Super Zoo

Xin Linli paused, broom in hand, like a cleaning lady ready to sweep the place clean—though the floor around Suming's feet was fairly tidy, as she'd been eating chips behind him, leaving nothing but crumbs…

"Put it down, put it down." Suming said, exasperated. You're not here to clean. A receptionist costs much more than a cleaner per month.

"What's your opinion on the movie? Sit down and let's talk about it."

The company was just getting started and was severely lacking in talent, especially those with insightful views on films.

The company had professionals, but having industry experience and academic credentials did not necessarily equate to having a discerning eye for movies.

Having heard Xin Linli mention 'the fear of choosing the wrong profession,' Suming found it resonated with his thoughts and felt inclined to hear her take on it.

"Oh." Xin Linli placed the broom aside, took a seat, thought for a while, and said, "Overall, it's a bad film... But, it's the kind that can be salvaged, or rather, it tried to take the right path, but didn't quite make it."

Anybody could see the first half of her statement; it wasn't surprising for Xin Linli to say that, nor did it indicate that she had any particular discernment. However, the second part of her comment was somewhat interesting.

"Explain in detail—what exactly is bad about it and how can it be redeemed?" Suming asked.

"Well, this movie is a hodgepodge of Chinese mythology, Western fantasy, comedy, romance, action, monsters, horror, and grotesque elements, with plenty of problems. The actors' performances are so exaggerated they seem more suited for a play; the special effects are high-quality, but they feel cheap. In terms of content, it utterly disregards historical accuracy and cultural sensitivities, choosing instead to arbitrarily redesign based on historical legends, ultimately creating a film that feels like a mishmash... Honestly, if it weren't for the previous marketing or if they simply hadn't claimed it was based on 'The Investiture of the Gods', and had presented it as an ordinary entertainment film, it would pass. But branded with the name 'The Investiture of the Gods', it's just begging to be criticized..."

Seeing Xin Linli speak so articulately about the movie, her previously confused demeanor gone, Suming nodded and let her continue without interrupting.

Xin Linli paused briefly, counting on her fingers, "First, the cast list is a sham! The film prominently lists Li Lianjie at the top, followed by Fan Bing, Huang Xiaoming, AB, and a bunch of other big names. The audience came for the cast, and what did they get...?"

She spread her hands in frustration: "Damn it! It's nothing but deception. The entire movie's screen time for these stars combined is less than that of Lei Zhenzi and Xiang Zuo. Might as well call it 'The Legend of Xiang Zuo'. So, after watching the movie, regardless of its quality, the audience's first impression is undoubtedly one of being cheated. Next time Xiang Zuo appears in a film, would the audience trust it?"

Suming grunted in agreement, the film was essentially Long Wu's vehicle to elevate his own son, and Xiang Zuo, listed towards the end of the cast, was actually the lead male.

"And another thing, the special effects are indeed glamorous, but the style is just an incoherent mess. It's clearly a blatant rip-off of Avatar, Magical Beast, Demon World, and a slew of foreign blockbusters. Copying is one thing, but did the art department have their brains eaten by dogs? The tackiness of the Golden Hill artillery is off the charts, and the designs are so ugly they explode. It looks like a cosplay event at a rural tycoon's wedding, of course, I get it, this is to cater to the current garish tastes."

"As for other gripes, I won't even start on the acting; after all, these days, there aren't many who really earn their bread through acting, it's basically like shooting a slideshow. The key issue is that this film should never have been billed under 'The Legend of the Deification'. The screenwriter not only can't figure out whether Nezha stepped on the Wind Fire Wheels or the Qiankun Rings, but they don't even have a grasp of basic ancient Chinese cultural knowledge. It starts off with a Western-style European castle, and then the monsters are styled after Hollywood Magical Beasts... What should've been a fantasy featuring Eastern characteristics was turned into a Western Magical Beast saga, deceiving the audience once again."

Xin Linli's excitement grew as she spoke, and suddenly she stood up like a great leader pointing out the way forward, waved her hand emphatically, and glared fiercely at Suming, "Integrity! Where is the integrity?! Throughout the entire film, I saw nothing but deceit and mockery! The audience can accept a lack of quality, but they will never pay for deception!"

Suming was taken aback by her incisive style, and he dumbly took out a napkin to wipe the spit that had splashed onto his face.

"Calm down, calm down. This isn't our company's film..." said Suming.

"But they used our animals, huh, the animals were quite good, though. Shen Gongbao's mount, the performance of the zoo's black panther, was better than those so-called big shots..." Xin Linli snorted a few times, seated herself again, and continued, "Actually, 'The Legend of the Deification' in its original form has a grand vision, with imagination and depth of thought that's quite spectacular. The struggle for power amongst the gods, the clash of destinies in the human resistance to the gods, the interconnected evolution and changes between the realms of gods and humans, the endless appearance of ancient divine beasts, tactics and treasures with various effects, and each character in the original text represents a spirit and philosophical view, incorporating the metaphors of the religious debates between Daoism and Confucianism, as well as the cultural beliefs in fate and destiny. It is a true epic of ancient mythology for the Huaxia nation. If one digs deep and handles it with care, it could absolutely result in a blockbuster rivaling The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter series—an excellent movie!"

Suming felt the same about this point.

Not just 'The Legend of the Deification', but each of the Four Great Classical Novels, Dream of the Red Chamber, Water Margin, Journey to the West, Jin Ping Mei... oh no, 'The Legend of the Deification'. The cultural backdrop, storylines, and character portrayals in each one are rich enough to make a series of blockbuster films, truly an inexhaustible cultural treasure trove.

"So what do you mean when you say this film still has hope, that it simply didn't traverse the proper path?" Suming asked again.

"Whew..." Xin Linli had given a long speech and seemed to have talked herself to the point of dry mouth and thirst, taking a deep breath, feeling somewhat parched. Her coffee was long finished, and she shot an inquisitive look at Suming. Suming had a cup of tea by his side.

"I haven't drank any, it's yours," Suming said with a nod and a smile.

The tea had already cooled. Xin Linli picked it up, gulped it down with a tilt of her head, and, feeling content, wiped her mouth before saying, "What is a movie, it's a story. To make a good movie, the first thing you have to do is tell a story well and truly. From this standpoint, although the plot of 'The Legend of the Deification' is both simple and hackneyed, it has managed to tell a story that ordinary people can understand: the battle between good and evil, the protagonist leveling up by defeating monsters, and finally acquiring the ultimate weapon to defeat the boss. This contrasts with many domestic films that either stuff in convoluted plots for the sake of expressing some incomprehensible thoughts, or tell stories that are so esoteric that many people can't understand them. Both aren't ideal, especially the latter—after all, making movies is about making money, not holding art exhibitions. No matter how highbrow, it's useless if the audience doesn't understand."