Audience pose for photos in front of the poster of the Chinese fantasy feature "Ne Zha 2" at IMAX Sydney in Sydney, Australia, Feb. 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)
by Zhang Jianhua, Li Huizi
CANBERRA, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Most mainstream Australian cinemas have significantly increased their screening schedules of the latest box-office hit -- Chinese animated film "Ne Zha 2" -- this week due to the strong demand from local audience.
Cinemas in major Australian cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide all saw the Chinese film's screening become a mainstay of their schedule this week till Feb. 19 in most regions, with a cinema in Western Australia's Perth having 13 screenings on Saturday alone, most of which saw few empty seats.
C.L. Chadwick, a viewer from Adelaide, shared his views after watching "Ne Zha 2": "From the first minutes, I was impressed by the quality of the animation and art direction. By the time the film rolled to a close, I was under the impression that l had just seen the highest quality animation of my lifetime. Beautifully articulated, every moment of the film is a visual spectacle."
"Ne Zha 2" clearly shows that the Chinese film industry is capable of reaching heights of technical and design achievement that rival or surpass that of the traditional Hollywood film industry, Chadwick said.
"Ne Zha 2" is outperforming "Captain America: Brave New World" in pre-sales in Australia, despite having a fraction of the release, "Charlie" said on the X social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
This photo taken on Feb. 13, 2025 shows a projected poster for the Chinese fantasy feature "Ne Zha 2" at a shopping mall in Sydney, Australia. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)
The Chinese animated fantasy film "Ne Zha 2" has been showcased in advance screenings in Sydney since Monday, with almost all advance showings fully booked this week. The strong demand has prompted cinemas across Australia to increase their screenings.
"Ne Zha 2" is the sequel to the 2019 animated blockbuster Ne Zha. Both films were inspired by the 16th-century Chinese mythological novel "The Investiture of the Gods."
"Ne Zha 2" has already become the first film to gross one billion U.S. dollars in a single market and also the first non-Hollywood title to join the coveted billion-dollar club.
"Just saw it in IMAX. Had high expectations and was not disappointed. The fights were EPIC, with such intricate and creative designs. Not a boring minute during the whole run. 10/10 from me," "raskolnokov789" posted on a forum social network.
"The colors, martial arts choreography, costumes, and scenery are all top-notch. For me, the best part of the movie is the plot. I watched it alone last night and experienced a whirlwind of emotions. The relationships between family members and friends are deeply touching, with each family showcasing its own unique dynamics filled with love, support, and sacrifice," "ltvd-47777" said in another online forum.
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