--- title: "Ne Zha 2: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/ne-zha-2/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/ne-zha-2" critics_score: 67 critics_reviews: 11 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." --- # Ne Zha 2 (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 67 from 11 reviews: 7 positive, 4 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics respond positively to Ne Zha 2, with praise concentrated on its detailed animation, inventive action and sheer scale. The reviews repeatedly single out the visual variety, character animation and elaborate battles, even when the storytelling proves harder to enjoy. There is broad agreement that the film offers plenty to look at, though considerably less agreement about how well its drama sustains that spectacle. Reservations centre on dense mythology, an overcomplicated plot and action that can become repetitive or exhausting. The spread runs from enthusiastic recommendations with caveats to mixed responses, rather than outright rejection. Emotional engagement is a particular dividing line: Slant Magazine finds depth in the film’s treatment of hope, love and mutual respect, while The AV Club finds it emotionally underwhelming. The humour also splits opinion, with some reviews enjoying the slapstick and others finding the crudeness a distraction. ## IndieWire — Wilson Chapman Rating B. 22 August 2025. Chapman finds the film a visually spectacular epic that is good but held back by excessive length, cluttered pacing, and crude humor. He especially praises the vivid, intricate animation and inventive action sequences. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/ne-zha-2-review-a24-english-dub-1235146468/) ## The AV Club — Tara Bennett Rating B. 21 August 2025. Bennett finds the film visually astonishing but emotionally underwhelming. She praises its richly detailed animation while criticizing its overstuffed story and relentless battles. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/ne-zha-2-review) ## Slant Magazine — Justin Clark Rating 3/4. 20 August 2025. Clark finds the sequel’s emotional depth and mythological spectacle compelling, despite its sprawling story and demanding mythology. He especially praises the jaw-dropping action and the third act’s themes of hope, love, and mutual respect. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/ne-zha-ii-review/) ## The Guardian — Phil Hoad Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 20 March 2025. Hoad finds the film’s artistry overwhelming, despite a story that could use dramatic improvement. He singles out its dazzling visual range, especially the watercourse fight and the pagoda mountain. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/mar/20/ne-zha-2-review-demons-dragons-and-dazzling-visuals-jiaozi) ## Empire — John Nugent Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 March 2025. The review finds the film awe-inspiring and entertaining, though its maximalism can be exhausting and hard to follow. It particularly praises the immense scale of the animation and battle sequences. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ne-zha-2/) ## Screen Daily — Elizabeth Kerr Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 March 2025. The review presents the sequel as an energetic, positive big-screen spectacle. It singles out the film’s scale as a reason it is made for the big screen. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/ne-zha-2-review-energetic-chinese-sequel-is-the-highest-grossing-animated-film-of-all-time/5202798.article) ## Variety — Carlos Aguilar Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2025. Aguilar finds the sequel a breathtaking visual spectacle, though its dense lore and relentless information can overwhelm. He especially praises its character animation, production design, and astonishing action sequences. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/ne-zha-2-review-1236324922/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page URL identifies this as a review, but its verdict is unavailable. No praise or complaint can be confirmed because access is blocked. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/ne-zha-2-chinese-film-review-2025) ## Sight and Sound — BFI Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 18 March 2025. The review finds the story convoluted and difficult for newcomers, though the film’s energetic action and humour make it an engaging spectacle. It praises the rowdy fights and slapstick while noting that the mythology-heavy plot and large cast can be hard to follow. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/ne-zha-2-demonic-wunderkind-returns-convoluted-chinese-odyssey) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Frank Scheck Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 20 August 2025. The critic finds the sequel visually stunning but chaotic, with an overcomplicated story and repetitive action. The spectacular animation is the main strength, while the cluttered plot and juvenile humor are drawbacks. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/ne-zha-ii-review-michelle-yeoh-1236345564/) ## Deadline — Fred Topel Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 14 February 2025. Topel finds the sequel visually engaging but says its elaborate plotting becomes exhausting. He praises the animation and graceful martial-arts battles, while noting that the story’s many added complications can be difficult to follow. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2025/02/ne-zha-2-movie-review-1236289763/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/ne-zha-2.md