperor and kills Shen, taking the throne. Wukong battles the Demon King once more, sending him crashing to Earth. Later, Princess Iron Fan gives birth to Red Boy. They find the Bull Demon King who, having lost all his power, has been turned into a regular bull. Iron Fan explains that this is the fate of evil men but continues to care for the bull, regardless. Wukong wishes to help the Emperor rebuild Heaven, but he is stopped by Buddha. Buddha reveals that Wukong's chance for atonement will arrive in 500 years, but must sleep inside Buddha's hand-turned-mountain until then. Wukong agrees and is sealed by Buddha. 500 years later, Tang Sanzang approaching the mountain.

Cast

Sequel

Filmko Entertainment announced Louis Koo will be joining the cast as Tang Sanzang in the upcoming sequel. Production for the sequel started in November 2014.

See also

In Spanish: Rey Mono (desambiguación) para niños