The Legend of Hei
2019 · Directed by MTJJ
Original language: Chinese
- animation
- fantasy
- action
- adventure
The story
When cat spirit Luo Xiaohei's home is deforested by humans, he must find a new one. He runs into a group of other spirit creatures who take him under their wing with dreams of reconquering the land they say is rightfully theirs. However, they run into a human known as Wuxian who separates Luo Xiaohei from the other spirits and the two go on a journey, with the cat spirit learning to control his abilities as well as forming his own thoughts on whether or not he should ally with the spirits or the humans.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated CG landscapes of deep green forest, misty mountain passes and sunlit clearings, with a sweeping orchestral score that swells during chase and fight sequences and drops to quieter strings for the tender moments. The look is glossy and fully digital, with fur, foliage and spirit-glow rendered in rich colour, and the camera moves with energetic, kinetic momentum through its action set pieces. The vibe is adventurous and wistful, a soft-hearted journey with an undercurrent of environmental grief. It suits a weekend afternoon, a family movie night, or a restless evening when you want a big-screen fantasy with momentum. The pacing is brisk and episodic, and the emotional arc follows a young cat spirit gradually finding his own footing between two groups who both want something from him. Action is frequent and stylised, with creature combat, magical blasts and some injuries and peril, but little gore and no sexual content; the darkest moments come from betrayal and loss rather than sustained cruelty. It is for viewers who enjoy animated fantasy with a strong sense of place, folkloric creatures and a mild moral question at its heart.
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