--- title: "Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms" year: 2023 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/creation-of-the-gods-i-kingdom-of-storms" fi1m_id: "creation-of-the-gods-i-kingdom-of-storms" imdb_id: "tt6979756" tmdb_id: 856289 wikidata_id: "Q67936237" fi1m_score: 65 critics_reviews: 1 published: "2026-10-05T16:49:05.307021+00:00" updated: "2026-10-05T16:49:05.898829+00:00" region: "BE" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms (2023) Directed by Wu Ershan · 2h 28m · Action, Fantasy, War ## Identity Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/creation-of-the-gods-i-kingdom-of-storms - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** creation-of-the-gods-i-kingdom-of-storms - **IMDb ID:** tt6979756 - **TMDB ID:** 856289 - **Wikidata ID:** Q67936237 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6979756/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/856289, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q67936237 **Fi1m score: 65** · Critics: 1 of 6 reviews so far *In a sentence:* The immortal child can stay; someone needs to have a word about the music > Wu Ershan’s fantasy finds its appeal in eccentric touches, especially Wu Yafan’s acrobatic Nezha. Uneven effects and an overbearing score make its 148 minutes a qualified recommendation for fantasy enthusiasts. ## Synopsis Ji Fa (Yu Shi) is among the figures in this war fantasy, alongside King Zhou (Fei Xiang), Ji Chang (Li Xuejian) and Jiang Ziya (Huang Bo). The cast also includes Su Daji (Narana Erdyneeva), Yin Jiao (Luke Chen) and Queen Jiang (Yuan Quan). An immortal child, Nezha (Wu Yafan), brings acrobatic powers to the supernatural action. Other characters include Yang Jian (Ci Sha) and Shen Gongbao (Xia Yu). Wu Ershan directs a 148-minute film with a 15 certificate. ## Review Wu Ershan’s *Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms* is an uneven fantasy with enough oddness to reward an enthusiast’s patience. Its most appealing figure is an acrobatic immortal child; its most persistent problems are variable digital effects and music that keeps insisting on the importance of the occasion. We recommend it to those already fond of the genre, with reservations about both. At 148 minutes, it asks for rather more tolerance than its distinctive pleasures always earn. Wu Yafan’s Nezha gives the film a welcome sense of play. An immortal child with acrobatic powers could easily amount to another demonstration of what a computer can do, but the character’s eccentricity makes the movement entertaining in itself. We were delighted by his acrobatics, because they gave us a particular figure to enjoy rather than merely another supernatural ability to register. For a fantasy, that is a more useful achievement than simply making everything bigger. The visual effects are less reliable, and their unevenness keeps drawing attention to how the impossible has been made. Wang Yu is the cinematographer, while Huang Baorong and Timothy Yip Gam-Tim share the production design credit; the digital finish makes their contributions harder to judge separately. Fantasy needs a consistent look if we are to accept what it shows us without repeatedly inspecting how it has been assembled. Here, too much attention goes on deciding whether an effect works. The difference matters in a genre that needs us to accept unfamiliar beings without spending the whole evening assessing their plausibility. We do not need an immortal child to look as though we might meet him at the bus stop; we need his behaviour to be interesting once we have accepted that he exists. Nezha clears that modest but important hurdle, and gives the film a reason to persist with its stranger impulses. The weaker effects are distracting, but they are not sufficient reason to dismiss the enterprise. A more polished fantasy could easily be duller than this one, although that does not make the rougher edges any less noticeable. The music is a more wearing difficulty. Gordy Haab and Monkodran supply a score whose heavy emphasis too often crowds out the pleasure of discovering something peculiar for ourselves. We found its insistence tiring: the eccentric supernatural characters already provide a reason to pay attention, without the music pressing so hard. A less forceful accompaniment would have allowed the fantasy more space, and would have made its bursts of invention easier to enjoy without quite so much encouragement. Huang Shuo’s editing works within that constant pressure to impress, and the 148-minute running time leaves room for it to become wearying. We would not assume a shorter cut would cure the problem. A long fantasy can be engrossing when we are allowed to become curious about its people and creatures, and Nezha shows that possibility here. The film’s persistent emphasis makes enjoyment feel more effortful than an adventure ought to be, even when there is something distinctive to enjoy. This is the sort of fantasy we can like without finding it an easy recommendation. Its oddness is a reason to spend time with it, and the immortal child’s acrobatics supply a pleasure the uneven effects do not entirely spoil. But anyone hoping to be persuaded into the genre is being asked to overlook quite a lot. Choose it for the eccentric supernatural company, provided patience with noisy, imperfect spectacle is already part of the evening. *Fi1m score 65, published 5 October 2026.* ## Straight answers **Is Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms worth watching?** *Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms* is worth considering for fantasy enthusiasts, and we score it 65 out of 100. We enjoy its eccentric supernatural company, especially Nezha’s acrobatics, but uneven digital effects and an overbearing musical score make the 148 minutes tiring; it is a qualified recommendation for those already fond of the genre. **How long is Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms, and what is it rated?** *Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms* runs 2h 28m. It is an action and fantasy film. **Where can I watch Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms in Belgium?** *Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms, and is it suitable for children?** *Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms* carries a UK 15 certificate, so it is unsuitable for children under 15. It contains supernatural action in a war-fantasy setting, but we cannot specify the intensity of violence or frightening material from the details available; the certificate is the clearest guide for families and sensitive viewers. **How does Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms compare to A Chinese Ghost Story?** *Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms* is the more qualified recommendation; we prefer [*A Chinese Ghost Story*](https://film.one/film/a-chinese-ghost-story) for supernatural adventure with humour, romance and peculiar company. The latter mixes swordplay, slapstick and horror more successfully, despite broad comedy and a scrambled last act, while *Kingdom of Storms* asks greater patience with uneven effects and overbearing music. **Is Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms based on a true story or a book?** *Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms* is based on a novel, with Xu Zhonglin and Lu Xixing credited as source authors, rather than on a true story. We cannot establish how faithfully it follows that source or whether reading it beforehand helps; our recommendation rests on the film’s eccentric supernatural characters, with reservations about its effects and music. **What should I watch after Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms?** After *Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms*, try [*A Chinese Ghost Story*](https://film.one/film/a-chinese-ghost-story) (1987, Fi1m 82): For supernatural adventure with humour, romance and a taste for the peculiar. Then [*Princess Mononoke*](https://film.one/film/princess-mononoke) (1997, Fi1m 88): For conflict between human ambition and supernatural forces, with more moral complexity; and [*The Green Knight*](https://film.one/film/the-green-knight) (2021, Fi1m 78): For a slower, stranger journey through myth that gives its images room. ### Reviews we read (1) - **The Guardian**, Ryan Gilbey (65/100, inferred): Gilbey finds the ambitious fantasy epic flawed by uneven CGI and an overbearing score, but ultimately distinctive. He particularly praises the eccentric immortal child Ne Zha, whose acrobatic powers steal the show. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/19/creation-of-the-gods-i-kingdom-of-storms-review-immortals-and-armies-wreak-havoc) ## Details - **Director:** Wu Ershan - **Director:** Wu Ershan - **Writer:** Wu Ershan, Ran Jianan, Cao Sheng, Ran Ping - **Novel:** Xu Zhonglin, Lu Xixing - **Cinematography:** Wang Yu - **Editor:** Huang Shuo - **Music:** Gordy Haab, Monkodran - **Production design:** Timothy Yip Gam-Tim, Huang Baorong - **Producer:** Du Yang, Luo Shanshan, Wuerhan - **Cast:** Yu Shi as Ji Fa; Fei Xiang as King Zhou; Li Xuejian as Ji Chang; Huang Bo as Jiang Ziya; Narana Erdyneeva as Su Daji; Luke Chen as Yin Jiao; Xia Yu as Shen Gongbao; Yuan Quan as Queen Jiang - **Runtime:** 2h 28m - **Release (Belgium):** 10 July 2024 - **Genres:** Action, Fantasy, War - **Budget:** $85 million - **Box office:** $369 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ucTl-cxIjc ## Where to watch in Belgium - Amazon Prime Video: rent €3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy €7.99, hd *Checked 2026-10-05.* Also available in: AT, BE, CA, DE, ES, FR, GB, ID, IN, IT, MY, PH, PL, SG, TH, US, VN. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Golden Rooster Award for Best Picture 2023: Golden Rooster Award for Best Picture (won) ## If you liked this - *A Chinese Ghost Story* (1987), Fi1m 82: For supernatural adventure with humour, romance and a taste for the peculiar — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-chinese-ghost-story.md) - *The Thief of Bagdad* (1940): For a fantasy that makes its impossible creatures a pleasure to meet - *Princess Mononoke* (1997), Fi1m 88: For conflict between human ambition and supernatural forces, with more moral complexity — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/princess-mononoke.md) - *The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* (1988): For extravagant fantasy whose oddities come with a more welcome sense of humour - *The Green Knight* (2021), Fi1m 78: For a slower, stranger journey through myth that gives its images room — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-green-knight.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/creation-of-the-gods-i-kingdom-of-storms